Filipino Chicken Adobo

Name: Filipino Chicken Adobo
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 clove Garlic; 1,200 g Chicken thigh; 80 ml Soy sauce; 120 ml white cane vinegar; 1 tbsp Black peppercorns; 4 piece Bay leaf; 30 ml Coconut oil; 120 ml Water

1 hr 50 min · 10 min active · makes ~1.6 kg · Medium

Filipino chicken adobo braised in soy and vinegar with black peppercorns and bay leaf until deeply caramelized. Serves 4.

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Filipino Chicken Adobo

Filipino chicken adobo braised in soy and vinegar with black peppercorns and bay leaf until deeply caramelized. Serves 4.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

1 hr 50 min

ACTIVE TIME

10 min

QUANTITY

~1.6 kg

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/10

Ingredients

0/8 gathered · 4 servings

8clove

1,200g

80ml

120ml

1tbsp

4piece

30ml

120ml

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	8clove	—	—
2	1,200g	—	—
3	80ml	—	—
4	120ml	—	—
5	1tbsp	—	—
6	4piece	—	—
7	30ml	—	—
8	120ml	—	—

Tools

11 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

24 steps

1 of 24

Pull the papery skin away from each garlic clove and discard it.

Garlic · 8 clove

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled garlic cloves

2 of 24

Set each peeled clove on the board and press firmly with the flat of the knife to crush it open.

Peeled garlic cloves · step 1

⏱ 20s

ResultCrushed garlic clovesused in step 4

3 of 24

Place the chicken thighs in the large bowl.

Chicken thigh · 1,200 g

⏱ 10s

ResultChicken thigh

4 of 24

Add the crushed garlic cloves to the bowl with the chicken.

Crushed garlic cloves · step 2

⏱ 5s

ResultCrushed garlic cloves and chicken thigh

5 of 24

Pour the soy sauce over the chicken and garlic.

Soy sauce · 80 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultCrushed garlic cloves and chicken thigh and soy sauce

6 of 24

Pour the white cane vinegar over the chicken.

White cane vinegar · 120 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultChicken thigh mixture

7 of 24

Scatter the whole black peppercorns into the bowl.

Black peppercorns · 1 tbsp

⏱ 5s

ResultChicken thigh mixture

8 of 24

Tuck the bay leaves in among the chicken pieces.

Bay leaf · 4 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultChicken thigh mixture

9 of 24

Turn the chicken pieces with tongs until every piece is thoroughly coated in the marinade.

⏱ 20s

ResultTossed chicken and marinade

10 of 24

Stretch cling film tightly over the bowl to cover it completely.

⏱ 10s

11 of 24

Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to marinate.

⏱ 10s

ResultTossed chicken and marinade

12 of 24

Leave the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.

⏱ 1 hr

ResultMarinated chicken

13 of 24

Take the bowl of marinated chicken out of the refrigerator.

⏱ 10s

ResultMarinated chickenused in step 17

14 of 24

Lift and discard the cling film from the bowl.

⏱ 5s

15 of 24

Pour the coconut oil into the large heavy-based saucepan.

Coconut oil · 30 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultCoconut oil

16 of 24

Set the saucepan over a medium-high heat and warm the oil until it is shimmering and hot.

⏱ 1 min

ResultHot coconut oil

17 of 24

Lift the chicken thighs out of the marinade with tongs, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and lay them skin-side down in the hot oil; sear without moving them until the skin is deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, then turn and sear the other side.

Marinated chicken · step 13

⏱ 5 min

ResultMarinade

18 of 24

Pour the reserved marinade — garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and all — over the seared chicken in the pan.

⏱ 10s

ResultMarinade

19 of 24

Add the water to the pan to loosen the sauce.

Water · 120 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultMarinade and water

20 of 24

Bring the liquid to a full rolling boil over high heat.

⏱ 2 min

ResultBoiling adobo

21 of 24

Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken uncovered, turning the pieces once halfway through, until the meat is completely tender and the sauce has reduced and deepened in colour, about 30 minutes. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.

