Chicken Adobo
Chicken seared then braised in a sauce with more vinegar than soy sauce, boiled uncovered without stirring at first to mellow its raw sharpness, then reduced into a glaze - getting the vinegar-to-soy ratio backwards, which most non-Filipino recipes do, is what leaves adobo tasting like salty soy chicken instead of the real thing.
⏱ 45 min🍽 4 servings
dinnerasian
Ingredients
- •2 lb chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
- •1 onion, sliced
- •6 cloves garlic, smashed
- •1/2 cup cane vinegar or coconut vinegar
- •1/4 cup soy sauce
- •3 bay leaves
- •1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- •1 tbsp brown sugar
- •1 cup water
- •2 tbsp vegetable oil
Steps
- 1.Heat the oil in a pot and sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant and lightly softened.
- 2.Add the chicken and sear on all sides until lightly browned - searing renders the skin's fat and builds deeper flavor before braising.
- 3.Pour in the vinegar, soy sauce, water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and let it boil, uncovered and without stirring, for 5 minutes - this is what mellows the vinegar's raw sharpness instead of trapping a harsh, sour bite in the sauce.
- 4.Stir, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- 5.Uncover and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, spooning the sauce over the chicken occasionally, until it reduces into a glaze.
- 6.Serve over rice.