Filipino Chicken BBQ Skewers with Jaca
Walk past any street corner or backyard fiesta in the Philippines and you will smell it first — sweet, smoky, garlicky chicken skewers charring over coals, lacquered in a glossy soy-and-citrus glaze until the edges go sticky and caramelized. These inihaw-style chicken BBQ skewers are the real deal: juicy chicken thighs soaked overnight in a sweet-salty-tangy marinade of garlic, soy, lemon, and ketchup, then grilled and basted again and again until every piece is glazed and lightly charred. Our version swaps the brown sugar for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount — 2/3 cup of granular Jaca in place of 1/3 cup of conventional brown sugar in the marinade, and the same swap again in the basting sauce — so the skewers turn out just as sweet, sticky, and caramelized with no added sugar and no aftertaste. Allulose dissolves into the marinade exactly like brown sugar and browns beautifully on the grill, just a touch faster, so grill over medium heat and keep an eye on the char near the end. Adapted from Salu Salo Recipes. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 20 pieces)
- 1 head garlic (chopped)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (for the marinade)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (for the marinade)
- 2/3 cup Jaca (allulose), granular (for the marinade — replaces 1/3 cup of conventional brown sugar at the 2x ratio, with no added sugar and no aftertaste)
- 1/2 cup ketchup (for the marinade)
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce (for the marinade)
- 20 bamboo skewers (soaked in water for at least 1 hour so they do not burn)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce (for the basting sauce)
- 2/3 cup Jaca (allulose), granular (for the basting sauce — replaces another 1/3 cup of conventional brown sugar at the 2x ratio)
- 1/2 cup ketchup (for the basting sauce)
- 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (for the basting sauce)
Sweetener Used
1 1/3 cups granular Jaca (2/3 cup marinade + 2/3 cup basting sauce) Allulose
Replaces: 2/3 cup brown sugar
Instructions
- 1
Make the marinade: in a large bowl or gallon ziplock bag, combine the chopped garlic, lemon juice, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2/3 cup granular Jaca, 1/2 cup ketchup, and 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce. Stir until the Jaca fully dissolves — it dissolves into the marinade just like brown sugar.
- 2
Add the chicken thighs, seal or cover, and massage to coat every piece. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours for good flavor).
- 3
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 1 hour before grilling so they do not catch fire over the coals.
- 4
Make the basting sauce in a separate bowl: stir together 1/2 cup soy sauce, 2/3 cup granular Jaca, 1/2 cup ketchup, and 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce until smooth and the Jaca has dissolved. Keep this separate from the raw marinade.
- 5
Thread one marinated chicken thigh onto each soaked skewer. Discard the used marinade.
- 6
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Allulose caramelizes a touch faster than conventional sugar, so medium — not high — keeps the glaze from scorching before the chicken cooks through.
- 7
Grill the skewers, turning and brushing generously with the basting sauce every few minutes, until the chicken is charred at the edges and cooked through (165°F internal), about 10 to 12 minutes. Watch closely near the end, since Jaca browns faster than conventional sugar.
- 8
Transfer to a platter, give them one last brush of basting sauce, and serve hot with steamed rice.
Pro Tips
- Marinate overnight for the deepest flavor — the longer the chicken soaks, the more the sweet-salty-tangy marinade penetrates.
- Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 1 hour so they do not catch fire on the grill.
- Make a separate batch of basting sauce and never baste with marinade that touched raw chicken — that is what the dedicated basting bowl is for.
- Jaca caramelizes faster than conventional sugar, so grill over medium (not high) heat and watch for the char in the last few minutes.
- Use chicken thighs, not breast — thighs stay juicy on the grill, while lean breast dries out unless you watch it closely.