Chicken Adobo is an easy Filipino Chicken Recipe where bone-in Chicken is fried in hot oil and coated in a sweet and slightly spicy sauce made of Soy Sauce, Honey, and some spices. This favorite Asian recipe gained popularity in recent times because of its ease of making. This is best served with steamed white rice or Jasmine Rice or Thai Coconut Rice.
Chicken Adobo is popular for its extra flavorful sauce. 😍😋
Served with white rice, Chicken Adobo makes an excellent dinner recipe which tastes - just right! Seriously, there is no better way to describe the feeling.
Chicken Adobo is so comforting that it needs no further introduction. Served over a bed of white rice, Chicken Adobo, and rice is a popular Filipino combo that you do not want to miss out on.😍😍
Other popular Asian Chicken recipes
- Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup
- Szechuan Chicken
- Easy Thai Green Curry Chicken Recipe
- Hunan Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Green Curry Shrimp
- (10-min) Chili Garlic Udon Stir Fry
- Crockpot Chicken Thigh Recipe with Asian Glaze
🤔 Chicken Adobo Origin
The story of Chicken Adobo takes us way back to the times when there were no refrigerators.
People used to think of unique ways to preserve food. One such style of cooking is - Inadobo cooking, where chicken is marinated/coated in Soy Sauce and Vinegar so that it stays fresh for a longer duration.
So, that's how Chicken Adobo came into existence. 😍😍
Know more about Filipino Adobo here.
Just like Chicken Adobo, you can also make Pork Adobo with pork belly. Generally, Pork adobo uses some Pineapple as well.
🥘 Ingredients needed to Cook Filipino Chicken Adobo
- Bone-in Chicken: Generally you can make this with any chicken piece. In this recipe, I have used Chicken legs. However, feel free to use chicken thighs or chicken breasts.
- Garlic - Garlic is an important part of this recipe. Garlic brings a kick to this Filipino Chicken dish.
- Soy Sauce, Honey, Vinegar - These three are the prime ingredients for this recipe. They help in increasing the shelf life of the chicken.
- Dried Bay Leaves - Bay leaves have got a brilliant fragrance which is really important while making this Chicken dish.
- Salt and Pepper - Generally whole peppercorns are used. But, In case you don't have that in hand, you can use ground black pepper as well.
- Serrano Pepper - Instead of Serrano Pepper you can also use Jalapeno Pepper.
- Peppercorns - Whole Peppercorns are an absolute essential in this recipe.
👩🍳 How to Cook Chicken Adobo
- The first step is to Sear Chicken until the outer coating forms a brown crust.
- Generally, bone-in chicken is used for this recipe. I have used Chicken legs. You can use a combination of chicken legs and thighs. Or you can make this with chicken breast as well. Once the chicken forms a brown crust take them out of the pan.
- In the same pan add some Garlic, Soy Sauce, Honey, Dried Bay Leaves, Whole Peppercorns, White Vinegar, Serrano Pepper, Salt, and Ground Black Pepper. Simmer the sauce for 1-minute.
- Place chicken and stir well to coat chicken in the sauce. Allow chicken to stay in the sauce for about 5-10 minutes on low heat so that the chicken absorbs all the spices from the sauce and gets completely cooked.
- Now simply serve on a bed of warm white rice and enjoy.
Traditionally, chicken is marinated with Soy Sauce and Garlic and refrigerated for up to 3-12 hours.
But, these days since we don't have the luxury of that sort of time, we follow the quicker process of searing the chicken and then coating it in the sauce.😍
😍 Other Alternatives to this recipe
- Marinate the chicken ahead of time. In case you are making this for your family then make sure you marinate the chicken one night ahead so that it is ready by morning. The more time you give your chicken, the juicier your chicken will be.
- Instead of Chicken Legs, you can use any part of a chicken. The most commonly used parts are chicken thighs and legs. However, some people like the combination of chicken breasts and legs.
- You can use both dark soy sauce or light soy sauce or coconut Aminos or Tamari to make this recipe.
- You can also serve this with broccoli or green beans.
- You can also add chopped onions but make sure you saute them first before using them in the recipe.
Other Asian Chicken Recipes you can try:
- Sweet and Sour Chicken - One of the classics that is loved by people
- Kung Pao Chicken Tenders - Super awesome recipe with chicken tenders
- Honey Chicken - Terribly GOOD!
- Ginger Soy Chicken - Blast of flavors
- General Tso's Chicken - All-time favorite.
- Thai Peanut Chicken - Excellent flavors. Peanut butter tastes so good with chicken.
- Chinese Chili Chicken - One of the easiest and most popular recipes.
- Orange Chicken - Just like PF Chang's.
If you are making Filipino Chicken Adobo using this recipe, then please leave a rating below. Also, take a snap and share it on Instagram with #recipemagik. Tag me @recipemagik so that I can see how this turned out.
Chicken Adobo Recipe (Authentic Filipino)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 Pound Bone-in Chicken Legs/Breasts/Thighs (You can also use both leg and breast, or Legs and thighs)
- 3 Tablespoon Canola Oil to sear chicken
For Adobo Sauce
- 4-5 cloves Garlic minced or crushed
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce you can use either dark soy sauce/light soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Honey you can replace this with 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 Dried Bay Leaves
- 4 Tablespoon White Vinegar
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt OPTIONAL
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper or Whole Peppercorns
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a skillet heat some canola oil. As the oil gets hot add chicken pieces. Cover and let them get seared on low heat. After few minutes, flip over and cook the other side as well. Cook until both sides, develops a brown crust on top. Once done, take them out of the skillet.
- In the same pan, add minced/crushed garlic and saute for 30-seconds. Then add Soy Sauce, Honey, Bay Leaf, Vinegar, Serrano Pepper, Salt, and Ground Black pepper. Stir well to combine. Simmer the sauce for 1-minute
- Add Chicken pieces and stir with a spatula to coat them evenly in the sauce. Add some water and cover cook for 5-10 minutes and let the chicken pieces soak all the flavors of the sauce. Now, put the heat off and serve hot on a bed of white rice.
Ask Me Anything