The delicious soy-and-vinegar braise known as adobo is unofficially the national dish of the Philippines and beloved around the world. This version is made with skinless chicken thighs, a popular protein, although other chicken cuts as well as pork, beef, seafood and even vegetables can star. Adobo is famous for its bold combination of salt and acid, and many versions (like this one) also add a sweet component along with classic aromatics like garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. A big part of the dish’s popularity is its simplicity and how easy it is to customize to individual tastes, although one thing that’s almost universal is serving it with steamed rice to soak up the dish’s irresistible sauce.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 pieces)
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup cane vinegar
- Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs and marinate for 25 minutes or up to 2 hours. Mix twice at regular intervals to marinate thoroughly.
- Drain the chicken in a colander over a bowl; reserve the chicken and the marinade, bay leaves and garlic (a few peppercorns are okay). Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the chicken in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan and turning thee pieces often until all sides are brown, 6 to 8 minutes per batch (the peppercorns may adhere to the chicken, which is fine). Watch closely: The sugar in the marinade will cause the chicken to darken quickly so lower the heat if necessary to avoid burning. Remove the browned chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil from the Dutch oven. Add the garlic from the marinade and the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.
- Add back the chicken, the strained marinade and the bay leaves. Pour in the broth and vinegar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and cook uncovered at a medium boil, stirring periodically, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid begins to thicken to a gravy-like consistency, about 25 minutes. If the sauce has not thickened enough, remove the chicken and set it aside, covered, and continue to reduce the liquid until thickened. Coat the chicken in the sauce and serve with the rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 347 |
| Total Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 135 mg |
| Sodium | 1472 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 347 |
| Total Fat | 13 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 32 g |
| Cholesterol | 135 mg |
| Sodium | 1472 mg |