This Chicken Adobo is flavorful and garlicky. These chicken legs are so tender that it falls off the bone. The knife and fork will lift right through! The chicken is braised in a combination of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns which creates a vibrantly rich sauce. Also, no sugar added making this recipe low-carb friendly!
Chicken Adobo Filipino-Style
A couple of weeks ago, my daughter and I were talking and she introduced me to this recipe. It sounded so great, I decided to give it a try. Today I’m going to share this Adobo Chicken Recipe. It is packed with so much flavor and so easy to make. This was my first time trying it but oh boy, this will definitely make a wonderful addition to my weekly menu.
This is one of my new favorite recipes. I decided to create a vegetarian version of this recipe using mushrooms. This Mushroom Adobo recipe has similar ingredients to the Chicken Adobo, making it the perfect alternative for vegetarians. Filipino Chicken Adobo is like a chicken stew. I will publish the vegetarian version on Monday!
What is Adobo Filipino-style:
Adobo is a popular cooking process in Filipino cuisine. Proteins ( and even vegetables) are braised in a combination of vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, peppercorns and lots of garlic. The protein is simmered in the sauce until it is pungent and rich. This sauce is perfect to pair with rice and even pasta. I recommend making the rice with little or no salt as the sauce will flavor the rice or pasta nicely.
Tips and alternative Ingredients:
- While making this chicken adobo, I did not find the need to marinate the chicken because the chicken simmers for about an hour in the sauce absorbing all the delightful flavors.
- I learned that the traditional Adobo chicken is usually made with coconut vinegar, palm vinegar or Cane Vinegar. All of these types of vinegar will give you the authentic flavors of the recipe. These are sometimes difficult to find in regular grocery stores or supermarkets so a good substitute for those is Rice Vinegar. In this recipe, I use Rice Vinegar. *The most important thing to know when replacing the vinegar is to taste it. If you can tolerate the acidity of the vinegar that will be a winner. I find that using white regular vinegar is too intense for me and it gives the sauce an unpleasant sour taste.
- Another ingredient that is usually used in this Filipino recipe is sugar I decided to not use sugar. However, if you do that works fine. A teaspoon is all you need.
- I use coconut milk in this recipe and it tastes amazing. Coconut milk gives the sauce the perfect thickness. However, a substitute for this is heavy cream.
Chicken Adobo Ingredients:
- Chicken legs (bone-in with skin preferred)
- Garlic (lots of it)
- Black pepper
- Peppercorns( I use my mortar and pestle to crush them)
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Bay leaves
- White onion
- Coconut milk
*(read above for substitutions to some of these ingredients).
How to make Chicken Adobo:
The first step is to season the chicken with black pepper. Make sure the chicken is room temperature and the skin is dry.
Heat a cooking pot over medium-high heat. I prefer to use my dutch heavy bottom pot as it holds the heat very well. Place all the chicken legs or chicken pieces of your preference and brown the chicken. About 3 to 4 minutes each side. * I decided to not use oil as the chicken has the skin.
Add garlic and onions and stir. Proceed to pour in the soy sauce and vinegar. Then, add bay leaves and peppercorns. I crushed the peppercorns.
Add coconut milk and cover the pot. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for about an hour.
Make sure to stir and that the sauce has enough liquid to prevent from burning. Add some water as needed. Cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
*if you notice sauce is reducing too much, you can add some water as needed. About 3 tablespoons and simmer 5 minutes. Stir, remove bay leaves.
The sauce should thicken into a creamy glossy consistency. This has the perfect balance of flavors. Its tangy, sweet, salty and it has a very settle spicy kick to it. Enjoy:)
Below you will find an easily printable recipe card. Please, feel free to leave any comments and/or suggestions. I would be delighted to hear from you all.
Until the next one…
Chicken Adobo Filipino-Style
Ingredients
Chicken Adobo Ingredients:
- 6 chicken legs bone-in with skin preferred
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium garlic head lots of it
- 1 white onion small
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- Peppercorns about 10 to 12 I use my mortar and pestle to crush them
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
How to make Chicken Adobo:
- The first step is to season the chicken with black pepper. Make sure the chicken is room temperature and the skin is dry.
- Heat a cooking pot over medium-high heat. I prefer to use my dutch heavy bottom pot as it holds the heat very well. Place all the chicken legs or chicken pieces of your preference and brown the chicken. About 3 to 4 minutes each side. * I decided to not use oil as the chicken has the skin.
- Add garlic and onions and stir. Proceed to pour in the soy sauce and vinegar. Then, add bay leaves and peppercorns. I crushed the peppercorns.
- Add coconut milk and cover the pot. Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for about an hour.
- Make sure to stir and that the sauce has enough liquid to prevent from burning. Add some water as needed. Cook until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
- *if you notice sauce is reducing too much, you can add some water as needed. About 3 tablespoons and simmer 5 minutes. Stir, remove bay leaves.
- The sauce should thicken into a creamy glossy consistency.
Notes
- While making this chicken adobo, I did not find the need to marinate the chicken because the chicken simmers for about an hour in the sauce absorbing all the delightful flavors.
- I learned that the traditional Adobo chicken is usually made with coconut vinegar, palm vinegar or Cane Vinegar. All of these types of vinegar will give you the authentic flavors of the recipe. These are sometimes difficult to find in regular grocery stores or supermarkets so a good substitute for those is Rice Vinegar. In this recipe, I use Rice Vinegar. *The most important thing to know when replacing the vinegar is to taste it. If you can tolerate the acidity of the vinegar that will be a winner. I find that using white regular vinegar is too intense for me and it gives the sauce an unpleasant sour taste.
- Another ingredient that is usually used in this Filipino recipe is sugar I decided to not use sugar. However, if you do that works fine. A teaspoon is all you need.
- I use coconut milk in this recipe and it tastes amazing. Coconut milk gives the sauce the perfect thickness. However, a substitute for this is heavy cream.
Nutrition
*Nutritional Disclaimer: Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it and do not forget to tag your pictures to #asimpletweakrecipes on Instagram. Make sure to pin it in your favorite Pinterest board:)
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