If you’re from the Philippines or know someone from the Philippines, then you know all about Chicken Adobo! The term adobo comes from the Spanish word adobar, meaning marinade. And this marinade is always made with soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic. Simple, yet scrumptious. 

What I love so much about Chicken Adobo isn’t just the fact that it was my favorite Filipino dish growing up, but as an adult I really appreciate how simple and easy it is to make. I can 100% count on always having every single ingredient on hand (except for maybe the chicken legs), and that makes this dish a go-to in my house. 

If you’ve never heard of this dish, all you need to know is that it’s a staple in Filipino cuisine, and every Filipino believes their mom’s recipe, or Lola’s (grandma’s) recipe, is the best. I remember watching my mom make it a hundred times; and although this may not be her exact recipe (she never wrote anything down), both my husband and I are obsessed! And I love how it takes me back to my childhood every time I eat it. 

So give it a try this week, and I promise to make a filipino cuisine lover out of you!

Ingredients

How to make it

Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves and black peppercorns to a dish big enough to hold all the chicken. Whisk the marinade a bit, then add the garlic, cut side down.

Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate to marinate at least 1 hour. It’s best if marinated overnight. No matter how long you have to marinade, make sure to flip the chicken halfway through.

Warm a pan big enough to fit all the chicken over medium high heat. Add the chicken and the marinade, including the peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil (5-10 min). 

Flip the chicken, lower heat to medium, cover, and cook 10 minutes.

In the last few minutes of cooking the chicken, heat the olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. When the 10 minutes are up from the previous step, take the chicken out of the marinade and fry in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep the marinade simmering on low in the other pan, covered.

When the chicken has been fried on each side, return it to the marinade and cook on medium heat for 15-20 more minutes. The chicken should be tender and the sauce slightly reduced and thickened.

Serve with steamed rice. Be careful not to serve with the whole peppercorns.

Filipino Chicken Adobo

2017-02-08 15:01:20

Serves 4

Chicken Adobo is a staple in Filipino cuisine - so simple, so easy, and so amazingly delicious! It'll become one of your favorite go-to's!

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Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

40 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

5 min

Cook Time

40 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

1. 12 chicken legs on the bone
2. 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
3. 1 cup apple cider vinegar
4. 1 Tablespoon sugar
5. 2-3 bay leaves
6. 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
7. 1 small head of garlic, cut in half widthwise
8. 2 Tablespoon olive oil
9. Steamed rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, bay leaves and black peppercorns to a dish big enough to hold all the chicken. Whisk the marinade a bit, then add the garlic, cut side down.
2. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour, or up to overnight, making sure to flip the chicken at some point.
3. Warm a pan big enough to fit all the chicken over medium high heat. Add the chicken and the marinade, including the peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil (5-10 min). Flip the chicken, lower heat to medium, cover, and cook 10 minutes.
4. In the last few minutes of cooking the chicken, heat the olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. When the 10 minutes are up from the previous step, take the chicken out of the marinade and fry in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes on each side. Keep the marinade simmering on low in the other pan, covered.
5. When the chicken has been fried on each side, return it to the marinade and cook on medium heat for 15-20 more minutes. The chicken should be tender and the sauce slightly reduced and thickened.
6. Serve with steamed rice. Be careful not to serve with the whole peppercorns.

By Love & Food ForEva

Love & Food ForEva https://loveandfoodforeva.com/