This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. Here is an absolutely fantastic recipe for Filipino Chicken Adobo!
Jump to:
I am proud of my international family. I am Korean- American, and my husband is English-Norwegian. One of my sisters is Japanese. And my brothers in law are English, Hispanic, and Filipino.
So Roland, my Filipino brother-in-law, treats us to some amazing Filipino food at some of our family gatherings. Roland is a great cook and I really need to pick his brains more about Filipino food. And I yearn to learn more about this amazing cuisine!
What is Adobo?
I wanted to start off my exploration of Filipino cuisine with the classic Filipino Chicken Adobo. First off, chicken adobo is easy and simple to make, and is one of the most famous Filipino foods.
The word "adobo" comes from the Spanish word adobar which means marinate. Chicken adobo is chicken marinated in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar.
The BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe!
Certainly and thankfully I came across the BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe on my first go! This recipe is from Marvin Gapultos, a Filipino American food blogger. Mr. Gapultos is bringing Filipino cuisine to a worldwide audience. I am grateful to Mr. Gapultos, who writes the blog Burnt Lumpia, for allowing me to publish his recipe in my post!
This chicken adobo recipe is from his book The Adobo Road Cookbook, which you can purchase on Amazon. And I really look forward to discovering more of his delicious Filipino recipes. Therefore I'll consult The Adobo Road Cookbook, as well as Burnt Lumpia!
Above all you will be amazed at the simplicity of this dish! For instance, there are very few ingredients in this recipe. And it comes together so beautifully. All you need is bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. That's it!
I would like to recommend Filipino Vinegar and Soy Sauce for the most authentic adobo experience! You can find a combo Filipino brand Datu Puti Soy Sauce and Vinegar pack here on Amazon.
So you must try this amazing recipe soon! In summary, enjoy this taste of the Philippines right in your own home!
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Turmeric Chicken With Sumac and Lime
Please sign up to get the latest recipes and culinary inspiration! Also come along with my on the 1,000 Foods to Eat Journey by signing up here. 🙂
Cheers!
Grace
Classic Chicken Adobo
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
- 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
- 1 ts whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
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.
- Variations: While the sauce is reducing, 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. This is how my grandmother finishes her adobo. 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.
JOHNNY LOZANO
I LOVE THIS DISH!! I am half Mexican and Half Chiricahua apache and I have had chicken many different ways but, this one here is THE BOMB! My Pinoy friends really have something here. Much love and respect. My wife and kids love it as well. This dish is now on our family favorite dinners menu.Thanks much!!
Grace
Hi Johnny!! I am so very very happy that you love this dish! LOVE your ethnic background and I am so grateful that you took the time to come here and comment. May you and your family enjoy many more Chicken Adobo dishes in future! Have a great day!
Arpita Patel
I made this before from your recipe and i loved it I just made the marinade and put in the fridge but it’s kinda late already can I let it sit over night till supper tomorrow?
Grace
Hi Arpita! I am so happy that you enjoyed the adobo from last time! I think it should be fine to leave it overnight. 🙂 Please let me know how it turns out this time around if you would? Thanks so much I wish you a beautiful weekend! Grace
Doug Francis
Grace,
Greetings. I am new to your site and find your site intriging. I am retired and have always loved to cook, grill and smoke any protien I feel is worth giving effort. I experiment a lot and find it fun. My query is using this recipie using strip cut pork shoulder. What do think?
Much respect,
Doug
Grace
Hi Doug! So thrilled to meet you here and thank you for your kind message, and also intro to yourself and your background! I'm so happy that you enjoy cooking, grilling, and smoking! I'm here in Texas so I love those things too. 🙂 Regarding this particular recipe...I'm all for trying new things and if you do try this PLEASE let me know how it goes! I do recommend though that you try cooking this with the bone in and skin on chicken...the fat from the skin really adds to the tremendous flavor of this dish! But by all means experiment! I love it!! Thanks Doug, please let me know how it goes!! 🙂 Take good care, Grace