⏱ 30 min

ResultBraised chicken adobo

22 of 24

Lift the chicken pieces out of the pan with tongs and set them aside on a plate.

Braised chicken adobo · step 21

⏱ 20s

ResultAdobo sauceused in step 24

23 of 24

Turn the heat to medium-high and boil the sauce hard, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency that coats a spoon.

Adobo sauce · step 22

⏱ 5 min

ResultGlossy adobo sauce

24 of 24

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them in the reduced sauce to coat each piece thoroughly.

Braised chicken adobo · step 22

⏱ 30s

ResultBraised chicken adobo and glossy adobo sauce

Total Time1 hr 50 min

#	Product	Action
1	8 clove	Pull the papery skin away from each garlic clove and discard it.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves
2	Peeled garlic clovesstep 1	Set each peeled clove on the board and press firmly with the flat of the knife to crush it open.⏱ 20sResultCrushed garlic clovesused in step 4
3	1,200 g	Place the chicken thighs in the large bowl.⏱ 10sResultChicken thigh
4	Crushed garlic clovesstep 2	Add the crushed garlic cloves to the bowl with the chicken.⏱ 5sResultCrushed garlic cloves and chicken thigh
5	80 ml	Pour the soy sauce over the chicken and garlic.⏱ 5sResultCrushed garlic cloves and chicken thigh and soy sauce
6	120 ml	Pour the white cane vinegar over the chicken.⏱ 5sResultChicken thigh mixture
7	1 tbsp	Scatter the whole black peppercorns into the bowl.⏱ 5sResultChicken thigh mixture
8	4 piece	Tuck the bay leaves in among the chicken pieces.⏱ 5sResultChicken thigh mixture
9	—	Turn the chicken pieces with tongs until every piece is thoroughly coated in the marinade.⏱ 20sResultTossed chicken and marinade
10	—	Stretch cling film tightly over the bowl to cover it completely.⏱ 10s
11	—	Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to marinate.⏱ 10sResultTossed chicken and marinade
12	—	Leave the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.⏱ 1 hrResultMarinated chicken
13	—	Take the bowl of marinated chicken out of the refrigerator.⏱ 10sResultMarinated chickenused in step 17
14	—	Lift and discard the cling film from the bowl.⏱ 5s
15	30 ml	Pour the coconut oil into the large heavy-based saucepan.⏱ 5sResultCoconut oil
16	—	Set the saucepan over a medium-high heat and warm the oil until it is shimmering and hot.⏱ 1 minResultHot coconut oil
17	Marinated chickenstep 13	Lift the chicken thighs out of the marinade with tongs, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, and lay them skin-side down in the hot oil; sear without moving them until the skin is deep golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, then turn and sear the other side.⏱ 5 minResultMarinade
18	—	Pour the reserved marinade — garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and all — over the seared chicken in the pan.⏱ 10sResultMarinade
19	120 ml	Add the water to the pan to loosen the sauce.⏱ 5sResultMarinade and water
20	—	Bring the liquid to a full rolling boil over high heat.⏱ 2 minResultBoiling adobo
21	—	Reduce the heat to low and simmer the chicken uncovered, turning the pieces once halfway through, until the meat is completely tender and the sauce has reduced and deepened in colour, about 30 minutes. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.⏱ 30 minResultBraised chicken adobo
22	Braised chicken adobostep 21	Lift the chicken pieces out of the pan with tongs and set them aside on a plate.⏱ 20sResultAdobo sauceused in step 24
23	Adobo saucestep 22	Turn the heat to medium-high and boil the sauce hard, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency that coats a spoon.⏱ 5 minResultGlossy adobo sauce
24	Braised chicken adobostep 22	Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them in the reduced sauce to coat each piece thoroughly.⏱ 30sResultBraised chicken adobo and glossy adobo sauce
Total Time		1 hr 50 min

Serving

Arrange the glazed chicken pieces on the serving platter and spoon all the remaining sauce from the pan over the top. The bay leaves and whole peppercorns are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 100% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	458kcal
	62g
	19g
	9g
	6g
	0.5g
	1g
	1,477mg

Ingredients0/8

Tools0/10

Recipe

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Filipino chicken adobo braised in soy and vinegar with black peppercorns and bay leaf until deeply caramelized. Serves 4.

