Make a cozy chicken dish that’s a crowd-pleasing favorite: Chicken Adobo! The unofficial national dish of the Philippines that’s easy to make with a few simple ingredients. The flavor is savory, salty, and deliciously tangy. All you need is chicken drumsticks and pantry staples: soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. A comforting and flavorful dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
What is Chicken Adobo?
Chicken Adobo is a beloved Filipino dish that features tender chicken cooked in a savory braising liquid. The unique flavor comes from a combination of white vinegar and soy sauce, which gives it a savory, salty tang. With plenty of bay leaves, garlic, and crunchy peppercorns to make the sauce complete. Serve over fluffy white rice to sop up all those savory juices!
In Filipino cuisine, cooking with vinegar is a common practice from pre-colonial days meant to preserve meat before the era of refrigeration. Cooking with vinegar also adds a zippy intensity. The pleasant acidity and tangy sauce is essential to Chicken Adobo.
Another important flavor element are the aromatics. Plenty of garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns add depth and flavor. They are cooked in oil until fragrant and slightly browned. Then braised with chicken, together with soy sauce and vinegar, to create a complex, mouth-watering final dish.
What is Adobo?
In Filipino food, Adobo is both a cooking method and the general word for “marinade” or “sauce.” Adobo can be applied to different proteins, such as pork, pork belly, fish, or even vegetables. But it almost always refers to cooking with a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper.
Note: Philippine Adobo differs from Spanish Adobo or Latin American Adobo, which typically contains ground chilies, pimenton, or spice paste. The name “Adobo” comes from the Spanish colonizers who described Filipino cooking methods and saw similarities with their own food.
Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks. Look for meaty drumsticks. The chicken skin and bones add incredible flavor to the sauce. They also absorb the sauce well without becoming overly dry. If you prefer, swap with another cut of chicken (chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken wing, etc.) but adjust the cook time and make sure to use bone-in chicken. *I highly recommend drumsticks for best flavor.
- Vinegar. Traditionally, cane vinegar is used for this dish. The most popular Filipino brand is Datu Puti. However, regular white distilled vinegar also works great. If you don’t have it, swap with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- Soy Sauce. Also called light soy sauce or regular soy sauce. Don’t use low sodium soy sauce, as it won’t be as flavorful.
- Dark Soy Sauce. A type of soy sauce made with molasses. Thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. Adds rich caramel color and flavor. If you don’t have it, swap with regular soy sauce. However, the final dish won’t be as dark.
- Bay leaf. Adds aroma and earthy flavor. Use either dried or fresh.
- Black Pepper. The subtle heat and earthy flavor of black pepper makes this dish special. Any kind of black pepper works: ground black pepper, whole peppercorns, or a combination. I like to add a combination of whole peppercorns and smashed peppercorns for both the texture and dusky, spicy flavor.
For best flavor and aroma, use whole black peppercorns or freshly cracked black pepper. Pre-ground black pepper will not have the same spicy bite or fragrance.
- Garlic cloves. The recipe requires an entire head of garlic.
- Sugar. A little sugar to balance all the savory and tangy elements.
How to make Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe
- Optional: Partially crush the peppercorns. Add whole black peppercorns to a mortar and pestle. Using the pestle, pound until 50% of the peppercorns are crushed or cracked into half. Or, add peppercorns to a ziploc baggie. Bash with a rolling pin until 50% crushed. (You can also skip this step and leave the peppercorns whole. Or use freshly cracked black pepper.)
- Prep garlic. Separate an entire head of garlic, about 8-10 cloves. Smack each papered clove with the back of a knife — it should crack the garlic cloves into pieces. Remove the papery peels. Roughly chop the garlic. You’ll want big chunks.
- Saute aromatics. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed peppercorns, chopped garlic, and bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes.
- Brown chicken. Add the chicken drumsticks. Stir until lightly browned all over, about 2 more minutes.
- Cook chicken. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer on medium-low. Cook (covered) until the chicken is tender and saucy, about 25 minutes. From time to time, stir and flip the chicken so all the sides are cooked evenly in the sauce.
