2026-02-10 Chicken Adobo Recipe | Naz Deravian

Adobo, often referred to as the national dish of the Philippines, is a braise of meat, seafood or vegetables in a mouth-watering sauce of vinegar, soy sauce and other spices (and sometimes a coconut milk) It is a technique that has been used by Filipinos long before colonization, and variations abound by region, household and personal taste This version calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, but you can also use boneless, if you prefer (see Tip)

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a combination of thighs and drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
• 1/3 cup low-sodium or regular soy sauce
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or grapeseed oil
• 3 fresh or dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/3 cup cane vinegar (or white, cider or rice vinegar), plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, plus more to taste (optional)
• Cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

• Trim the excess fat from the chicken. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag or container. Add the soy sauce and garlic, move the chicken around to coat, seal the bag or cover the container, and marinate in the fridge for 1 to 8 hours.
• In a large pan (with a lid), heat the oil over medium-high. When shimmering, adjust heat to medium, scrape off any garlic clinging to the chicken (reserving the garlic along with the marinade) and add the pieces to the pan. Brown the chicken, about 3 minutes per side. You might have to do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• When all the chicken has been browned (if working in batches, return all the chicken pieces to the pan), add the marinade with the garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and ¾ cup water. Adjust heat to high and bring to a boil, then decrease heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Adjust heat to medium and add the vinegar and sugar, if using. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until the flavors come together. The sharpness of the vinegar will soften as the adobo cooks. Taste the adobo (sauce). It should have a pleasant tang from the vinegar, enough to make you take notice but not overpower the other flavors. If it’s too sour, balance the adobo by adding more sugar. If not sour enough, add a little more vinegar. You can reduce the sauce further by cooking it longer, if desired. Serve over rice, spooning the sauce over the chicken.

Nutrition