Chicken Inasal vs Peri-Peri Chicken: Which Is Spicier?

Chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken comes down to heat versus tang. Peri-peri chicken is built around bird's-eye chilli, garlic and lemon, so it is usually the spicier of the two. Chicken inasal is a Filipino grilled chicken from Bacolod, marinated with calamansi, vinegar and lemongrass, then basted with annatto oil. It is typically tangy and aromatic, with any heat usually coming from the dipping sauce.

In brief

• Heat: in chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken, peri-peri is chilli-led and usually hotter. Inasal is tang-led.
• Marinade: inasal uses calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass, ginger and garlic. Peri-peri uses chilli, garlic, lemon or vinegar and oil.
• Colour and method: inasal's orange-red comes from annatto oil, peri-peri's red from chilli and paprika. Both are grilled and basted.

Chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken: what is the main difference?

If you know the glow of a good peri-peri grill, you already know the appeal of charred, marinated chicken. Inasal reaches it by a different route: citrus and aromatics instead of chilli. Here is how they compare.

Feature	Chicken inasal (Filipino)	Peri-peri chicken
Origin	Bacolod and the wider Visayas, Philippines	Southern Africa, shaped by Portuguese and African interaction
Acid	Calamansi and vinegar	Lemon and vinegar
Chilli level	Not chilli-led. Any heat often comes from the dipping sauce	Chilli-led, with heat varying by recipe and brand
Colouring	Orange-red from annatto (achuete) oil	Red from chilli and paprika
Aromatics	Lemongrass, ginger, garlic	Garlic, often with paprika and herbs
Grilling method	Charcoal grilled and basted with annatto or chicken oil	Flame or charcoal grilled, often basted with the sauce
Dominant flavour	Tangy, citrusy, lemongrass-led, smoky	Chilli-forward, garlicky, lemony

What is chicken inasal?

Chicken inasal is a grilled chicken dish from Western Visayas, particularly Bacolod. The word inasal means grilled in Ilonggo.

The chicken is marinated with calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass, ginger and garlic, then basted with chicken or annatto oil as it cooks.

Annatto oil gives the skin its reddish-orange colour, and it is often described as adding colour more than flavour. In Bacolod, inasal is commonly served with sinamak, a spiced vinegar.

If you are curious about the word itself, read Why Is It Called Chicken Inasal by Filipinos?

What is peri-peri chicken?

Peri-peri is the common English spelling, from South Africa, while piri-piri is used in Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking countries. The Oxford Dictionary of English traces the word to a term for pepper in the Ronga language of southern Mozambique. 

The sauce is built on African bird's-eye chilli, with garlic and an acidic or oily base such as lemon or vinegar. Its exact origins are still debated, and both Mozambique and Angola have been credited.

If allergies are a concern with grilled or marinated chicken dishes, FoodAllergy.org's guide on peri-peri chicken has useful tips on spotting allergens. Recipes and shop-bought sauces vary, so check labels.

How do the marinades compare?

In the chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken comparison, both marinades are built on acid, aromatics and oil, but they use different building blocks.

Inasal leans on calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass and ginger. Peri-peri leans on chilli, garlic and lemon or vinegar, often with paprika.

That one difference, chilli at the centre or not, shapes everything else. Inasal tastes bright and herbal, while peri-peri tastes sharp and fiery.

For a look at another Filipino grill favourite, see Chicken Inasal vs Filipino Barbecue.

Which chicken is spicier?

On heat, chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken is an easy call: peri-peri is usually the hotter dish. It is built around bird's-eye chilli, although heat levels vary by recipe and brand.

Chicken inasal is not chilli-led. Its heat usually comes from what you add at the table, such as a dipping sauce of spiced vinegar, or soy sauce with calamansi, which each diner can adjust.

So the answer to the question in the title is peri-peri, with a note that inasal lets you choose your own heat.

How do their grilling methods differ?

When it comes to method, chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken look more alike than you might expect: both dishes are grilled and basted as they cook.

Inasal is typically charcoal grilled and brushed with annatto or chicken oil, which adds colour and richness to the skin.

Peri-peri is cooked over flame or charcoal and is often basted with the sauce itself, so the chilli flavour builds on the surface. Cooks vary, so treat these as common methods, not fixed rules.

What do they taste like?

Taste is personal, so this is what many diners describe when weighing chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken. Inasal tends to taste tangy and citrusy, with a lemongrass aroma and a smoky edge from the grill.

Peri-peri tends to taste chilli-forward, garlicky and lemony, with a heat that builds as you eat. Neither is a stand-in for the other: one is a bright, fragrant grill, and the other a fiery one.

Which one should a first-time diner choose?

For a first-time diner weighing chicken inasal vs peri-peri chicken, peri-peri is the familiar choice if you love chilli heat. If you prefer tang, citrus and aroma, chicken inasal is worth trying.

For a first taste of inasal, keep any chilli dip on the side and add it a little at a time. That way you can enjoy the marinade first, then decide how much heat you want.

Where can you order Chicken Inasal in the UK?

If you would like to try inasal for yourself, Uncle Pinoy has a product called Chicken Inasal. The product page is the place to check details such as the cut, whether it is cooked or raw, preparation or reheating guidance, ingredients, allergens, pack size and delivery.

Don't just take our word for it: see @filipinoscouse_family's review of Uncle Pinoy's chicken inasal on Instagram.

Frequently asked questions

Is chicken inasal spicy?

Not usually. Chicken inasal is typically tangy and aromatic, built on calamansi, vinegar, lemongrass, ginger and garlic rather than chilli. Heat tends to come from the dipping sauce, so each diner can adjust it. Recipes and products vary, so check the product page if heat matters to you.

Is chicken inasal hotter than peri-peri chicken?

Usually not. Peri-peri chicken is built around bird's-eye chilli, so it is typically the hotter dish, although heat levels vary by recipe and brand. Chicken inasal is more about tang and aroma, and a chilli dipping sauce is one way to add heat.

What gives chicken inasal its orange colour?

Annatto (achuete) oil gives chicken inasal its orange-red colour. Cooks steep annatto seeds in oil, then brush it over the chicken while it grills. Annatto adds mainly colour rather than flavour, so the taste still comes from the calamansi, vinegar and aromatics.

Does chicken inasal contain soy sauce?

It depends on the recipe. Many descriptions of traditional inasal say the marinade relies on calamansi and vinegar instead of soy sauce, while soy sauce often appears in the dipping sauce. Some home recipes add it to the marinade. For any product, check the ingredients and allergen information.

What is peri-peri sauce made from?

Peri-peri sauce is made from African bird's-eye chillies blended with garlic and an oily or acidic base, often with lemon, vinegar, salt and herbs. Paprika is common in many recipes. Exact ingredients vary by cook and brand, so check the label if you have allergies or dietary needs.

Where can Chicken Inasal be ordered in the UK?

Chicken Inasal is listed on the Uncle Pinoy website, so the product page is the best place to check current availability, delivery areas and any handling notes. Stock and delivery details can change, so confirm them before you order.