Filipino chicken adobo
55 min · 51 g protein · 501 cals / serving
Tender chicken braised in vinegar, soy sauce, a whole head of garlic, bay leaves and plenty of cracked black pepper, then browned in the pan and glazed in the reduced sauce. It is tangy, salty and deeply garlicky, and the sauce is made to be spooned over steamed rice. A pile of garlicky green beans and a fresh tomato and onion salad (ensaladang kamatis) come alongside.
Ingredients
- 2/3 lb chicken thigh, skinless, boneless thighs, halved
- 1 lb 2 oz chicken breast, in large chunks
- 6 tbsp white vinegar, cane vinegar if you can find it
- 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 head (10 cloves) garlic, smashed
- 3 leaves bay leaf
- 1 tsp black pepper, whole peppercorns, lightly cracked
- 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 tsp canola oil
To serve
- 2/3 cup jasmine rice
Ensaladang kamatis
- 3 large tomatoes, in wedges
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced, or 2 shallots
- 2 tsp fish sauce, patis
Garlicky green beans
- 1 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 tsp salt
To serve
- 2 green onions, sliced
Steps
- Put the thighs, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, sugar and water in a wide pan. Bring to a boil and let it bubble 2 minutes without stirring (this mellows the vinegar), then cover and simmer gently 25 minutes, turning the chicken once. Add the breast pieces after the first 10 minutes so they stay juicy.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice, and toss the tomato, red onion and fish sauce together for the ensaladang kamatis.
- Lift the chicken out. Boil the sauce hard 5–8 minutes until reduced by about half and slightly syrupy. In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken 2–3 minutes a side, then pour the reduced sauce over and turn the pieces to glaze. The chicken should reach 165°F.
- Steam or boil the green beans 4–5 minutes until bright and just tender, then toss in the hot pan with the sliced garlic and a pinch of salt for a minute.
- Serve the chicken and its sauce over rice, scattered with green onion, with the beans and the tomato salad alongside.
Good to know
Why not stir after adding the vinegar?
Filipino cooks let the vinegar boil uncovered for a minute or two before stirring, so its sharpest edge cooks off. Stirring straight away leaves the sauce harsher.
Can I use bone-in chicken?
Yes, it is the traditional cut. Use 2 1/2 lb bone-in thighs or drumsticks with the skin removed and simmer 35 minutes. All dark meat is a little richer: a score of about 68 instead of 73.
Does it keep?
Adobo is famous for tasting better the next day. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well.
Per
- Calories
- 85
- Protein
- (44%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (19%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (38%)
- 8 g
- of which sugar
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 208 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How
As written, 2004 kcal goes into the pot and 2425 g of ingredients comes out as about 2350 g of food: 85 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.