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Chicken Adobo

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Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

I had heard of Chicken Adobo but never had the opportunity to try it until about 6 months ago. Chicken Adobo has been dubbed the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. When I took my first bite of that tender chicken in outrageous sauce, I said “Where have you been all my life??”

The classic sauce is a simple mixture of soy sauce, garlic and vinegar, with bay leaves and whole peppercorns. The vinegar gives the sauce a bit of tang, but it is not overwhelming in the least. In fact, it rounds out the flavors incredibly well. I add a touch of sugar for some sweetness. Some recipes call for coconut milk to give it a creamy, luxurious finish. Feel free to experiment and tweak the sauce to your liking.

It’s the perfect weeknight meal because it is so easy to prepare. I bet that as soon as you try it, it will become one of your family’s go-to meals like it has in our household. Serve this dish with steamed rice as you will want to savor every last drop of that delicious sauce.

Prepare the sauce by combining 3/4 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. On a cutting board, bruise 5 garlic cloves by placing the flat side of your knife on each garlic clove and then giving it a good firm push with your palm – enough to bruise it a little but not completely mash it. You should be able to easily remove the skin.

With regards to the vinegar, there are several types of Filipino vinegar that are traditionally used in this dish such as cane vinegar. However, plain white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar works well for this dish.

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

We’re using a combination of chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks in this recipe – 8 pieces total. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then brown the chicken on each side. This is just to get a nice golden-brown sear on the surface of the chicken; not to cook it all the way through at this point.

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

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Add the garlic cloves to the pan, along with 4 bay leaves and 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns.

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

Pour the sauce into the pan, then turn the heat down to low. Allow it to simmer for about 5 minutes or until all of the chicken is cooked through. If the sauce starts to dry out, simply add more water to keep it simmering.

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

Transfer the chicken and all of that yummy sauce to a serving dish, and serve with steamed rice.

Enjoy!

PS – Love this recipe? You will love my Pork Adobo recipe as well!

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.
Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Phillippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yileds one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

Chicken Adobo

Char Ferrara
Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the sauce by combining water, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add the chicken to the pan, searing both sides of the chicken until golden brown on the surface.
  • Add the garlic cloves, bay leaves and whole black peppercorns to the pan.
  • Stir in the sauce, then turn the heat down to low.
  • Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the chicken has cooked all the way through, adding more water if necessary to keep the sauce simmering.
  • Serve with steamed rice.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 68kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 815mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
Keyword adobo, chicken, filipino
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Chicken Adobo is a Filipino classic that has been dubbed the unofficial dish of the Philippines. A simple blend of soy sauce, garlic, vinegar with bay leaves and whole peppercorns yields one of the most incredible sauces you have ever tasted.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)
Recipe Rating




Jag

Friday 13th of December 2019

Madam, confirm one cup equals 250 ml? Thanks

Char

Friday 13th of December 2019

Hi Jag, 1 cup liquid is 235ml. Hope that helps! Cheers! ~Char

tabithatalksfood

Sunday 19th of February 2017

omg I haven't made chicken adobo in forever!!!

Char

Sunday 19th of February 2017

I hope it will be on your meal plan for this week! :D