Lechon Manok is a beloved Filipino roast chicken dish, often served during gatherings and family celebrations. Traditionally cooked over charcoal, this version adapts the recipe for the air fryer, making it more convenient while still delivering the juicy, flavorful, and aromatic chicken Filipinos love. Stuffed with herbs, aromatics, and seasoned with pineapple juice and soy sauce, it pairs perfectly with java rice and a bold dipping sauce.
Perfect Lechon Manok Recipe You Must Try!
Ingredients
For the Chicken & Marinade
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 stalk lemongrass bulb part, tied into a knot
- 1 stalk leeks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 1 –2 pcs star anise
- Juice of 3–4 calamansi or ½ lime
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp annatto oil or chicken oil
- 1 Maggi Magic Chicken Cube crumbled
- 1 small onion for stuffing
- Foil for tying chicken legs
For Java Rice
- 2 cups rice rinsed
- 3 tbsp annatto oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp butter or margarine
- ½ tsp turmeric powder optional, for color
- 1 pack Maggi Magic Sarap
- Salt to taste
- Water for cooking rice
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 –2 chilis sliced
- ½ cucumber diced
- 2 tbsp calamansi juice
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp Maggi seasoning
- Black pepper to taste
How to Cook
Prepare the chicken:
Clean the chicken.
Stuff with lemongrass, leeks, garlic, peppercorns, star anise, and onion.
Rub inside and out with calamansi juice, soy sauce, pineapple juice, annatto oil, and crumbled chicken cube.
Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Truss the chicken:
Tie legs together with foil “rope.”
Tuck wings under to prevent burning.
Cook in air fryer:
Cover chicken with foil.
Cook at 180°C (350°F) for 30–40 minutes.
Remove foil, baste with marinade, and cook another 30 minutes until golden and cooked through (1–1h10m total).
Make java rice:
Heat annatto oil, sauté garlic slowly until fragrant.
Add butter, then rice. Stir well.
Add turmeric, salt, and Maggi Magic Sarap.
Pour water and cook as usual until rice is fluffy and colorful.
Prepare dipping sauce:
Combine onion, garlic, chili, cucumber, calamansi juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and Maggi seasoning.
Mix well and let sit for flavor to develop.
Serve:
Plate chicken family-style with java rice on banana leaves if desired.
Garnish with spring onions.
Serve with dipping sauce on the side.
Pro Tips
For authentic flavor, grill over charcoal instead of an air fryer if possible.
Pineapple juice naturally tenderizes meat — no sugar needed.
Always cover the chicken in the first half of cooking to avoid burning the top.
Fluff rice after cooking to keep it light and airy.
Make the dipping sauce ahead of time so flavors fully develop.
Best Paired With
Java rice (as shown in recipe)
Atchara (pickled papaya) for contrast
Ice-cold soda or beer for gatherings
Served boodle-fight style on banana leaves for the full Filipino experience
