Chicken Adobo

CHICKEN ADOBO

To be honest, I’d never had chicken adobo before, but it sounded too good to pass up. Then, what’s this? I’ve made it a regular part of my diet because it’s so good.

Cooked chicken is seasoned with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and black peppercorns in a Filipino delicacy known as Chicken Adobo.

When I first saw this dish, it reminded me of a soy sauce braised chicken dish that my mother had put on the site in the early days.

However, the copious usage of vinegar distinguishes it. My favorite part of the dish is the acidic flavor it adds to it.

There were some alterations to the recipe, though. I use a lot more coconut milk to make up for the lack of soy sauce and vinegar. Soy sauce may have contributed to my initial perception that this lunch was extremely salty and sour. Therefore, I recommend using reduced sodium soy sauce instead. Use “light soy sauce” instead, as it is far too salty for this dish.

The amount of soy sauce you use can be adjusted to your preference. I’d start with 1/2 cup and add more if necessary after the sauce has thickened a little more.

On the other hand, that’s one of the best parts of this dish. Forgiving, to say the least. You can make adjustments based on your own preferences, and you and your friends are welcome to experiment with my recipe in any way you choose! It’s fine to use red pepper flakes if you can’t find whole dried chilies.

In the absence of whole peppercorns, ground black pepper will do. And a bottle of plain old distilled white vinegar––almost everyone has one at home––is all that is needed to get the job done.

Chicken Adobo, on the other hand, can’t be enjoyed without a generous serving of steaming rice. You’ll need it to mop up all of that delicious sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

• 400 ml of coconut milk
• 60-80 ml distilled white or cane vinegar
• 4 bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs
• 5 chicken drumsticks
• 4 smashed cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 1/2-2/3 cup of low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 1 dried red chili

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Use paper towels to properly dry the chicken pieces after rinsing and patting them dry. Medium-high heat should be maintained in a large skillet or Dutch oven while the oil is being heated. To achieve a crispy crust, brown the chicken on all sides.
2. Toss in the coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, and chili. Boil the mixture, then decrease the heat to a simmer. Allow the food to boil for an hour before removing the lid (add a bit of hot water if you need more liquid).
3. To thicken the sauce, cook for an additional 10 minutes over medium heat. To avoid a “split” and a change from sticky/creamy to oily, do not overheat or cook the sauce. Over steamed rice