Mexican Chicken Adobo (Adobo de Pollo)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
306 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Mexican
Mexican Chicken Adobo (Adobo de Pollo)
Description
This Mexican Chicken Adobo recipe uses chicken legs and thighs simmered in a sauce crafted from dried chile peppers—guajillo, ancho or chipotle, and pasilla or New Mexico chiles—alongside onions, tomatoes, garlic, and chicken broth. The chiles are softened by simmering, then blended with vinegar, salt, cumin, oregano, coriander, cloves, and bay leaves to create a complex and layered adobo sauce.
The chicken is first seasoned and browned. The sauce imparts a deep smoky and slightly tart flavor with hints of earthy spices. Simmering the chicken in the adobo sauce until tender allows the meat to soak up the rich flavors while remaining juicy. The use of bone-in dark meat helps the dish maintain moistness during cooking.
Serve the adobo with white or Spanish rice, warm corn or flour tortillas, and sliced avocado to complement the bold, smoky flavors. Fresh cilantro adds a bright finish. This traditional dish is satisfying and can be prepared with various combinations of dried chiles, though guajillo peppers are key to its distinctive profile.
For best results, keep chicken breast pieces skin-on and whole to avoid drying when substituting. The sauce can be adjusted in heat and flavor by varying chiles used.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg bone-in
- 4 chicken thigh or skin-on if preferred, bone-in, skinless
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
Sauce:
- 1 onion sliced, small, brown or yellow
- 4 Roma tomato quartered
- 4 garlic chopped, cloves
- 3 guajillo chile stems and seeds removed, dried
- 1 dried ancho chile stems and seeds removed, or dried chipotle chile
- 2 dried pasilla chile stems and seeds removed, or New Mexico chile
- 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1/2 teaspoon dried coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
- 2 bay leaf
- cilantro chopped, for garnish
To serve: (optional)
- white rice
- Spanish rice
- corn tortilla or flour tortillas
- avocado slices
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the sauce.
Stove Top Method
Make the sauce:
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and tomatoes and sauté, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes or until the onions start to become translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute. Stir in the dried chiles and the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and with a spoon, push the dried chiles down to make sure they are completely submerged in the broth. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes so the chiles softened.
- Remove from the heat, uncover the pot and allow to cool at room temperature for about 5 minutes. Transfer the chiles and about half of their liquid to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar, salt, cumin, coriander and ground cloves and blend at high speed for about 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Add the remaining cooking liquid and continue to blend until the sauce becomes smooth. Set aside.
Cook the Chicken:
- Place the same Dutch oven or pot on the stove over medium-high heat (you want to let the pot dry up a bit before adding the oil to prevent splatters).
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and brown for about 2-3 minutes per side. You may need to do this in 2 batches not to overcrowd the pot. If you need to, transfer the browned chicken to a plate and keep warm while cooking the next batch.
- Return all the chicken to the pot and add the sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil then, lower the heat, partially cover the pot with the lid and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add additional broth if needed.
- Remove the bay leaves, season to taste and serve. Oven Method:
Stove Top + Oven Method
- For your convenience and to keep this a one-pot recipe, use a Dutch oven or an oven safe pot.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- After browning the chicken, stir in the sauce and bay leaves. Bring to a boil then, cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and has reached an internal temperature of 165o Fahrenheit when checked with an instant read thermometer.
- Remove from the oven, stir and season to taste. Remove the bay leaves and serve.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken pieces; dark meat stays juicier when simmered.
- If using bone-in chicken breast, keep the skin on and whole to prevent drying out.
- This adobo sauce relies on dried chile peppers, not ground chili or powder.
- Using a mix of dried guajillo and pasilla chiles is recommended, with guajillo providing a distinctive flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 306 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 306kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 0.03g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 145mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 1295mg | 54% |
| Potassium | 730mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 3246IU | 65% |
| Vitamin C | 10mg | 11% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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