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Chicken Adobo is a tangy, salty, sweet, and spicy Filipino dish. It’s easy to make and requires just a few simple ingredients. It’s sure to become a family favorite!
I love Filipino recipes! They are always packed with so much flavor and my kids love them! One of the most popular ones on the site is this delicious Lumpia that you must try!
Reasons You’ll LOVE This Chicken Adobo Recipe
- SO MUCH FLAVOR: Because this recipe uses bone-in thighs and drumsticks, the chicken is tender and so flavorful!
- Pantry Staple Ingredients: You don’t have to go out and buy a whole bunch of spices that you will never use again. Most people already have everything on this list in their kitchen!
What is Chicken Adobo?
Chicken Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines. It can be made with various types of meat, such as chicken, pork, or even seafood, as well as vegetables. It’s not a spicy dish, so you can even feed it to your kiddos, and they will love it! If you’re on the hunt for more easy and delicious Filipino recipes, try this pancit too!!
Ingredients Needed for Chicken Adobo
The list of ingredients for Chicken Adobo is short, and you likely have most of them in your pantry. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.
- Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks: Provides a juicy, tender protein that is the base of his dish.
- Olive oil: Helps coat the chicken and prevent it from sticking.
- White wine vinegar: Tenderizes the chicken and adds an acidic flavor.
- Soy sauce: Gives the dish a delicious umami flavor.
- Minced garlic: Provides a robust flavor that compliments the chicken and other seasonings.
- Brown sugar: The sweetness in the brown sugar compliments the salty soy sauce and acidic vinegar.
- Coarse black pepper: Adds a bit of heat and contributes to the signature flavor of the dish.
- Bay leaves Provide an earthy flavor that enhances the aroma of the dish.
- Diced onion: Adds flavor and texture as it cooks in the sauce.
- Diced green onion: As a garnish, this adds color, flavor, and an aromatic note.
Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe
Putting together this chicken adobo recipe is simple. You can prep everything beforehand, so all you have to do is cook some rice, and then dinner is ready!
- Whisk: In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, pepper, and bay leaves.
- Marinate: Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks to the marinade and then marinate for 1 hour.
- Brown Chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the marinade and place it skin-side down in the pan. Save the marinade—do not throw it away! Brown the chicken on both sides, then remove and set aside on a clean plate.
- Saute: Using the same skillet, add the diced onion and saute until tender. Pour in the reserved marinade. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and then cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Simmer: Return the chicken to the sauce in the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, then cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to about half the amount.
- Garnish and Serve: Discard the bay leaves. Spoon the sauce over the top of the chicken and garnish with green onions. Then, serve your chicken adobo over rice!
Tips and Variations
When it comes to making this chicken adobo recipe, let me guide you through some tips and variations so you can customize it just the way you love it!
- Chicken: For best results, use chicken thighs or drumsticks. They are more flavorful and tender. If you don’t like the skin, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
- Vinegar: For a more authentic version, use Sukang Maasim (cane vinegar found in Asian markets). White vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar also work well.
- Garnish: If you like a little kick, then garnish it with sliced jalapenos!
- Thicken the Sauce: If you prefer a thicker sauce, then it’s an easy fix! Combine 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Whisk the mixture into the sauce and cook for a few minutes until it thickens.
Storing Leftovers
You are going to love your chicken adobo leftovers. I actually think it tastes even better the next day!
- In the Refrigerator: Let your chicken cool, then store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Chicken Recipes
If you love this adobo chicken, then I have some more mouthwatering marinated chicken recipes for you to try!
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Chicken Adobo
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced green onion, for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, brown sugar, pepper, and bay leaves.
- Add the chicken thighs and drumsticks to the marinade and marinate for 1 hour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade using tongs and place the chicken skin side down into the pan. Save the marinade, do not throw it away! Brown the chicken on both sides then remove and set them aside on a clean plate.
- Using the same skillet, add the diced onion and saute until tender. Add the reserved marinade to the skillet. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Return the chicken to the sauce in the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Simmer until the sauce is reduced to about half the amount.
- Discard the bay leaves. Spoon the sauce over the top of the chicken and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The Soy was very strong, I ended up adding an extra 1/4 vinegar, and then 3/4 cup water to cut the overall potency of the sauce. I also added more brown sugar.
I thickened it with a cornstarch slurry. Came out great.
I have made many recipes from this site that we have all enjoyed.
This one was not for us. Maybe too much vinegar or something, I am not sure. Used the recipe exactly as written. Oh well, I still like to try new things!