The Lunch Box Meme is back!
Today my kids and hub had homemade chicken tocino -
Homemade chicken tocino is a healthier and less expensive alternative to store-bought tocino. Here is how I do it in my kitchen… Well, okay… Here is how I taught AteJo to do it in my kitchen. (Delegate, delegate!)
Ingredients:
1 kg chicken fillets ( I prefer thigh fillets, no skin)
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
5 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
dash of ground black pepper
1 tsp worcestershire sauce (optional)
Clean chicken fillets, and slice into your preferred size. Ours are about 2 x 3 inches per piece. Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Wait for the magic to seep in – this will take about 24 hours, in the freezer. We like our tocino to cure for 2 days.
To cook: Place tocino in a pan with a bit of water (about 4-5 tbps). When the water boils, reduce heat to simmer. Add a bit of cooking oil to pan as the water dries up, and reduce heat to avoid burning. Turn the chicken pieces over several times to ensure they get an even, caramelized color. The sugar gets burned easily so turn the heat down.
It’s so easy to make your own chicken tocino. My kids love it. Proof: empty lunchboxes when they get home! Why don’t you try it for next week’s baon?
You can find more Lunch Box ideas at the FilipinoMomBlog.
UPDATE, April 27 2009: We found out through experimentation (read: trial and error) that the best way to cure the tocino is by keeping them in the chiller instead of the freezer, in a covered container of course. Overnight is the minimum curing time, but best to cure for 2 days if you want your tocino to be tasty. So there, that’s the answer to Manang Toni who asked below in her comment. 
Take a break, get an Outer Banks vacation.
Tags: cooking and recipes, food, home life, meme, school lunch, tocino
January 7th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
That looks yummy, I’ll try it one of these days. And I’ll probably join the meme next week. It’s nice to be back to blogging.
Have a nice week!
January 7th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Hi Salen! Welcome back to blogging. You can still join this week, actually
January 7th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
wow, that looks yummy. thanks for the tip, i will do this one of these days – do i really need to put it in the freezer for 24 hours, what if it stays in the chiller lang? thanks
January 8th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Haven’t cooked home-made chicken tocino before but that looks glorious!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Hi Manang Toni! Actually, the chiller is a good place to cure it… What ateJo does is chill for 24 hours. When the cure seeps in, she moves the batch to the freezer. Try it – so easy!
January 8th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Ma-try ko nga yan because the kids love tocino. We have had several pouches for tocino making but I’ve never used these. Mas malasa ang thigh fillet kesa breast fillet no?
January 12th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Hi Julie! Yes thigh fillets are tastier and juicier than breast. More tender pa. Besides, chicken thighs are healthy red meat (basta minus the skin ha).
January 28th, 2009 at 11:19 am
looks so sarap. sige, I will try this too. Lab kasi namin ng anak ko ang tocino.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:49 am
I got tempted to make tocino today, thanks for the recipe! I’ll let you know how it will turn out in a day or 2 =)
February 9th, 2009 at 10:51 am
Hi Gina! Thanks for the visit. Do let me know how it turns out.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Wow.. Looks so delicious… I’ll try this.. thanks..
April 11th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Instead of frying pan could this be done in the oven?
April 11th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Hi Single guy. I have not really tried that. But I think it can be done. It is a healthier alternative, although of course huge part of the yum in tocino is in its being fried.
April 27th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
wow sarap. thx sa recipe. sana sa susunod di na recipe. ulam na talaga for free hehe
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
i got three boys the 2nd one is the picky eater i hope he will love the recipe
November 13th, 2009 at 6:09 am
Thanks a lot for the recipe I will try it today…. Gusto ko po kc mag red cya…hehe Pwede ko bang lagyan cya nang paprika?
November 13th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hi edalyn!
I have not tried paprika yet. But pag naluto and nag caramelize yung brown sugar, namumula (actually dark brown) naman ang tocino.
I hope it works well with you!
December 10th, 2009 at 11:14 am
we’ll try this at home… we’re actually preparing now… =) thanks much for this. =)
June 15th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Hi ate Chats! I made your chicken tocino twice and tweaked it a little. The 2nd batch is now curing in the chiller, this time hotter and spicier.