Filipino Chicken Adobo

This amazing Filipino chicken adobo will fill your kitchen with the most incredible smells and make everyone at your table so happy! Families everywhere love this comforting dish because it’s packed with tender chicken that falls right off the bone. Plus, it’s super healthy with tons of protein and works great for so many different diets.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 35 minutes, Additional Time: 1 hour, Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes, Serves: 5 people.

Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, High-Protein, Egg-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 432 Calories, 27g Fat, 6g Carbs, 40g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Neutral oil: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of something like canola or avocado oil. This helps get that beautiful golden brown color on your chicken pieces.

Chicken drumsticks: Get 5 drumsticks that weigh about 1 3/4 pounds total. These stay so juicy and tender in the sauce!

Chicken thighs: You’ll want 5 bone-in thighs, also about 1 3/4 pounds. The bone-in pieces give you the most amazing flavor.

Yellow onion: One large onion cut into quarters and sliced about 1/4 inch thick. This adds such a sweet, savory base to your sauce.

Garlic: 8 cloves that you just smash with the flat side of your knife. Don’t worry about perfect chopping here!

Bay leaves: You’ll need 5 dried bay leaves for that perfect herbal flavor. Just remember to fish them out before serving.

Black peppercorns: Just 1/4 teaspoon of whole peppercorns gives you the most wonderful spice.

Cane vinegar: 1 cup of cane vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar works great. This is what makes adobo so special and tangy!

Soy sauce: 1/3 cup of reduced-sodium soy sauce adds that perfect salty, umami flavor.

How to Make Filipino Chicken Adobo

Step 1: Heat your oil in a large pot over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the drumsticks and cook until they’re golden brown on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes. Move them to a plate and set aside.

Step 2: Add the thighs to the same pot and brown them for about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer them to the plate with your drumsticks. You’re building so much flavor with this browning step!

Step 3: Toss the onion, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns into the pot. Cook everything while stirring now and then until the garlic just starts to turn golden, about 3 minutes.

Step 4: Pour in the vinegar and soy sauce, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Make sure to scrape up all those yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pot!

Step 5: Put the chicken back in the pot and turn each piece to coat it with the sauce. Turn the heat down to keep a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The chicken should be fall-apart tender when it’s done.

Step 6: Take the chicken out and put it on a clean plate, then cover it loosely with foil to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook, stirring often, until it reduces by about one-third, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 7: Serve your beautiful chicken with that rich, glossy sauce poured over the top!

Easy and Quick Filipino Chicken Adobo Version

Want to make this even faster? You can totally skip the browning step and just throw everything in a slow cooker! Use the same amounts of everything, cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Then just remove the chicken and reduce the sauce in a regular pot for those last few minutes. It’s not quite as rich, but it’s still absolutely delicious and saves you so much time!

Serving Ideas

This chicken adobo is amazing over fluffy white rice, which soaks up all that incredible sauce. You can also serve it with some simple steamed vegetables like green beans or broccoli. A fresh cucumber salad on the side adds a nice cool crunch that balances the rich, savory flavors perfectly.

Storage

Store your leftover adobo in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. To reheat, just warm it gently in a pot over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Substitutions

No cane vinegar? Rice vinegar or even apple cider vinegar works great too! You can swap the chicken pieces for any combination you like – all thighs, all drumsticks, or even cut-up breast meat. If you don’t have whole peppercorns, just use 1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper instead.

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the browning: Those golden bits add so much flavor to your final dish!
• Use bone-in chicken: The bones make the sauce richer and keep the meat super juicy.
• Let it simmer low and slow: This isn’t a dish to rush – that long, gentle cooking makes everything perfect.
• Remove the bay leaves: Always fish these out before serving since they can be sharp.
• Reduce that sauce: Don’t skip this last step – it makes the sauce glossy and concentrated.

FAQs

What exactly is adobo?

Great question! In the Philippines, adobo is a beloved stew that’s cooked in vinegar and soy sauce. It’s totally different from the adobo you might know from other countries, which could be a spice blend or marinade. Filipino adobo is all about that perfect balance of tangy, salty, and savory flavors!

Should I use fresh or dried bay leaves?

Definitely go with dried bay leaves for this recipe! They give you that subtle herbal flavor that’s perfect here. Fresh bay leaves can actually taste bitter and are much stronger. Plus, dried ones are easier to find and last way longer in your pantry – up to 2 years in an airtight container!

Can I make this ahead of time?

You bet! This dish actually tastes even better the next day after all the flavors have time to meld together. Just make it completely, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, reheat it gently and you’re all set!

What if my sauce is too salty or too sour?

No worries – this is totally fixable! If it’s too salty, add a splash more vinegar. If it’s too sour, add a bit more soy sauce or even a tiny pinch of sugar. Taste as you go and adjust until it’s just right for your family!

Final Thoughts

I hope you and your family absolutely love this Filipino chicken adobo as much as mine does! It’s one of those recipes that brings everyone together around the table. Let me know how yours turns out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!