This is my new favourite Asian chicken dish. Everyday ingredients. An amazing depth of flavour for such a fast dish with so few ingredients!
Being of Japanese background, it may be disloyal to say that. I’m sorry mum, you didn’t do a bad job raising me, it’s just that I love love LOVE food with big flavours that are fast to make and this is faster than all my favourite Japanese chicken dishes!
Check out how sticky and thick the sauce is! It truly tastes as incredible as it looks. And it’s SO EASY with just a HANDFUL of ingredients!
I first came across this recipe a few months back when I discovered Sarahlyn’s Kitchen, a fellow Australian blogger with a Filipino background. As soon as I saw her recipe, I knew I had to make it and very shortly thereafter, I did. She makes Chicken Adobo using chicken wings and it’s her father’s recipe – as she says, she finally actually measured quantities!
Being the food nerd that I am, I did my research and discovered that as with most classic recipes, there are many variations. Fundamentally though, the key ingredients are the right balance of soy sauce, vinegar, black pepper and sugar that create an incredibly sticky glaze that has a depth of flavour like it’s been slow cooked – but it’s not!
I’ve made this a handful of times since I first tried it until I found a balance of flavours that I think is perfect, but still using the same ingredients. Not too salty, not too sweet, not too tangy. I am sure there are plenty of Filipino households that use the same recipe I do!
Don’t be afraid of the black peppercorns in this. The spiciness is tempered from both the cooking time and the strength of the flavour of the sauce so it becomes a flavour enhancer rather than pops of spiciness.
I doubt you will need all the sauce this recipe makes. It is so strong and thick, I just coated each piece of chicken in it.
The sauce is GOLD so don’t throw it out! I used it to make fried rice – stir fried rice with chopped up pieces of this chicken, some chopped Asian greens and this sauce. The sauce is so flavoursome that you don’t need anything else!
Hope you consider giving this a go! It truly does have incredible flavour. 🙂
– Nagi
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Filipino Chicken Adobo (Flavour Kapow!)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb / 750g chicken thigh fillets , boneless and skinless (4 to 6 pieces)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (ordinary all purpose soy sauce, not light or dark soy sauce)
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)
- 3 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 small brown onion , diced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp whole black pepper
- 2 shallots/scallions , sliced
Instructions
- Combine the chicken with 3 garlic cloves (minced), soy sauce, vinegar and bay leaves in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a fry pan over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in the pan. Sear both sides until browned – about 1 minute on each side. Do not cook the chicken all the way through. Remove chicken from the fry pan and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil, then add the garlic and onion and sauté until the onion is golden and translucent (2 minutes).
- Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a simmer then turn heat down to medium high.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken back in, top side down (ie the smooth side should face down). Leave to simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir) until the sauce reduces down to a thick jam-like syrup and when you turn the chicken over, it is glazed (note - it will thicken slightly as it rests).
- If the sauce isn't thick enough, remove chicken onto a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself - it will thicken much quicker - then return chicken to the skillet to coat in the glaze.
- Set aside to rest for 5 minutes, then serve, garnished with shallots/scallions.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Hello!:) what brand of soy sauce did you use for this recipe? 🙂 thank you so much! 😉 looking forward to try this soon! 🙂
I use Kikkoman! N x
Hi Nagoya! I am trying this recipe tonight after having something similar at a friend’s dinner party. Her ex-wife husband is Filipino and she retained some techniques 🙂
Can you try this recipe with beef as well? If so, would you alter the recipie at all? I see some people mentioned trying pork but I’m wondering if it will work on other types of meat as well.
I haven’t tried with either beef or pork, sorry Monique!
*Nagi
I was typing fast on a tablet and didn’t notice I misspelled your name!
You can do it with either beef/pork/or chicken. My mom always made it with with pork!
Was searching for a quick chicken dinner recipe and I came across this. I made it and it came out sooo amazing. . I will definently make this again some time.
