Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe
Filipino Chicken Adobo is a classic and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs marinated in a tangy blend of vinegar, soy sauce, and aromatic spices, then simmered to perfection. This savory stew balances bold salty, sour, and slightly sweet flavors, making it a beloved staple in Filipino cuisine. Perfectly paired with white rice, this recipe is easy to prepare and deeply comforting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- 3/4 cup rice vinegar (see notes)
- 3/4 cup light or low-sodium soy sauce (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
Cooking
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
- 3 bay leaves (preferably fresh)
- 2 teaspoons cane, brown, or white sugar (omit if using Filipino cane vinegar)
Garnish and Serving
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- White rice (for serving)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, and black peppercorns. Add the chicken thighs and marinate for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight for more flavor infusion.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or pot over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl, reserving the marinade. Place chicken smooth side down into the hot pan. Cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes without fully cooking through. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-low and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add sliced onions and garlic, cooking until garlic is fragrant and slightly browned, approximately 2 minutes. The onions do not need to brown.
- Add Marinade and Simmer: Pour reserved marinade, add bay leaves and sugar, and bring mixture to a rolling boil, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Simmer Chicken in Sauce: Nestle chicken thighs smooth side down back into the skillet. Lower heat to simmer uncovered and cook for 10 minutes. Flip thighs and continue simmering, occasionally spooning sauce over them, for another 10-15 minutes until sauce is reduced by at least half and chicken is fully cooked.
- Adjust Sauce Thickness: If sauce isn’t thick enough, remove chicken to a plate and continue simmering sauce until it reaches desired glaze-like consistency. Return chicken to skillet briefly to warm.
- Serve: Serve the chicken adobo immediately over fluffy white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and offer extra adobo sauce at the table.
Notes
- For a more authentic flavor, use Filipino cane vinegar if available; omit sugar if doing so.
- Light or low-sodium soy sauce helps control saltiness without compromising flavor.
- Marinating longer (overnight) enhances the depth of flavor significantly.
- The cooking method involves browning the chicken before simmering it slowly in the marinade to develop tender texture and rich sauce.
- Adjust vinegar quantity according to personal preference to balance tanginess.
Keywords: Filipino Chicken Adobo, Chicken Adobo recipe, Filipino cuisine, easy chicken stew, vinegar chicken, soy sauce chicken, traditional Filipino dish
Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/filipino-chicken-adobo-recipe/