- NOTE: There is no need to add additional water, as the dish will release a lot of liquid as it cooks.
- Serve. Transfer the Chicken pieces to a shallow bowl. Make sure to scrape all the sauce into the serving dish! The chicken and sauce should be served together. Serve with white rice and make sure to spoon extra sauce over the rice! Steamed green veggies made a nice addition.
PRO Tips
- Make sure to cook with a lid! It’s essential that the Chicken Adobo cooks with a tight fitting lid. It will encourage steam to build, ensuring juicy chicken.
- Serve with rice. It’s a Filipino classic to serve this with plain rice, as the sauce is spooned over the rice. Can be swapped with brown rice or even cauliflower rice.
- Make in advance. Tastes even better the next day. In fact, storing in the fridge overnight mellows out the sharp acidity of the vinegar.
- For tender chicken, cook longer. Some people prefer Chicken Adobo to be very tender and falling off the bone. For more tender chicken, cook for 40 minutes instead of the usual 25 minutes.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Mortar and Pestle. Optional. If you’d like to crush the peppercorns, a mortar and pestle is very helpful. Otherwise, use a ziploc baggie and a rolling pin.
FAQ
Leftover chicken adobo can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week in the fridge.
More Asian chicken recipes
- Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken
- Hawaiian Mochiko Chicken
- Korean Spicy Braised Chicken (Dak Dori Tang)
- Korean Soy Sauce Chicken
Easy Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe
Equipment
- Large stock pot
- Mortar and Pestle (or ziploc baggie and rolling pin)
Ingredients
- 1-2 Tbsp cooking oil *avocado oil, grapeseed oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
- 3 lbs chicken drumsticks *10-12 drumsticks
- 8-10 cloves garlic *an entire head of garlic
- 5-6 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns *use less for a milder flavor (about 1/2 Tbsp)
- 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce *also called light soy sauce or regular soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce *swap with regular soy sauce if you don't have it (the chicken won't be as dark)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
- Optional: Partially crush the peppercorns. Add whole black peppercorns to a mortar and pestle. Using the pestle, pound until 50% of the peppercorns are crushed or cracked into half. Or, add peppercorns to a ziploc baggie. Bash with a rolling pin until 50% crushed. (You can also skip this step and leave the peppercorns whole. Or use freshly cracked black pepper.)
- Prep garlic. Separate an entire head of garlic, about 8-10 cloves. Smack each papered clove with the back of a knife — it should crack the garlic cloves into pieces. Remove the papery peels. Roughly chop the garlic. You'll want big chunks.
- Saute aromatics. Heat a large stockpot over medium heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed peppercorns, chopped garlic, and bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden, about 2 minutes.
- Brown chicken. Add the chicken drumsticks. Stir until lightly browned all over, about 2-3 more minutes. Watch the garlic carefully so it doesn't burn.
- Cook chicken. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer on medium-low. Cook (covered) until the chicken is tender and saucy, about 25 minutes. From time to time, stir and flip the chicken so all the sides are cooked evenly in the sauce.
- NOTE: There is no need to add additional water, as the dish will release a lot of liquid as it cooks.
- Serve. Transfer the Chicken Adobo to a shallow bowl. Make sure to scrape all the sauce into the serving dish! The chicken and sauce should be served together. Serve with white rice and make sure to pour the sauce over the rice! Steamed green veggies made a nice addition.
Notes
- Make sure to cook with a lid! It’s essential that the Chicken Adobo cooks with a tight fitting lid. It will encourage steam to build, ensuring juicy chicken.
- Serve with rice. It’s a Filipino classic to serve this with plain rice, as the sauce is spooned over the rice. Can be swapped with brown rice or even cauliflower rice.
- Make in advance. Tastes even better the next day. In fact, storing in the fridge overnight mellows out the sharp acidity of the vinegar.
- For tender chicken, cook longer. Some people prefer Chicken Adobo to be very tender and falling off the bone. For more tender chicken, cook for 40 minutes instead of the
