Chicken Adobo
This is my Filipino mom's chicken adobo recipe which she's been making for years. It's one of the most famous dishes from the Philippines where chicken is braised in a sticky, sweet, and savory sauce until perfectly tender.
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 -3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs1
- 1/3 cup soy sauce2
- 1/4 cup white vinegar (cane or coconut vinegar preferred)
- 2.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns (or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper)
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 -3 cups of water, just enough to cover the chicken
- 1 green onion, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Gently stir to combine.
- 2
Add in the chicken. Be sure they're evenly submerged and covered in the adobo marinade. Let the chicken marinate for at least one hour.*For a quicker version that you can prepare in just under an hour, feel free to skip the marinating step and proceed with the recipe.
- 3
After marinating, gently pat the chicken pieces dry to remove excess liquid. Sear the chicken on all sides over medium-high heat until the chicken develops a deep, golden brown colour.
- 4
Pour in the rest of the remaining marinade and just enough water to partially cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, scoop off any scum that float to the surface, and let it simmer with a lid over medium-low heat for 30 minutes.
- 5
After 30 minutes, remove the lid. Turn the heat up to high and begin reducing the adobo sauce until thickened to your desired consistency 3. Occasionally baste the chicken with the adobo sauce.
- 6
Serve with a side of white rice and top with sliced green onions (you may also choose to serve and reheat the next day to allow the flavors to develop further).