Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

BY :Bebs | Published: | Updated: | 5 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT

5 from 4 votes

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Try this chicken version of the famous Tocino. Easy to prepare, and economical, this delicious Chicken Tocino recipe is perfect for breakfast or serve it any time of the day!

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (1)

Kapampangans are known for their love of cooking and delicious cuisines. They have created mouthwatering dishes like Sisig, Bringhe, Tibok-tibok, and Morcon. They are also known for processed meat products like Tapa, Longganisa and Tocino.

Loved by kids and adults alike, the sweet, slightly garlicky and peppery taste of Tocino is an old favorite. And for those who cannot/does not eat pork (or carabao meat like the Kapampangan Pindang), here is a version for you – the Chicken Tocino.

Some might say it is healthier as it is is from white meat, for sure it is more budget-friendly.

  • Why make it?
  • Other Delicious Chicken Recipes
  • Ingredients in making Chicken Tocino
  • Recipe Video
  • Cooking Tips
  • Serving Chicken Tocino
  • How to Store
  • Printable Recipe
  • Chicken Tocino Recipe

Why make it?

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2)

All-natural ingredients. There is no added chemical preservative in this Chicken Tocino recipe. The pineapple juice and sugar serve as the curing agent as well as the natural preservatives.

Simple and easy to prepare. Just toss all the ingredients in a bowl and you’re done. Frying the chicken tocino is the most effort you do in this dish.

Budget-friendly. Most of the ingredients of this recipe are pantry staples, plus chicken is more affordable than pork.

Other Delicious Chicken Recipes

Ingredients in making Chicken Tocino

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (7)
  • Skinless chicken thigh fillet- they are easier to cook and do not dry out as easily as breasts. Chicken thighs are more tender and flavorful as well. If unavailable, you may also use chicken breast fillets.
  • Oil – for frying. Use any neutral-tasting oil you have available.
  • Dark brown sugar – you may also use white sugar if unavailable.
  • Seasonings – The recipe calls for ground white pepper and salt.
  • Garlic – to add a light garlicky flavor.
  • Rice flour- helps tenderize the meat and adds a velvety texture to the meat when cooked.
  • Soy sauce – lends an umami flavor to the meat.
  • Vinegar + unsweetened pineapple juice – a good marinade always has acids to help soften the meat and serves as natural preservatives.

Recipe Video

Cooking Tips

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (8)
  • Make sure to cut your chicken thigh fillet thinly. In the frying stage, this will help make sure that the meat is cooked properly. Another reason is that Chicken Tocino is best enjoyed in a single bite.
  • If you don’t want to use food coloring, you may use banana ketchup (about ¼ cup) to color your Chicken Tocino. It also adds extra flavor to the dish.
  • If you prefer not to have bits of garlic, you may substitute this with garlic powder (about 1 tsp).
  • If you don’t like food coloring but still want the bright red color of Tocino, you can use ‘Achuete’ or Annato seeds instead.
  • Before marinating the chicken, pat it down with paper towels to dry off the excessive moisture so it can fully absorb the marinate.
  • If you want a spicy version of Chicken Tocino, add some chili peppers or chili powder to the marinade. If you want something more manageable, you may use spiced vinegar as your dipping sauce.

Serving Chicken Tocino

The most popular pairing of tocino is with garlic rice and fried egg. This way, you can make the perfect Tocilog. You can also addAtcharaand sliced tomatoes on the side to fancy it up.

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (9)

How to Store

If you're making a large batch of Chicken Tocino and intend to cook it in portions, divide it in separate airtight containers or Ziplock bags.

Refrigerate leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 3 days.

Keep uncooked Chicken Tocino in an airtight container; even better if you have resealable bags like Ziploc. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (10)

Printable Recipe

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (11)

Print Review

Chicken Tocino Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Try this lighter version of the famous Tocino. Super healthy, easy to prepare, and economical, this delicious Chicken Tocino recipe is perfect as breakfast or even an all-day meal!

Course :Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Servings =6

Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skinless chicken thigh fillet cut thinly in serving size

MARINADE

  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ tablespoon finely ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon rice flour
  • 1 tablespoon salt adjust to preference
  • 3 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice optional (replace with water if not using)
  • A few drops of red food color optional

For Cooking:

  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoon oil

Instructions

  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ½ tablespoon finely ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon rice flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons vinegar, ½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice, A few drops of red food color

    In a big bowl, combine all ingredients for the marinade. Mix until well blended.

  • 2 pounds skinless chicken thigh fillet

    Add the chicken fillet and gently massage into the marinade for a minute just to fully coat. Use hand gloves to avoid stains.

  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate for at least an hour. You can also transfer to ziplock bags and refrigerate it for 24 hours or up to 3 days. Can be frozen afterward and stored longer.

  • 1 cup water, 3 tablespoon oil

    To cook, place the chicken pieces into a skillet or wok and add 1 cup water. Let it simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is greatly reduced. Add the oil and let it cook until the liquid turns thick and dark and chicken lightly charred.

  • Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy with rice and spiced vinegar dip or tomatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 372kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 30gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 1495mgPotassium: 443mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 44IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 2mg

Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Comments

    What do you think?

  1. Beverly says

    Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (24)
    Made it but with some different ingredients as i didn't have them all. I used orange juice and lemon instead of pineapple one. Used the annato spice as coloring too.
    Came out great still 👌. Husband loves it.
    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      That is great, Beverly. Thanks for the tips.

