The Best Filipino Chicken Adobo
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
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Servings
8
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Calories
209 kcal
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Course
Main Course
The Best Filipino Chicken Adobo
Description
This recipe for The Best Filipino Chicken Adobo starts with chicken thighs marinated overnight in a mixture of cane vinegar, soy sauce, and freshly squeezed lime juice, which tenderizes and flavors the meat deeply. Garlic cloves, whole black peppercorns, a bay leaf, and brown sugar are added during simmering to build the iconic layered taste of adobo: sour, salty, slightly sweet, and aromatic.
After browning the chicken to develop color and seal juices, the reserved marinade is added to braise the chicken low and slow for 40 to 60 minutes until tender. The long, gentle cooking produces fall-apart meat with a glossy, deeply flavored sauce. Vegetables such as onions and carrots are added near the end to provide mild sweetness and textural contrast without overpowering the dish.
Served hot with steamed rice, Filipino Chicken Adobo offers a comforting main course that balances acidity and seasoning beautifully. It can feature skin-on, bone-in thighs or drumsticks, allowing versatility in texture and presentation. The marinade imparts both tang and umami, making it a staple in Filipino home cooking.
While traditional adobo does not usually include vegetables, adding onions and carrots can create variation and added nutrition. Alternate vegetables like potatoes or broccoli may be substituted as desired. Marinating overnight enhances flavor, but the dish can be cooked sooner if needed. This recipe is slightly adapted from The Filipino Cookbook by Miki Garcia for home use.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs chicken thigh or boneless skinless thighs, skin-on, bone-in, or drumstick
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 3 cloves garlic , crushed with the side of knife
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns whole
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 onion sliced into rings, large
- 4 carrot peeled and chopped (Optional) (*Footnote 1
Marinade
- 1 cup cane vinegar or 3/4 cup white vinegar / cider vinegar diluted with 1/4 cup water, Filipino
- 1/4 cup lime juice , freshly squeezed
- 1 cup soy sauce
Instructions
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add chicken and shake to mix well. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Let marinate in the fridge overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the marinade and place on a plate. Reserve the marinade juice.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or a dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken, skin side down. Cook until browned, flip to brown the other side. It takes about 10 minutes in total.
- Add the reserved marinade liquid, garlic, whole black pepper, brown sugar, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then turn to medium low heat. Cover, simmer, until the chicken turns tender, 40 minutes for well-done chicken. Or up to 60 minutes for falling-off-the-bone chicken.
- Add the onion rings and carrots. Cook uncovered for another 5 minutes, until the vegetable turns tender.
- Serve hot as a main dish with steamed rice.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken overnight in the vinegar, soy sauce, and lime juice mixture for deeper flavor penetration.
- You can omit the carrots and use other vegetables such as potatoes or broccoli if preferred.
- The recipe accepts various chicken cuts such as bone-in thighs or drumsticks with skin for classic texture.
- Serve hot with steamed rice for a traditional Filipino meal experience.
- The recipe is adapted slightly from The Filipino Cookbook by Miki Garcia.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 209 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 8g | |
| Calories | 209kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 7.3g | 2% |
| Protein | 25.8g | 52% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 76mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 695mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 365mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1.3g | 5% |
| Sugar | 3.6g | 7% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1.4mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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