FANTASTIC!!! So glad you enjoyed this Kiana, thanks for letting me know! N x
Do you not flip it for 20-25 minutes? – so that the top can get glazed but then my other side is undercooked!
I’ve made this twice and it’s delicious! I see the best way for the sauce to thicken is to use chicken thigh. Any advice on how to get the sauce to thicken quicker with skinless chicken breast?
You can also try other versions of Adobo using coconut milk as the sauce base. Or tweak the main ingredient althogether, like using vegetables or using fish 😊 There are variations in this dish in different regions of the Philippines. ❤
Oooh! I didn’t realise, I would love to try this with coconut milk!!
Have made this twice now, the whole family loves it. Super delicious. Served with roasted green beans and your restaurant style coconut rice.
Have made your Honey Garlic Chicken twice this week!!! Once for company and last night for myself. Since I am an American southerner I made cheese grits with it last night to soak up that yummy sauce from the chicken! My next recipient to try will be the Chicken Adobo! Bless you for these wonderful treats!!!
I LOVE hearing that Blondie! Thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
Sounds delicious! I’m planning on making this tonight with about 4lbs of chicken. Would I just double the recipe? Thanks.
This is my favorite recipe so far. My husband and friends who have enjoyed this are wild about it. I can’t wait to try it with pork!
That looks absolutely delicious! And the thickened sauce. Oh my! I am so looking forward to this. Thank you 🙂
It is absolutely delicious! I have made this 6 times now and my friends get so excited when I anounce I can bring it again. It is easy and so tasty. If you are lucky enough to have leftovers it is really good warmed up again.
Great recipe. I used skin on bone in thighs and a bit extra sauce. Delish and great in a salad next day
That’s so terrific to hear Cathy!!!! Thank you were sharing your feedback – N x ❤️
Hi Nagi just made this with 4 pork steaks that needed using up, i followed your recipe and even used white wine vinegar as that is all i had. It was absolutely delicious the pork was very tender and the flavour was amazing got a lovely sticky glaze and am saving the remainder of the sauce to add to rice tomorrow.
This is the third recipe i have tried of yours for pork and they have all been perfect
Love the blog keep up the good work…
Sue
UK x
Yesssss!!! so glad to hear that Sue! N x ❤️
Wow, what a good idea! I will have to try that.
Hi Nagi😊I’m new to your website but this was amazzzzing. A tip to those who may have had partially cooked chicken…I took the drumsticks out when the sauce had started to thicken and microwaved them to ensure they were cooked throughout. Then I swept them through the sauce again….yummmm! I will be trying out your other recipes as we love asian food!! 😁
That’s a wonderful tip, thank you Liezel! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my site 🙂 N x
Hi Looks yummy but if you had put the video of it would have been very helpful. Thanks Behroze Mehta
Hi!
I’m looking forward to trying your recipe!
I have skinless bone-in chicken thighs. Will that work?
Thank you!
Yes!
Arigoto Gazaimasu Nagi, Oishi!!!!! I have made adobo before as well as my fiance, who is Filipina in Yokosuka. Made this and she loved it as well as I did and some of her Filipino friends, this will be my go to recipe for adobo! Like previous poster said, I am going to try this with pork also!!!!
Dōitashimashite! So pleased you enjoyed it Patrick! N xx
Thank you so much for this recipe. It was delicious! Best adobo ever – just the right amount of sweetness/saltiness!
I’m so pleased to hear that Suzannah! Thank you for letting me know! N xx
I just made this and it was spectaaacular. I took the chicken out at the end to thicken the sauce, and it took mine a bit longer to get syrup-y like, probably more like 10-12 mins? But so worth it. Also, save the extra sauce? Ha! I ate a lot of it with a spoon haha. Delicious, thanks for the recipe!
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you very much for your message – N xx
This was sooooo good Nagi. Thank you for another winner! And great idea about the stir fried rice for the extra sauce. I’m scraping every last bit of it out of the pan for this tomorrow night.
I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for letting me know Ginny! 🙂 N xx