Filipino Chicken Adobo (Printable)

Tender chicken braised in tangy soy-vinegar sauce with garlic and spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.6 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks

→ Marinade & Sauce

02 - 1/2 cup soy sauce
03 - 1/2 cup cane vinegar or white vinegar
04 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
05 - 2 bay leaves
06 - 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
07 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
08 - 1/2 cup water

→ For Cooking

09 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
10 - 1 medium onion, sliced
11 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
12 - Cooked jasmine or white rice, for serving
13 - Chopped scallions or fried garlic, for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Toss to coat thoroughly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the liquid. Pat each piece completely dry with paper towels to ensure proper browning.
03 - Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces skin-side down and sear until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.
04 - Add sliced onion to the pan and sauté for 2 minutes until slightly softened and fragrant.
05 - Pour reserved marinade and water into the pan. Add potatoes if using. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
07 - Uncover and simmer for an additional 10–15 minutes to reduce the sauce until it reaches desired consistency. Remove and discard bay leaves.
08 - Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately over steamed rice, garnished with chopped scallions or fried garlic if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce achieves this perfect balance where tangy vinegar meets rich soy sauce, creating something impossible to stop eating with plain white rice
  • Its practically foolproof and even better the next day, making it ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd without stress
02 -
  • The vinegar needs time to mellow out which is why this tastes infinitely better after resting in the fridge overnight
  • Never skip the searing step because that brown fond from the pan becomes the foundation of all the complex flavor
03 -
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature before searing so it browns evenly instead of steaming in the pan
  • Use a pot with a heavy bottom or Dutch oven which maintains steady heat for even cooking

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