Homemade Chicken Tocino
This Homemade Chicken Tocino is an absolutely delightful way to start your mornings or to end your evenings. Sweet, savory, and perfectly caramelized, this healthy twist on the traditional tocino is perfect paired with garlic rice and eggs.
Homemade Chicken Tocino
Ingredients
- 1 kilo chicken fillet
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika optional
- 1 teaspoon atsuete powder annato powder
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- Oil for sautéing
Instructions
- In a bowl, marinade the chicken fillets with brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, annatto powder, soy sauce, ketchup, and pineapple juice.
- Mix well. Place in airtight containers. You can keep these in different containers to fit your meal plan / serving / or if you plan to freeze these to sell. If not, simply marinade overnight in the fridge.
- Douse with the leftover marinade. Marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- In a pan that’s hot enough. Pan-fry the chicken, pouring a bit of the marinade. You want to cook these in 1 layer at a time. Avoid overcrowding.
- Flip occasionally. Once cooked, the sauce has mostly dried up. Pour in a bit of oil. Cook until both sides have charred. Take these out and enjoy them with rice, pickles, eggs, or tomatoes on the side.
Video
What is Chicken Tocino ?
Chicken Tocino is a sweet and savory Filipino cured meat dish that’s made by marinating chicken in a mixture of sugar, salt, garlic, and other seasonings. Marinating or ‘curing’ it for several hours overnight before cooking. While this is traditionally made with pork, this lighter version—often called tocino chicken—uses chicken meat ( most of the time are thighs or breasts ) for a leaner alternative while keeping the signature sweet, slightly tangy flavor and vibrant reddish color. The simple chicken tocino definition would be: a Filipino-style sweet cured chicken commonly served for breakfast, usually paired with freshly steamed white rice or fried garlic rice and eggs. Many families now prepare homemade chicken tocino to control ingredients and avoid preservatives, making it a healthier option. Due to its popularity and affordability, it has also become a profitable product for small food ventures, with many entrepreneurs producing a Homemade Chicken Tocino for business sold as a pre-packed lunch or microwavable meal or as frozen or ready-to-cook pack.
Simple Chicken Tocino Marinade Recipe
This simple, healthy version of the traditional pork tocino recipe is made with easy pantry staple ingredients like brown sugar, salt, garlic, pineapple juice, paprika, and a little pepper to create that signature sweet and savory flavor every Filipino knows and loves. To prepare, mix the marinade and massage these into the chicken, let it ‘cure’ in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight for best results. You want a good amount of time to let the marinate really seep through the chicken. If you’re wondering how to make chicken tocino without preservatives, the key is to use fresh chicken, natural ingredients, and proper refrigeration instead of artificial curing agents like this recipe. The sugar and salt help preserve the meat naturally while enhancing flavor. Once marinated, separate these into containers depending on how you want to eat them throughout the week to be able to freeze them and defrost these easily. This makes it easy for meal prep and when you plan to give them to family friends, or to use this as an online / home business. To cook, defrost if frozen, if not, simply simmer and cook the chicken until tender and caramelized. If you want that really nice char most pork tocinos have, drizzle a bit of oil and place the heat on high, flipping until both sides are as charred as you like. This homemade version is perfect for those looking for a healthier, preservative-free Filipino breakfast favorite.
Ingredients in making Chicken Tocino
- Chicken fillet – our main protein for this recipe.
- Brown sugar – adds sweetness and helps thicken the sauce.
- Salt and Pepper – enhances the overall flavor.
- Garlic powder and Paprika – for flavor and aroma.
- Atsuete powder – also called annatto powder, this gives the dish a subtle nutty flavor and a vibrant red-orange tint.
- Soy sauce – adds a nice umami flavor.
- Ketchup – for color and a strong savory taste.
- Pineapple juice – helps tenderize the chicken and keeps them juicy.
- Oil – for sauteing.
Simple Chicken Tocino Recipe
Ingredients :
- 1 kilo chicken fillet
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika ( optional )
- 1 teaspoon atsuete powder ( annato powder )
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- Oil for sauteing
Steps :
1. In a bowl, marinade the chicken fillets with brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, annatto powder, soy sauce, ketchup, and pineapple juice.
2. Mix well. Place in airtight containers. You can keep these in different containers to fit your meal plan / serving / or if you plan to freeze these to sell. If not, simply marinade overnight in the fridge.
3. Douse with the leftover marinade. Marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
4. In a pan that’s hot enough. Pan-fry the chicken, pouring a bit of the marinade. You want to cook these in 1 layer at a time. Avoid overcrowding.
5. Flip occasionally. Once cooked, the sauce has mostly dried up. Pour in a bit of oil. Cook until both sides have charred. Take these out and enjoy them with rice, pickles, eggs, or tomatoes on the side.
Different Variations :
- Honey Glazed Chicken Tocino – instead of using refined sugar, try using honey instead, add a similar amount or less depending on how sweet you want it. The honey gives the dish a smoother, richer sweetness and beautiful caramelization when cooked.
- Pineapple Chicken Tocino – while the recipe already uses pineapple juice, in this variation, it adds crushed pineapples for a fruitier and slightly tangy flavor, with an interesting texture that balances the sweetness.
