This sweet filipino asado recipe uses tasty chicken thighs simmered in a sugared soy sauce blend that is so good with rice! Each bite of chicken has that delicious brown sugar flavor mixed with hoisin sauce for that tangy, sweet glaze! Try it in siopao or in any bun recipe!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Our chicken filipino asado recipe is super simple to make as the sauce does all the work to get the most tender chicken pieces in under 30 minutes!
Using basic and economical ingredients, this sweet chicken asado is definitely an Asian favorite great in your favorite dumpling recipe!
Plus, we have included a free printable of the TOP filipino ingredients you need in your pantry and where to find it!
This post will go over everything you need to know to create this filipino asado recipe.
Recipe difficulty: Beginner level tried and tested!
This chicken asado filipino recipe uses only a handful of ingredients to create an incredible coating to the chicken! Simple and ready to eat! Plus, you can even use this chicken asado recipe for siopao that everyone will totally love! Seriously, who doesn’t love a good dumpling?
Sam’s Pro Tips for this Filipino Asado Recipe
Brown the Chicken Thighs
Brown the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until the outside is JUST golden brown.
Once all the spices and sauce are added to this filipino chicken asado recipe, the chicken will continue to simmer in the sauce until that tender consistency is achieved. No one likes overcooked chicken!
See our 25-Minute Simple Chicken Adobo Recipe or Tangy Filipino Chicken Afritada You Need to Try | Chicken Stew for more chicken tips and to get the best flavor!
Since we are using chicken thighs in our sweet chicken asado, we want to keep the inside juicy and full of that flavor from the sauce.
We love these KNIVES for a reliable, not-super expensive set! These KNIVES are a great medium brand (like not super fancy and not basic either) as the KNIVES stay sharp and have a great variety of options!
See The Top Kitchen Essentials You Need to Make Your Life Easier for all our favorite kitchen tools!
Simmer and Glaze
In order to get that nice, shiny glaze in this filipino asado recipe, your finishing ingredient will be hoisin sauce!
After the chicken thighs simmers in the sweet sauce, 2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce is added to finish the dish and provides a rich glaze to the chicken. See our Sweet and Simple Filipino Tocino Recipe in 3 Easy Steps, for some more glazing tips!
Hoisin sauce is usually optional in any sweet chicken asado recipe, but we love the extra flavor and sheen it gives to the chicken!
Interested in Filipino Cuisine?
Soy and hoisin sauce are pretty common in Asian cooking, and both are no exception to Filipino cuisine!
You may already have these ingredients in your kitchen, but there are some ingredients for these authentic Filipino recipes you should always have!
Check out the top five Filipino ingredients I always recommend you have AND where to find it in our FREE LIBRARY! Plus, we shared the 5 Incredibly Easy Filipino Recipes for Dinner to Help You Plan Your Week to help readers like you!
Key Ingredients – Filipino Asado Recipe
Below are some key and optional ingredients for this recipe:
- Chicken thighs: We love using chicken thigh fillets in this filipino chicken asado recipe! Chicken thighs are extremely juicy in the sauce and has great flavor! Super easy to cook as well!
- Onion: Dice a whole onion and throw it into the pot!
- Garlic: Only 3 cloves is needed for that earthy flavor. Sometimes we love using the Trader Joes Minced Garlic for a quick alternative without all that peeling!
- Bay leaves: 3 bay leaves will simmer with all these tasty ingredients! Be sure to remove the bay leaves when serving! (No one wants to eat a leaf)
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is so common in Filipino cuisine! The soy sauce will add to that dark color in this chicken asado filling recipe and give that signature salty flavor.
- Brown sugar: We love to use brown sugar to sweeten our dishes like in our Filipino Pork Barbecue Skewer Recipe Perfectly Glazed. Totally deepens the flavor and balances the salty!
- Hoisin sauce: For the best chicken asado recipe, we top off our filipino asado recipe with hoisin sauce for that sweet flavor and glazed look. The hoisin sauce gives the perfect shine and makes this dish oh so tasty!
- Lemon (optional): Add a dash of lemon juice for some acidity to the sweetness. Not needed, but really elevates this dish!
More Variations to this Filipino Asado Recipe
There are a few ways you can variate this filipino asado recipe. Here’s how:
- Use pork or beef. There are so many variations to this popular dish! For something other than chicken, give pork or beef a try and let me know in the comments below how that goes.
- Add some potatoes: For a heartier meal, dice some red ruby potatoes to simmer with the sauce. We love using these kind of potatoes as you don’t need to peel the skin and its firm enough to soak in the sauce without losing shape. These are the same potatoes in our Filipino Bistek Recipe | Steak and Onions!
- What can I pair with this dish? Have some steamed white rice on the side to spoon this filipino chicken asado recipe over! For a complete meal (as in what meal is complete without dessert?!), serve up our Rich and Creamy Mango Cheesecake Instant Pot Recipe or 3-Ingredient Filipino Banana Cue Recipe for Your Afternoon Snack for a delicious, sweet treat!
Looking for some awesome printables that are totally FREE? Our favorite! Check out our FREE LIBRARY for our Grocery Checklist or our Instant Pot Cooking Times Chart to help you on your cooking journey!
- 7-Ingredient Tasty Filipino Corned Beef Recipe Done in Only 20-Minutes
- Filipino Style Spam Garlic Fried Rice Anyone Will Love
- 11-Minute Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad Recipe
- Fluffy Bread Machine Ube Bread Rolls with a Sugared Cream Cheese Frosting
Frequently Asked Questions
what is asado chicken?
Asado chicken in filipino cuisine is meat simmered in a sugared, soy sauce blend for a sweet dish. Hoisin sauce is sometimes added for additional sweetness.
What meat is used for asado?
Asado is commonly made with chicken or pork, but beef can be used as well.
How long does sweet chicken asado last?
For the best filipino asado recipe, consume within 3-4 days in the refrigerator for optimal flavor.
Leave a Reply