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Chicken Adobo

Filipino national dish of chicken braised in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns

Filipino#dairy-free#high-protein#nut-free

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

45 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Chicken Adobo

Description

The unofficial national dish of the Philippines—chicken slowly braised in a salty-sour-tangy mixture of soy sauce, white vinegar, and copious garlic with bay leaves and whole black peppercorns. Best devoured over steamed white rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts), bone-in and skin-on preferred
  • ½ cup soy sauce (Filipino brand like Silver Swan if available; regular works fine)
  • ½ cup white vinegar (cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar—do not substitute apple cider or balsamic)
  • 1 whole head of garlic, cloves peeled (about 12–15 cloves), smashed with the flat side of a knife
  • 3–4 dried bay leaves (laurel leaves, not Turkish bay leaves)
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp brown sugar or white sugar (optional, to round out sharpness)
  • 2 cups water or chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil (vegetable or canola)

Instructions

  1. Marinate: Place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour over the soy sauce and add half of the smashed garlic cloves. Toss everything thoroughly to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
  2. Brown the chicken: Heat the cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it skin-side down in the hot oil. Sear 4–5 minutes until the skin is golden brown, then flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Brown in batches if the pot is crowded. Transfer to a plate.
  3. Start the braise: Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the remaining smashed garlic cloves and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the reserved marinade, then add the white vinegar, water (or broth), bay leaves, whole peppercorns, and sugar. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
  4. Simmer: Return the chicken to the pot, arranging it skin-side up if possible. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the chicken is fork-tender.
  5. Reduce the sauce: Remove the lid. Increase heat to medium-high and let the sauce reduce and intensify about 10–15 minutes, or until it's slightly thickened and glossy. If you prefer crispy adobo skin, you can also lay the chicken pieces skin-side down in a skillet and fry them briefly in the reduced sauce over high heat for 2–3 minutes.
  6. Serve: Discard the bay leaves. Serve hot with steamed white rice and plenty of sauce spooned over the top.

Notes

  • The golden rule of adobo: never stir once the vinegar goes in, or the chicken will toughen. Let it cook undisturbed.
  • Each Filipino family has its own ratio debate—some use more soy, some more vinegar. Adjust to your taste. More soy = saltier, richer; more vinegar = brighter, tangier.
  • Adobo freezes beautifully and improves overnight. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • For a sweeter-saucy version popular with kids, you can optionally caramelize a small amount of sugar or add a tablespoon of oyster sauce during the reduction step for extra umami depth.