Chicken Adobo is the quintessential Filipino dish, celebrated for its savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor profile. This beloved stew features chicken braised in a rich sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns, reducing to a glossy finish perfect over rice.
Classic Chicken Adobo
Chicken Adobo is the quintessential Filipino dish, celebrated for its savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor profile. This beloved stew features chicken braised in a rich sauce of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns, reducing to a glossy finish perfect over rice.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken cut into serving pieces
- 0.5 cup soy sauce
- 0.5 cup vinegar
- 6-8 garlic cloves smashed
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1-2 tsp brown sugar optional
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, smashed garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and optional brown sugar to create the marinade.
- Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or for best results, refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
- Transfer the chicken and the entire marinade to a pot. Add 1 cup of water.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
- Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until it thickens slightly and becomes glossy.
- Return the chicken to the pot, tossing to coat it evenly with the reduced adobo sauce.
- Serve hot with steamed white rice.
Notes
For a creamier version, known as 'adobo sa gata', add 1/2 cup of coconut milk during the last 10 minutes of simmering. You can also brown the chicken pieces slightly before braising for extra flavor. Serve with freshly cooked white rice.
