Filipino cuisine blends indigenous traditions with Spanish, Chinese, and Malay influences. Rice is the staple of most meals, and dishes like adobo, sinigang, and pancit are commonly shared family-style. In our case, chicken adobo is savory, tangy, and deeply garlicky. The vinegar gives it brightness while the soy sauce adds umami richness. When simmered together, the sauce becomes slightly sticky and perfect for spooning over rice.
I am usually pretty timely. I am usually not actually a procrastinator. And I am usually pretty organized. And I really dropped the ball on this one. Like this was a great summer dish, back when I made this past summer and even wrote up the original post. And now, it’s November and I’ve had to re-write this whole thing. You’ll never know the summer plans that I also procrastinated on making. As my very best reader, my very procrastinating teenager will make sure heckle me back when he sees this one come through in his email. Luke, here is your chance to tell me to finish the task. So, sitting in my living room on a very wintery and snowy day, I give what was my final ode to summer with some Adobo Chicken from the Philippines. (This one was a good one too! Such a shame I waited so long!!)
Need some other fun marinades? Try these! Japanese Teriyaki, Argentinian Chimichurri, Mexican Tomatillo Salsa
Phillipines: Adobo Chicken
I did learn that the highlight of this recipe is the marinade – the adobo. Like ‘adobo’ actual means ‘marinade’ in Filipino. We used chicken, but it can be used on pork, seafood, or pretty much anything your heart desires. And then the slow braising just made it super tender. I never thought my marinande would turn to glaze – it takes a while and it was so hard to be patient. Trust the process!
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. white vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp. whole peppercorns
- 1 whole garlic, chopped
Everything else:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 diced onion
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Directions
1. Marinate:
In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients and add the chicken. Cover, refrigerate and let it sit for at least an hour – the longer, the better!
2. Cook the Chicken and make the Sauce
After the marinating process is complete, add the vegetable oil to a pan and begin browning the chickens. Cooking about five minutes per side. Remove them from the heat and set aside both, the remaining marinade and the cooked chickens.
Next, add the onions and sauté until soft. Add the remaining marinade and be sure to scrape the browning on the bottom to get all that extra flavor. Add the chicken back in and reduce the heat to a simmer.
3. Simmer and Reduce
Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes, until the liquid becomes a glaze.
*Tips for Making Chicken Adobo
• Use chicken thighs for richer flavor
• Let the sauce simmer until slightly reduced. I never thought it would turn to glaze, just give it time!
We served ours over a bed of Filipino Pancit. Chris begged for this delightful and really tasty noodle dish, buuutttt the angel hair texture didn’t end up being a favorite.
Philippines: Adobo Chicken
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