Home Food and Recipes “Litson (Lechon) Manok” – Filipino Roast Chicken

“Litson (Lechon) Manok” – Filipino Roast Chicken

A “Litson Manok” is the Filipino version of a rotisserie chicken. It is available in a lot of restaurant chains and in many hole-in-the-wall stands. There is no town in the Philippines without a restaurant or stall that sells “Litson Manok” all year round.

Due to its abundance in the Philippines, the “Litson Manok” became very popular among Filipino’s as a “go to” food for those that have no time to cook a full meal for their selves or families, especially for working moms. It has also been tagged as a “Filipino” comfort food because of the coziness in getting one plus the tenderness and juiciness of the chicken meat and best of all it is very affordable!

For those that are residing outside the Philippines, here’s a popular Litson Manok and sarsa (gravy) recipe for you to try:

Meat:

  • 1 Whole dressed chicken – approximately 3.30 lbs.

Marinade:

  • 3 ½ tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 20 grams ginger, chopped
  • 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 whole garlic, minced
  • 1 whole onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk of lemon grass
  • Ground black pepper
  • ½ cup sprite or 7up soda
  • Salt
  • 2 tbsp. oil

Directions on making Litson Manok:

In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, onions, ginger, soda, sugar, salt, and pepper. Marinate the whole chicken in that mixture and let it sit on the refrigerator for 2-3hrs.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. After you marinade the chicken, stuff it with the lemongrass, you can also add a quarter of a lemon for an added citrus taste.

Rub the chicken with salt and oil and pour the marinate mix inside the chicken. Place the chicken in the rotisserie oven or Turbo broiler and cook it for approximately an hour and 30 mins or until the chicken skin is golden brown.

Remove the chicken from the oven or broiler and place it on a serving plate

Sarsa (Gravy):

Pour the drippings into a saucepan and add 2 tbsp. of cream. Stir it until it thickens, you can add salt and pepper as needed. Once you achieve your desired thickness, you can pour it into a sauce bowl and serve

You can now enjoy an affordable and deliciously tasty meal the Filipino way!