Filipino Chicken Adobo
This Filipino Chicken Adobo is deeply savory, tangy, and impossibly tender. The magic is in the sauce—soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns create a braising liquid that infuses the chicken with bold, complex flavor. It's a low-effort, high-reward one-pot meal that delivers an incredible flavor payoff with just a handful of pantry staples.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot 5 to 6 quart, with tight-fitting lid
- Large mixing bowl for marinating
- Tongs for turning and handling chicken
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Plate lined with paper towels for resting browned chicken
- Ladle for serving the sauce
- Mortar and pestle optional, for smashing garlic and peppercorns
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks about 1.4kg
- 1/3 cup soy sauce 80ml, low-sodium works well
- 1/3 cup white cane vinegar 80ml, or white distilled vinegar
- 1 cup water 240ml
- 10 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil vegetable or canola
- salt to taste
- sliced scallions for garnish
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce optional, for extra umami
- steamed jasmine rice for serving
Instructions
- Combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a bowl. Add chicken and coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear chicken skin-side down until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Pour reserved marinade into the pot, scraping up browned bits. Add water and stir. Return chicken to the pot, skin-side up.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through.
- Uncover and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens and turns glossy. Discard bay leaves.
- Garnish with sliced scallions and serve hot over steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken: Use bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks for the richest sauce and juiciest meat. Boneless chicken will cook faster and may dry out.
- Marinade time: Even 1 hour makes a difference, but overnight marinating is ideal for deeper flavor penetration.
- Sear properly: Pat chicken dry before searing to ensure a golden-brown crust. Wet chicken will steam instead of brown.
- Save the marinade: The marinade becomes your braising liquid and sauce—do not discard it.
- Balance the flavors: Taste the sauce before serving and adjust with a splash of vinegar for more tang or a pinch of sugar to mellow it out.
- Coconut milk variation: For Adobo sa Gata, stir in 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk during the last 10 minutes of cooking for a creamier sauce.
- Dry adobo: Continue cooking after the sauce reduces until the liquid evaporates and the chicken caramelizes for a sticky, glaze-like finish.
- Make ahead: Adobo tastes even better the next day. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Leftover idea: Shred leftover chicken and stir into fried rice with a bit of the sauce for an incredible adobo fried rice.
- Vinegar options: Filipino cane vinegar (sukang maasim) is traditional and milder. White distilled vinegar is sharper; apple cider vinegar adds a mild fruitiness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 32gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 320mgSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 8mg
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