Filipino Fried Chicken in Halifax: What Makes It Different
What makes Filipino fried chicken, pritong manok, different: the citrus and garlic marinade, rice and dips. Plus how to order it in Halifax as a Barrios party tray.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
10/27/20263 min read
Filipino Fried Chicken in Halifax: What Makes It Different, and How to Get It
Filipino fried chicken is a comfort food for many Filipinos, and one they often go looking for in Halifax. It looks like any fried chicken, but the flavour starts in the marinade, and it is eaten with rice and a dip rather than fries and coleslaw.
Here is what sets it apart, and a plain answer on how to get it from Barrios Kitchen & Bar, the Filipino restaurant at 1571 Barrington Street in Halifax.
Can you get Filipino fried chicken at Barrios?
Not in the dining room. It is not on our regular menu. You can ask for Filipino-style fried chicken as a party tray, for pickup. Call 902-444-2515 or message us on Facebook or Instagram to ask about the price, sizes and notice. Allow at least 24 to 48 hours, and we will confirm when you call.
The chicken wings on our dining room menu are crispy breaded wings in the North American style, not Filipino fried chicken.
What makes Filipino fried chicken different
In Filipino homes it is often called pritong manok, simply fried chicken. There are a few common styles: home-style, with a light coating; the crunchy breaded fast-food style, served with gravy; and versions simmered first and then fried with no coating at all. What they share:
The marinade. The chicken usually sits in calamansi or lemon juice, garlic and patis (fish sauce) or soy sauce before it is fried, so it is seasoned all the way through, not just in the crust.
The rice. Filipino fried chicken is a rice meal, often with garlic fried rice at breakfast or plain rice at lunch and dinner.
The dip. Banana ketchup, gravy, or vinegar with garlic and chili, depending on who is eating.
It is usually not chili-hot. The heat, if any, is in the dip on the side.
Chicken on our regular menu
If you want chicken in the dining room, here are two good Filipino choices. Prices shown are from our current menu and may change.
Chicken inasal, $22. Grilled rather than fried, but built on the same idea: the chicken is marinated in citrus, garlic and spices first. It comes with garlic rice, a soy vinegar dip and pickled daikon and carrots, and it is pork free.
Pancit bihon or pancit guisado, $17 each, with grilled chicken. You can also choose crispy pork belly or shrimp at the same price.
If you just want crispy chicken, our breaded chicken wings are $19, with sauces from mild to hot, honey garlic and sweet chili.
Fried chicken for a party
Fried chicken is an easy tray for a mixed crowd, especially with kids. At a Filipino party it usually sits next to sweet Filipino spaghetti, which we make as a party tray for $40. If the fried chicken cannot be done for your date, our breaded chicken wings tray is $70. Most of our trays come in a family size, which serves about 5, and a party size, which serves about 10; those are family size prices. Alongside the chicken, a spread might include pancit bihon, spring rolls and steamed rice. See the full list on our party trays page.
We do not deliver trays, but you can book an Uber courier in the Uber app to collect them.
Visit Barrios
We are at 1571 Barrington Street, open Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 AM, until 9 PM Tuesday to Thursday and 11 PM on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is Filipino brunch from 10:30 AM to 4 PM, and we are closed on Mondays. Book a table or call 902-444-2515. The full menu is online.
Quick answers
Does Barrios serve Filipino fried chicken?
Not in the dining room. You can order Filipino-style fried chicken as a party tray for pickup. Call or message us to arrange it.
What makes Filipino fried chicken different?
A marinade of calamansi or lemon, garlic and fish sauce or soy, a light crisp coating, and rice and a dip on the side.
Is Filipino fried chicken spicy?
Usually not. Any heat comes from a chili vinegar dip on the side.
How is it different from chicken inasal?
Both start with a citrus and garlic marinade. Chicken inasal is grilled instead of fried, and ours comes with garlic rice and a soy vinegar dip.
What is pritong manok?
The Tagalog name for fried chicken. Pritong means fried and manok means chicken.