Adobo
intro
Tangy, savory, garlicky classic Filipino adobo, slow-simmered to tender perfection in soy, vinegar, and warm spices, ideal served over fluffy steamed rice.
Ingredients
Steps
Marinate the chicken
Pat 800g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels, then place in a large glass bowl with 120ml low-sodium soy sauce, 6 crushed garlic cloves, and 3 dried bay leaves. Toss to coat every piece evenly, then let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature (avoid marinating longer than 2 hours to prevent over-salting from the soy sauce).
Sear the chicken
Heat 2 tbsp (30ml) canola oil in a heavy-bottomed 5L Dutch oven over medium-high heat (190°C/375°F). Lift chicken from the marinade, shaking off excess liquid, and reserve all leftover marinade for the sauce. Place chicken skin-side down in the hot oil and sear for 3 minutes per side, until deep golden brown on all surfaces, then transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics
Reduce stovetop heat to medium (160°C/320°F). Add the thinly sliced 150g yellow onion and remaining 6 crushed garlic cloves to the residual oil in the Dutch oven. Sauté for 4 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion turns soft and translucent and the garlic releases a warm, nutty aroma, taking care not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter.
Build the sauce base
Pour the reserved marinade, 80ml white cane vinegar, 120ml (1/2 cup) water, 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns, and 1 tbsp (12g) light brown sugar into the pot with the aromatics. Stir once to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle rolling boil over medium heat, which takes approximately 3 minutes. Do not stir the mixture once it reaches a boil to allow the sharp vinegar taste to mellow fully.
Slow-simmer the chicken
Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce so each piece is half-submerged. Reduce heat to low (120°C/250°F), cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and let simmer for 25 minutes, flipping each chicken piece once at the 15-minute mark, until chicken is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Thicken and serve
Remove the pot lid, increase heat to medium-low (140°C/285°F), and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly, spooning sauce over the chicken every minute to coat evenly. Fish out and discard the bay leaves before serving hot alongside fluffy steamed white rice.
Tips
2.Adobo tastes even better after resting in the fridge for 1–2 days, as the soy, vinegar, and garlic flavors meld and deepen; store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
3.For a richer, more traditional take, swap 200g of chicken thighs for 200g of cubed pork belly, seared the same way as the chicken, for extra fatty, savory depth.
OMG this adobo recipe is a total game changer!! I’ve tried making Filipino adobo a handful of times and it always came out too vinegary or not savory enough, but this version was perfect. My kids devoured two servings each at our Sunday family dinner, and my husband asked if I can make it every other week for meal prep! Cook time was exactly as stated, super easy to follow even for a busy weeknight. I served it over jasmine rice with some steamed broccoli on the side, 10/10 would bring to our next neighborhood potluck for sure.
Really solid adobo recipe, super easy to throw together after work even when I’m short on time. I did a meal prep batch with boneless skinless thighs to cut down on fat, and it held up great all week for my work lunches. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish it had a little note about adjusting the soy sauce if you’re using the low-sodium kind — mine came out a touch bland at first, but a quick extra splash fixed it right up. Still SO good, will definitely make again.
Made this for our office potluck yesterday and people were RAVING. I lost count of how many coworkers asked me for the recipe! I was nervous because I’d never made Filipino food before, but the instructions were so straightforward and the difficulty level really is easy like it says. The 50 minute cook time was totally accurate too, I didn’t feel rushed at all getting it ready before the event. 100% adding this to my regular dinner rotation.