Chicken Adobo Recipe
Chicken adobo is one of the most popular Filipino recipes, other than lumpia and pancit.
There are many ways to cook adobo, for example: you can make it with a slow cooker or crock pot chicken adobo, but cooking it on the stove top with a skillet is quick and easy.
What is Chicken Adobo?
Chicken Adobo is a Filipino chickenrecipe that is well loved by many people.
The ingredients are chicken, bay leaves, black peppercorn and bay leaves. You can use any parts of the chicken: breasts, thighs, legs or wings.
I used chicken thighs for this recipe and yields tender, moist, fall-off-the-bone chicken.
You can use a pot, pan, skillet, slow cooker or an Instant Pot to make this recipe.
Adobo
This recipe is from The Adobo Road Cookbook.
It’s an authentic adobo recipe and yields delicious and amazing results. The seasonings consist of soy sauce and Filipino white cane sugar vinegar. You can also use distilled white vinegar.
How Do You Make The Best and Authentic Filipino Adobo?
- Brown the chicken thighs in the broiler for 3–5 minutes.
- Use whole black peppercorns.
- Reduce the sauce until it is almost completely evaporated; the chicken will then begin to fry in its own fat.
- For more sauce, double the amount of soy sauce and vinegar.
Chicken adobo makes a perfect dish for weeknight dinner as the cooking process is so easy. I just love it that everything gets done in one pot and the ingredients are everyday ingredients that you can get easily in any store.
There is no need to marinate the chicken; the chicken soaks up the sauce while cooking in the pan.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This adobo recipe is only 63 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with this Recipe?
This meal is best served with steamed rice. For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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How to Make the Best Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe?
Please refer to the recipe card below for detailed step-by-step method on how to make chicken abodo.
Chicken Adobo
Chicken Adobo - crazy delicious Filipino chicken adobo recipe made in one pot. Chicken Adobo is an easy dinner for the entire family.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (65 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
- 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
Instructions
- Place the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large, nonreactive sauté pan, and then nestle the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, and then increase the heat to high and return the sauce to a boil. While occasionally turning and basting the chicken, continue boiling the sauce, uncovered, until it is reduced by half and thickens slightly, 5–7 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice.
Notes
Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.
While the sauce is reducing, you may transfer the chicken thighs, skin side up, to a foil-lined sheet pan. Brown the chicken thighs underneath the broiler for 3–5 minutes. Use freshly ground black pepper instead of whole peppercorns.
For a “drier” chicken adobo, you can reduce the sauce until it is almost completely evaporated. The chicken will then begin to fry in its own fat that is still left in the pan.
For a saucier adobo, double the amount of soy sauce and vinegar.
To make this adobo as an appetizer, use 2 lbs (1 kg) of chicken wings instead of thighs.
Recipe Source: The Adobo Road Cookbook.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 63Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 28mgSodium 623mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 6g
Maria Soor
Hi Rasa,
My German mom cooked lots of Asian dishes for my Filipino stepdad. In her adobo, she used more soy sauce, a bit less white vinegar, a bit of sugar to balance the vinegar, ground allspice and then added water to cover the meat (along with the garlic, pepper, bay leaves). This was cooked at high heat until the liquid boiled down to leave a good amount of rich sauce. I have tried it without the sugar and allspice, but much prefer it with. Would that be a specific, regional dish with those added ingredients as they are not included in any of the adobo recipes I have seen?
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Maria, I am not sure but whichever you love the best. Your version sounds amazing!
Dana
Absolutely delicious, fixed this for dinner tonight and we enjoyed the tender chicken so much. First time I have eaten this dish and will make it soon again.
Rasa Malaysia
Awesome!
Khayri R.R. Woulfe
Recommended to eat chicken adobo with more sauce to reduce its oil. Also try adding oranges and chocolate.
Trixie
Only comment would be why would you cover it while boiling when we know the acidity of the vinegar will remain if you cover, mix or added anything in between while the vinegar is reducing? I would follow the recipe but not cover it and maybe add some water so in the first 20 minutes, it will not dry up. Don’t touch it until the vinegar is reduced. If you mix it, added an ingredient or cover it, the vinegar taste will never go away no matter how much you boil it off.
Marcia
I decided to go Caribbean style on this and added coconut milk and sprinkle of thyme and also had it with Rice and Peas..,,,delicious!
MdL
Delicious recipe (and I’ve tried dozens of adobo recipes). Curious. In your notes regarding broiling the chicken you mention using ground black pepper instead of whole peppercorns. Is there an issue with broiling and whole pepper?
Rasa Malaysia
No issue.
Chris Tan
This is so delicious and I also heard from people that Chicken Adobo is one of the best dishes in Philippines. I hope I can eat one sooner.
Kemram Olson
It was good, I used 1/2 cup distilled w v. My son wants me to use little v and more soy sauce next time.
Kemram Olson
It was good, I used 1/2 cup distilled w v. My son wants me to use little v and more soy sauce next time.
Sharon
Adobo is one of of my favorite. I cook it with ketchup. Last night, i tried your recipe. My kids love the taste. Thanks