      Reply

  2. Josephine says

    Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (25)
    This Ticino recipe is delicious! My children love it . Thanks for sharing the recipe 😊

    Reply

  3. Sr. Wendely says

    Thank you foxyfolksy for generously sharing your recipes. What I appreciate more aside from the palatable, healthy and economical recipes. You share with us the precise and accurate measurement. Personally, it is really of great help for me. I am a Religious Sister, who happens to be a missionary here in Italy. So whenever I am given the opportunity to prepare something, whether a main dish, desserts etc, oftentimes I refer to your recipes.
    Thank you so much and God bless your very kind and beautiful heart

    Reply

    • Bebs says

      Thank you so much Sr. Wendely. I am happy that you find our recipes helpful.

      Reply

Chicken Tocino - Foxy Folksy Pinoy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken tocino made of? ›

Chicken tocino is made of chicken thighs, pineapple juice, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, cane vinegar, annatto oil or red food coloring, and some seasonings. These ingredients give homemade chicken tocino its signature reddish color and sweet, savory, and garlicky flavor. What kind of meat is best for tocino making?

What are the cooking instructions for tocino? ›

Cooking the Meat

Place the cured pork meat into a frying pan with a little bit of oil. Heat up the oil over medium-to-high heat and then heat each of the pieces for two to three minutes per side. Think of it as cooking bacon: just fry each piece until it is a nice crispy golden brown.

How to cook frozen chicken tocino? ›

You can add water to the pan and let it simmer until it's completely thawed and ready to fry. This is what many people do anyway and can be the advice on the package you're cooking. Since it's still frozen, it will just take a little longer than expected before it is completely thawed, cooked, and ready to serve.

What does Filipino tocino taste like? ›

What does tocino taste like? Tocino has a predominantly sweet, garlicky, and slightly peppery taste. Using pork for this tocino recipe also gives it a fatty and juicy flavor.

What is the seasoning in tocino? ›

In making tocino in the Philippines, the pork belly meat is first sliced into thin strips. Anise wine, annatto, water, sugar, and salt are combined in a container, and the meat strips are sprinkled with the mixture and stacked in a container, which is covered and refrigerated for three days to cure.

What is tocino called in English? ›

Tocino means "bacon" in Spanish and originally refers to cured pork back fat.

Can I cook tocino in air fryer? ›

Set the air fryer to the 200th of sea for 15 minutes. After eight minutes, set timer to 5 minutes 180C. Flip over your toccino and cook for the remaining time. Tada!

What is the best pair for tocino? ›

Tocino and egg served with garlic rice is already a winner. But for those who want to try a little bit different for breakfast, Mekeni, with its two tocino variants, offers the following combinations. Traditionally joined by tuyo, this combination can also be paired with tocino.

Does tocino need oil? ›

Stovetop- you can pan-fry straight in hot oil, but I suggest cooking the tocino first in water until fork-tender. Add enough water to cover the meat and simmer until the meat is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed. Add oil and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned and caramelized.

Do I have to defrost tocino before cooking? ›

Thaw the pack or you can also cook them straight from the freezer and thaw while cooking.

Do you cook chicken frozen or thawed? ›

Fortunately, we can all take a collective sigh of relief, because the USDA says it is fine to cook chicken from frozen, just keep in mind that the cooking time will be about 50 percent longer. However, chicken should never be cooked from frozen in a slow cooker or microwave.

Can you cook frozen chicken without defrosting? ›

Great news, according to the USDA, it is totally safe — you just have to keep in mind that frozen chicken will take about one and a half times longer to cook than thawed chicken. But does chicken breast from frozen even taste good?

What is the flavor of Filipino spam? ›

SPAM® with Tocino Seasoning

As a token of our love for this country, we have created a Filipino Flavor — SPAM® Tocino! It has just the right mixture of sweet and meaty to satisfy your craving for Filipino cuisine. Limited availability in stores. Prices may vary.

What is the pink powder in tocino? ›

Tocino is cured like ham and bacon, but with the addition of red food coloring. Tocino used to be cured using salitre (saltpeter), a food preservative and colorant. Nowadays, people mostly use pink curing salt or Prague powder. Sodium phosphate and Vitamin C powder are must-haves for curing pork tocino as well.

Are tocino healthy? ›

Traditional tocino recipes tend to be high in sugar and unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats. The excess sugar content can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels and contribute to weight gain, while the unhealthy fats can increase the risk of heart disease and other health issues.

What's the difference between tocino and bacon? ›

tocino is made from pork fatback (equivalent to slab. bacon cut) and neither cured nor smoked, but just. fried until very crunchy and added to recipes, much. like lardons in French cuisine.

Is tocino the same as salt pork? ›

What Is Salt Pork and How Is It Used? Pork was also a daily part of the jibaros (country folk) diet. This recipe is made with salt pork, or tocino, which is typically made by curing pork belly in salt. Pork belly is therefore higher in sodium than regular bacon, which might make you shy away from using it.

What are the raw materials in tocino making? ›

Mix meat with salt, curing salt, phosphate, and Vitamin C (dissolved in 1/4 cup water) in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix again. Cure at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours or in refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours. Pack tocino in polyethylene plastic bag in ¼ package.

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