What you’ll doYou will marinate chicken thighs with garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and peppercorns for at least an hour. Then you will sear the chicken skin-side down in hot oil until golden, return it to the marinade, simmer until tender, and finally reduce the sauce to a glossy glaze before coating the chicken and plating.

Serves4

Total1 hr 50 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Garlic8 clove
Chicken thigh1,200 g
Soy sauce80 ml
White cane vinegar120 ml
Black peppercorns1 tbsp
Bay leaf4 piece
Coconut oil30 ml
Water120 ml

Tools

SpoonTongsLarge serving platterLarge heavy based saucepanChef's knifeLarge bowlCling filmRefrigeratorPlateChopping boardThermometer

Method

Pull the papery skin away from each garlic clove and discard it.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeGarlic · 8 clove

Set each peeled clove on the board and press firmly with the flat of the knife to crush it open.

Result · Crushed garlic cloves · used in step 4

20sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled garlic cloves · step 1

Place the chicken thighs in the large bowl.

10sLarge bowlChicken thigh · 1,200 g

Add the crushed garlic cloves to the bowl with the chicken.

5sLarge bowlCrushed garlic cloves · step 2

Pour the soy sauce over the chicken and garlic.

5sLarge bowlSoy sauce · 80 ml

Pour the white cane vinegar over the chicken.

5sLarge bowlWhite cane vinegar · 120 ml

Scatter the whole black peppercorns into the bowl.

5sLarge bowlBlack peppercorns · 1 tbsp

Tuck the bay leaves in among the chicken pieces.

5sLarge bowlBay leaf · 4 piece

Turn the chicken pieces with tongs until every piece is thoroughly coated in the marinade.

20sLarge bowl, Tongs

Stretch cling film tightly over the bowl to cover it completely.

10sLarge bowl, Cling film

Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to marinate.

10sLarge bowl, Refrigerator

Leave the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for deeper flavour.

1 hrLarge bowl

Take the bowl of marinated chicken out of the refrigerator.

Result · Marinated chicken · used in step 17

10sLarge bowl, Refrigerator

Lift and discard the cling film from the bowl.

5sLarge bowl, Cling film

Pour the coconut oil into the large heavy-based saucepan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanCoconut oil · 30 ml

Set the saucepan over a medium-high heat and warm the oil until it is shimmering and hot.

1 minLarge heavy based saucepan

5 minLarge heavy based saucepan, TongsMarinated chicken · step 13

Pour the reserved marinade — garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and all — over the seared chicken in the pan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepan

Add the water to the pan to loosen the sauce.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanWater · 120 ml

Bring the liquid to a full rolling boil over high heat.

2 minLarge heavy based saucepan

30 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Thermometer

Lift the chicken pieces out of the pan with tongs and set them aside on a plate.

Result · Adobo sauce · used in step 24

20sPlate, TongsBraised chicken adobo · step 21

Turn the heat to medium-high and boil the sauce hard, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a glossy, syrupy consistency that coats a spoon.

5 minLarge heavy based saucepan, SpoonAdobo sauce · step 22

Return the chicken pieces to the pan and turn them in the reduced sauce to coat each piece thoroughly.

30sLarge heavy based saucepan, TongsBraised chicken adobo · step 22

Arrange the glazed chicken pieces on the serving platter and spoon all the remaining sauce from the pan over the top. The bay leaves and whole peppercorns are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Result · Braised chicken adobo and glossy adobo sauce

30sLarge serving platter, TongsBraised chicken adobo and glossy adobo sauce · step 24

Printed 7 October 2026