Description
Filipino-style chicken adobo is a savory, tangy, and slightly sweet dish made with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices. A beloved comfort food in Filipino households, this versatile recipe can be customized with coconut milk, vegetables, or alternative proteins. It’s an easy, one-pot dish that’s deeply flavorful and perfect for both family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 kg chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or whole chicken cut into parts)
- ½ cup soy sauce (or low-sodium or coconut aminos)
- ½ cup vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns (or cracked)
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ cup coconut milk (for creamy version)
- 1 cup diced potatoes or carrots
- 1–2 chopped chili peppers or red pepper flakes (for spicy version)
- Tofu or mushrooms (for vegetarian version)
Instructions
- In a bowl, marinate chicken in ¼ cup soy sauce, garlic, and peppercorns for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat oil in a pot and sear chicken until golden brown on all sides.
- Add the marinade, remaining soy sauce, vinegar, water, bay leaves, and remaining peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 30–40 minutes or until chicken is tender.
- Stir in sugar and reduce sauce to your desired consistency.
- Serve hot over steamed rice. Garnish with green onions or cilantro if desired.
Notes
- For a creamy version, stir in coconut milk in the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Add potatoes or carrots halfway through simmering for a heartier meal.
- Use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free version.
- Adobo tastes even better the next day after the flavors deepen.
- For Instant Pot: Pressure cook on high for 10–15 minutes after sautéing.
- For slow cooker: Cook on low for 6–8 hours.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Filipino
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ~320
- Sugar: ~4g
- Sodium: ~950mg
- Fat: ~18g
- Saturated Fat: ~5g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: ~7g
- Fiber: ~1g
- Protein: ~28g
- Cholesterol: ~110mg