Easy Chicken Embutido Recipe – Filipino-Style Steamed Chicken Meatloaf
Chicken Embutido is a delicious Filipino-style steamed meatloaf made with ground chicken, raisins, carrots, bell peppers, breadcrumbs, eggs, cheese, and evaporated milk. The mixture is shaped into a log, wrapped in aluminum foil, and steamed until tender and flavorful. Once cooled, it can be sliced and served as is, or pan-fried for deliciously crispy edges.
Easy Chicken Embutido Recipe – Filipino-Style Steamed Chicken Meatloaf
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Aluminum foil
- Steamer
- Large pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Frying pan optional
Ingredients
- 1 kg ground chicken
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup carrots finely minced
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup grated cheese
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- Red bell pepper finely minced
- Green bell pepper finely minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional Fillings:
- Boiled eggs
- Sliced hotdogs
- Ham
- Bacon
- Additional cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Finely mince the carrots, onion, garlic, and red and green bell peppers. Grate the cheese and prepare any optional fillings.
- Make the chicken mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, raisins, carrots, sweet pickle relish, onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
- Prepare the binder: In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, and breadcrumbs. Mix until the breadcrumbs absorb some of the liquid and the mixture becomes paste-like.
- Combine: Add the egg mixture to the chicken mixture. Add the grated cheese and mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Prepare the foil: Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a clean, flat surface. Lightly grease it with oil or butter to make the cooked embutido easier to remove.
- Shape the embutido: Place a portion of the chicken mixture onto the foil and flatten it into a rectangle.
- Add the filling: Arrange boiled eggs, hotdogs, ham, bacon, cheese, or your preferred filling in the center.
- Roll: Carefully roll the chicken mixture into a compact log, enclosing the filling. Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the roll and secure both ends.
- Steam: Arrange the wrapped embutido rolls in a steamer. Steam over medium-high heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the thickness of the rolls.
- Check for doneness: Make sure the chicken is fully cooked in the center. For food safety, ground chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Cool: Remove the cooked embutido from the steamer and allow it to cool before opening the foil. Cooling helps the embutido firm up and makes it easier to slice neatly.
- Optional frying: Slice the cooled embutido into rounds. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and pan-fry the slices until the edges are golden brown and slightly crisp.
- Serve: Serve warm with steamed rice and your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Finely mince the vegetables so they distribute evenly and do not interfere with rolling.
- Mix the chicken mixture thoroughly to ensure every slice has a good balance of meat, vegetables, raisins, and cheese.
- Roll the embutido tightly so it holds its shape and the filling stays in the center.
- Do not overcook the embutido, as this can make the chicken dry.
- Cool completely before slicing for cleaner, more attractive pieces.
- For extra flavor and texture, pan-fry the slices after steaming until the edges become golden and crispy.
- You can cook a small spoonful of the mixture in a pan before rolling the embutido to check and adjust the seasoning.
- For parties and holidays, prepare several smaller rolls instead of one very large roll for easier steaming and serving.
- If using optional fillings, arrange them lengthwise in the center so they remain visible when the embutido is sliced.
Nutrition
If you are looking for an easy chicken embutido recipe for Christmas, birthdays, fiestas, potlucks, or an ordinary family meal, this recipe is worth trying. Although embutido looks like a special-occasion dish, the preparation is actually quite simple. Most of the work involves chopping the ingredients, mixing everything together, shaping the rolls, and letting the steamer do the cooking.
What makes homemade embutido special is the combination of savory, sweet, creamy, and slightly tangy flavors. Raisins provide little bursts of sweetness, carrots and bell peppers add color, while cheese gives the chicken mixture a rich flavor. You can also add boiled eggs, hotdogs, ham, bacon or extra cheese as fillings for a more festive version.
Watch how to Cook Chicken Embutido
What Is Chicken Embutido?
Chicken embutido is a Filipino meatloaf traditionally made with ground meat, vegetables, eggs, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. The mixture is formed into a log, wrapped, and steamed. After cooking, it is cooled and sliced into rounds.
Filipino embutido is commonly served during Christmas, birthdays, town fiestas, family reunions, and other celebrations. It is especially convenient for gatherings because one recipe can make several servings and the rolls can be prepared ahead of time.
The dish reflects Spanish influence on Filipino cuisine, although Filipino embutido has developed its own ingredients and cooking style. Unlike cured Spanish sausages, Filipino embutido is generally a steamed meatloaf that can be enjoyed immediately or fried before serving.
Using chicken instead of pork gives this version a different flavor while keeping the familiar sweet and savory character of classic Filipino embutido.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are many reasons to add this Filipino chicken recipe to your menu.
First, it is easy to prepare. Once the ingredients are chopped, everything can be mixed in a bowl.
Second, it is versatile. You can serve the steamed embutido directly or fry the slices until golden and crisp.
Third, it is perfect for celebrations. The logs can be made ahead, making them convenient for busy holidays and family gatherings.
Most importantly, homemade embutido allows you to customize the ingredients. You can add your favorite fillings, adjust the seasoning, and make the rolls according to your preferred size.
Ingredients for Chicken Embutido
You will need:
- 1 kilogram ground chicken
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup minced carrots
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup grated cheese
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Red and green bell pepper, finely minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the filling, you may use boiled eggs, sliced hotdogs, ham, bacon, or additional cheese.