- Spicy Chicken Tocino – add chili flakes, sriracha, hot sauce, or chopped red chilies to the marinade for a sweet-and-spicy kick that pairs beautifully with garlic rice.
- Garlic-Loaded Chicken Tocino – adds double or even triple the amount of garlic powder, or a handful of fresh minced garlic for a stronger, more aromatic flavor.
- Low-Sugar or Diet Chicken Tocino – use reduced sugar or natural sweeteners to create a lighter version while still keeping the classic tocino taste.
- For a Chicken Tocino Recipe without Pineapple Juice – a good substitute would be to use Sprite instead for a “Tocino Recipe with Sprite”, it lacks a tanginess but still keeps the tocino juicy and tender when cooked, it also helps the marinade seep through the chicken. When using this, try to lessen the sugar as the Sprite already has a good amount of sugar.
Try our other Yummy Chicken Recipes :
and Oyster Sauce
Chicken Tocino Nutrition Facts
This recipe for Homemade Chicken Tocino calories amount to around 180 – 250 calories per serving of 120 to 150 grams. A sweet, cured Filipino-style chicken dish that provides protein and carbohydrates from its sugary marinade. The nutritional value does vary depending on ingredients and portion size but typically it has around 18 to 22 grams of protein, 8 – 15 grams of fats, and 10 – 20 grams of carbohydrates.
Still this dish does have its benefits, mostly being high in protein that supports muscle growth and repair. If you do use chicken breast and reduce the sugar content, this can lower calories and fat. Plus the Homemade version allows for a better control over sodium and preservatives. Though please do note to eat this dish in moderation as these do still contain added sugar and salt.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Tocino
Option 1: Cook Directly from Frozen (No Thawing)
- Place the frozen chicken tocino in a non-stick pan. And add a bit of water, around ⅓ cup just enough to cover half of the meat.
- Cover and cook at medium heat for 9 – 12 minutes, just until the meat softens.
- Once the sauce has reduced or completely evaporates, drizzle in a small amount of oil and saute the chicken until slightly charred.
Option 2: Thaw Before Cooking (Recommended)
- Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Place in a pan with ¼ to ⅓ cup of water. Bring to a simmer.
- Once the liquid evaporates, saute until glossy and caramelized.
Important Tips:
- Avoid high heat at the beginning to prevent burning the sugar and to help cook the meat thoroughly.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
What to Pair Homemade Chicken Tocino with?
- Garlic Fried Rice ( or in Tagalog ‘Sinangag’) – The classic and most popular partner. The garlicky, slightly salty rice perfectly complements the sweetness of the tocino.
- Make it healthier with other white rice substitutions like brown rice, red rice, quinoa, multigrain, or even cauliflower rice.
- Fried or Sunny-Side-Up Eggs – for a complete breakfast plate; A runny yolk adds creaminess and completes the traditional Filipino “tocilog” meal (tocino + sinangag + itlog).
- Fresh Tomato & Cucumber Slices – sometimes sprinkled with salt or suka ( vinegar ). Simple fresh vegetables help cut through the sweetness of the tocino as well as refreshes the palate.
- Atchara (Pickled Papaya) – another option to refresh the palette, this time it’s zestier, and stronger. These tangy and slightly sweet pickles provide contrast and enhance the overall flavor.
- For a rainy weather option; a Light Soup – like chicken broth or vegetable soup, balances the richness of the chicken tocino.
- Drinks – while rare, some might eat these as a snack itself or as a beer pairing, other drink pairings include, Hot coffee, Fresh calamansi juice, Iced tea, and an ice cold glass of your favorite alcoholic drink.
How to make Filipino Chicken Tocino ( Tagalog )
Paraan ng Paggawa ng Chicken Tocino
Mga Sangkap :
- 1 kilo fillet na manok
- ⅓ tasa ng kayumangging asukal
- 2 kutsarita ng asin
- 1 kutsarita ng paminta
- 1 kutsarita ng garlic powder
- 1 kutsarita ng paprika ( opsyonal )
- 1 kutsarita ng atsuete powder
- 2 kutsara ng soy sauce
- ½ tasa ng ketchup
- 1 tasa ng pineapple juice
- Mantika pang luto
Paano Lutuin :
- Sa mangkok, timplahan ang manok ng kayumangging asukal, asin, paminta, garlic powder, paprika, astute powder, soy sauce, ketchup, at pineapple juice.
- Haluin ng mabuti at ilagay sa ng lalagyanan. Para ma meal prep ito o pwede i-freezer pang benta. Pag hindi naman ifri-freezer, iilagay sa fridge.
- Wag kalimutan isama dito ang mga sobrang sarsa. Imarinade ng 8 na oras o magdamag.
- Sa kawali na mainit-init. Ipan-fry ang mga manok, lagyan ng konting marinade. Lutuin na 1 layer muna, wag i-overcrowd ang kawali.
- Pagbaliktatin kung naluto na ang isang gilid. Pag nasipsip na ang sarsa, lagyan ng konting mantika. Lutuin hanggang maypagka sunog sunog ang bawat gilid. Tanggalin sa kawali at ihanda kasama ng kanin, atchara, itlog, o kamatis sa gilid.
