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Filipino Chicken Adobo chicken thighs with bay leaves, smashed garlic, and black peppercorns in a white dish

Classic Chicken Adobo

Marvin Gapultos
This amazingly delicious Filipino Chicken Adobo is beautiful in its simplicity! Enjoy this served with plenty of white rice and garnished with green onions!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 2 people
Calories 38 kcal

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.
    Filipino Chicken Adobo
  • 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.

Notes

You will absolutely love this adobo!  Garnish with green onions and serve with plenty of white rice for a taste of the Philippines!

Nutrition

Calories: 38kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 3240mgPotassium: 137mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Chicken, Chicken Adobo
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