filipino style barbecue chicken

Banana Bread

Filipino Style Barbecue Chicken

I'm showing you how I make what is probably the best Filipino-style barbecue chicken you've never had, which I should've already done, but I've hesitated since one of the main ingredients is banana ketchup. But then I remembered that I teach people to cook things, so this includes a recipe for this special ingredient.

Ingredients

1 medium very ripe banana, mashed
¼ cup tomato paste
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ cup water
½ cup prepared banana ketchup
¾ cup lemon-lime soda (such as 7-up)
½ cup soy sauce
1 medium lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut in half
3 tablespoons reserved banana ketchup
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon fish sauce

Directions

Make banana ketchup: Mash banana, tomato paste, vinegar, brown sugar, oil, ginger, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, allspice, and turmeric together in a medium saucepan. Add water and stir to combine.
Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced and thickened, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; reserve 3 tablespoons for basting sauce, leaving about 1/2 cup for marinade.
Make chicken and marinade: Transfer ½ cup prepared banana ketchup to a large bowl and add lemon-lime soda, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic, and black pepper. Whisk until combined.
Add halved chicken thighs to marinade and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 18 hours.
When you are ready to cook chicken, make basting sauce: Whisk together reserved 3 tablespoons banana ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, and fish sauce in a small bowl until smooth.
Preheat a charcoal grill until the coals are very hot. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and place on metal skewers, folding it in half with the smooth side facing outward and the rougher side folded inward.
Grill chicken in batches over hot coals until no longer pink in the centers, 15 to 20 minutes, turning and basting every 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with accumulated juices or extra basting sauce.