Choosing the Chicken
Fresh ground chicken works best for this recipe. If the chicken is extremely lean, the finished embutido may be slightly dry, so avoid overcooking it.
Make sure the vegetables are finely minced. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the mixture and make the embutido easier to roll and slice.
How to Make Chicken Embutido
1. Prepare the Ingredients
Start by preparing all your ingredients. Mince the carrots, onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Grate the cheese and prepare the raisins and pickle relish.
If you are using boiled eggs or hotdogs as filling, prepare them before you begin assembling the rolls. Having everything ready makes the process faster and easier.
2. Make the Chicken Mixture
Place the ground chicken in a large bowl. Add the raisins, carrots, sweet pickle relish, minced onion, garlic, and bell peppers.
Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the chicken.
3. Prepare the Binder
In another bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, and breadcrumbs. Mix until the breadcrumbs absorb some of the liquid and the mixture becomes slightly thick.
The eggs and breadcrumbs help bind the chicken mixture together, while the milk helps keep the embutido moist and tender.
4. Combine the Mixtures
Pour the egg mixture into the seasoned ground chicken. Add the grated cheese and mix everything thoroughly.
Use a sturdy spatula or clean hands to make sure all the ingredients are evenly incorporated. The mixture should be moist and sticky but still easy to shape.
5. Roll the Embutido
Lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a clean, flat surface. Lightly grease the foil with oil or butter to make the cooked embutido easier to remove.
Place a portion of the chicken mixture onto the foil and flatten it into a rectangle. Leave enough space around the edges for rolling.
Place your desired filling in the center. You can arrange a boiled egg lengthwise, or add sliced hotdogs, ham, bacon, and cheese.
Carefully roll the chicken mixture into a log, enclosing the filling inside. Wrap the aluminum foil tightly around the roll and secure both ends.
Make sure the roll is compact. A tightly wrapped embutido holds its shape better while steaming and produces cleaner slices later.
6. Steam the Embutido
Arrange the wrapped rolls in a steamer. Steam over medium-high heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the thickness of the rolls.
Check that the steamer has enough water throughout cooking. The chicken should be fully cooked in the center before serving.
For food safety, ground chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) when checked with a food thermometer.
7. Cool Before Slicing
Once cooked, carefully remove the embutido from the steamer. Let the rolls cool before opening the foil.
This step is important because freshly steamed embutido is still soft. Cooling allows the meatloaf to firm up, making it much easier to slice without falling apart.
8. Fry for Crispy Edges
Steamed embutido is ready to eat, but pan-frying makes it even more delicious. Slice the cooled embutido into rounds and fry them in a little oil until the edges become golden brown.
The crispy exterior combined with the tender chicken center creates a wonderful contrast.
Tips for the Best Chicken Embutido
Mince the vegetables finely. Large pieces can make the mixture difficult to roll and may cause the slices to break.
Mix thoroughly. Make sure the chicken, vegetables, binder, and cheese are evenly distributed.
Roll tightly. A compact log helps the embutido maintain its shape and keeps the filling centered.
Do not overcook. Steam only until the chicken is fully cooked. Cooking for too long can make the embutido dry.
Cool before slicing. This helps produce neat, attractive slices instead of crumbly ones.
Taste the mixture first. Before rolling everything, cook a small spoonful of the mixture in a pan and taste it. Adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
Make smaller logs. Several smaller rolls are easier to steam, cool, store and serve than one very large roll.
What Can You Put Inside Embutido?
One of the most enjoyable parts of making homemade embutido is choosing the filling. Boiled eggs are a classic option and create beautiful slices when cut crosswise.
Sliced hotdogs are also popular, especially for Filipino celebrations. You can add ham, bacon, cheese, or a combination of several fillings.
For a simpler everyday version, you can skip the filling completely. The chicken mixture is already packed with flavor from the raisins, vegetables, cheese and seasonings.
How to Serve Chicken Embutido
Serve sliced Filipino embutido with hot steamed rice and your favorite dipping sauce. Banana ketchup and regular ketchup are easy choices, while sweet chili sauce works well if you enjoy a little sweetness and spice.
Fried slices are delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They can also be packed into lunchboxes or included in a larger Filipino celebration spread.
For parties, arrange the slices on a serving platter. Their colorful vegetables and filling make them look especially inviting alongside other Filipino dishes.
Storage and Reheating
Allow cooked embutido to cool completely before storing. Place it in an airtight container or wrap it securely and refrigerate.
To reheat, slice the embutido and warm it in a pan, microwave, or steamer until heated through. For the best texture, pan-fry the slices so the edges become crisp again.
Cooked embutido can also be frozen in airtight packaging. Thaw it safely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Conclusion
This easy chicken embutido recipe transforms simple ingredients into a flavorful Filipino favorite that works beautifully for both everyday meals and special celebrations. Ground chicken is combined with vegetables, raisins, cheese, eggs, breadcrumbs and evaporated milk before being rolled and steamed until tender.
You can customize each roll with boiled eggs, hotdogs, ham, bacon or cheese, then serve the slices directly or fry them until golden and crisp.
Whether you are preparing food for Christmas, a birthday, a town fiesta, or a simple family dinner, homemade chicken embutido is a delicious and practical dish to have on the table. Serve it with rice and your favorite dipping sauce, and enjoy a comforting taste of Filipino home cooking.
