The Ultimate Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe - Easy & Tasty (2024)

This Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe is the quintessential national dish of the Philippines, it has succulent chicken or pork pieces braised in a blend of vinegar, soy sauce, and an abundance of aromatic garlic.

Adobo is a national dish of the Philippines that can be made with chicken, pork or seafood. Made from a simple marinade, it’s tasty, comforting and delicious served with steamed rice. There are many different versions of adobo, but personally, this recipe is my favourite version.

The best thing about cooking adobo is that you can adjust it to suit your taste. Some might prefer it with a thicker sauce, while some love a more runny sauce. You can also adjust the recipe depending on what you like. I remember my grandmother making this with potatoes and peas too. An authentic Filipino chicken adobo should be sweet and sour with a hint of spices that will leave you wanting more!

What is a Filipino Chicken Adobo?

Adobo or adobar comes from the Spanish word meaning to marinade or to season. For over 300 years the Philippines was under Spanish rule. So it’s not surprising that during this time the Spaniards has influenced many Filipino dishes that are still enjoyed today. In the Philippines you will find Spanish sounding food such as mechado, puchero and embutido are just some foods that Pinoys have adapted over the years.

I remember when I first met my husband and I made chicken adobo. He loved it so much that he insisted that we have a designated day during the week to have adobo. Of course we called it ‘adobo night’. Which was a Friday night if I can remember correctly. 😄 My kids also LOVE this dish that my youngest told me one day that he was so excited to hear that they were having adobo in school, only to be disappointed that it was not like my version.

What are the original ingredients in adobo?

Philippine adobo uses basic ingredients from Southeast Asia, like vinegar made from palm sap or sugarcane, soy sauce instead of salt, black peppercorns for flavour, and bay leaves for a nice aroma.

What’s in the classic Filipino chicken adobo marinade?

The secret to a good adobo is the marinade. For best results, it’s better to marinate the meat overnight. However, if you do not have enough time to do this, I recommend soaking the meat for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

A typical adobo marinade consists of coconut vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, crushed black pepper, bay leaves and brown sugar. If you cannot find coconut vinegar, you can also use rice wine vinegar.

Garlic

For this recipe, I use three large garlic cloves for the marinade and 3 additional garlic when frying. So if you are not too keen on the garlic you can always reduce the amount based on your preference.

Soy sauce

You can use light soy sauce or regular soy sauce. I always have a large bottle of sauce that I use for everything. If you are cutting down on salt, then I would suggest to use half light and half regular soy sauce.

Vinegar

A traditional Filipino chicken adobo consist of coconut vinegaror palm vinegar which you can get in many Asian stores. Coconut vinegar is made from the sap of the flowers of coconut trees. This is fermented for at least 8-12 months and has a cloudy appearance and a lot milder than apple cider vinegar. If you cannot get hold of coconut vinegar it’s also OK to use rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, but dilute it with a little bit of water.

Bay Leaves

The bay leaves give the adobo a subtle herby taste. I tend to use dry leaves but if available I also like to use fresh.

Black Peppercorns

It’s OK to use ready grounded black pepper, but I much prefer grinding my own whole peppercorns. It adds a little more flavour to the adobo and ensures a real authentic taste, just like grandma use to make!

Brown Sugar

Adding brown sugar to the marinade is completely optional, but I find that it gives the chicken a better colour when frying.

How to marinate chicken adobo

What kind of meat can I use with adobo?

Adobo can also be made with pork, seafood, and fish. The method is the same, but adjust the cooking time depending on which meat you use.

If you are health conscious you can take the chicken skin off. You can also chicken breast which my husband prefers, but as a brown meat kinda girl I like my chicken on the bone.

Pork adobo is also popular, I use pork belly cut into squares and seafood if I am feeling a little bit adventurous. Whatever meat you choose, this adobo recipe always turns out great.

How To Make An Authentic Filipino Chicken Adobo

Step 1

On this recipe, I use a whole chicken and divide it into small pieces. However, if you do not want to do that, then you can also use chicken thighs.

Prepare the marinade by combining the garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves peppercorns and brown sugar. Pour over the chicken and mix to ensure the chicken is evenly coated with the sauce. Put cling film over the top of the bowl and marinate for at least an hour, overnight is even better!

Step 2

Heat the oil in a large pan. Take the chicken from the marinade and shake off the excess liquid. Place the chicken in the pan and fry on medium heat until it starts to turn golden brown. Be careful not to have the heat too high as the sugar in the marinade can burn. The chicken does not need to cook fully at this stage, you just want a brown the skin and then set aside on a plate.

Step 3

Once all the chicken has been browned, add a little bit more olive oil in the same pan and fry the onions for 3-5 minutes until it starts to look translucent. Once the onion is slightly cooked, add the garlic and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Step 4

Pour in the leftover marinade and add 250ml of water into the pan. Allow the liquid to simmer for about 3-5 minutes. Add the sugar and peppercorns into the mix and stir. Simmer for another minute or so.

Step 5

Add the chicken into the pan and turn down the heat. You want the liquid to reduce and coat the chicken with a syrupy type liquid. Do this by simmering the chicken in medium heat and keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. The chicken should be tender but not overcooked.

Step 6

While you are waiting for the chicken to cook and reduce. Pour 3 cups of basmati or long-grain rice in a pot. Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Add 3 cups of water and cook on medium heat, until the water starts to boil. Allow the rice to boil without the lid for a minute or until you see the water reduce so you start to see the top layer of the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover the rice and steam for 12-15 minutes.

Step 7

Once the chicken is cooked and the juice resembles a syrupy consistency remove the bay leaves. Serve the adobo with the steamed rice. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with spring onions. Enjoy!

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