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Filipino chicken adobo flavour kapow 2026 01 15 135318 819x1024

Filipino Chicken Adobo

A flavorful Filipino dish combining tender chicken with soy sauce and vinegar, served over rice for a comforting meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 6 servings
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the marinade

  • 750 g 750g / 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets, boneless and skinless Approximately 5 - 6 pieces
  • ⅓ cup 1/3 cup soy sauce Ordinary all-purpose or light, not dark soy sauce
  • ⅓ cup 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 4 pieces 4 bay leaves Fresh or 3 dried
  • 3 cloves 3 garlic cloves, minced

For cooking

  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp oil Separated, vegetable, canola, or peanut
  • 1 small 1 small brown onion, diced
  • 1.5 cups 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tbsp 2 tbsp brown sugar Add more for a sweeter sauce
  • 1 tbsp 1 tbsp whole black pepper Substitute 2 tsp coarse cracked pepper
  • 2 pieces 2 green onions/scallions, sliced For garnish

Instructions
 

Marination

  • Combine the chicken thigh fillets and marinade ingredients (soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, and bay leaves) in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight for best results.

Cooking

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade (saving the marinade) and place it in the pan. Sear both sides until browned—about 1 minute on each side. Don’t cook the chicken all the way through.
  • Take the chicken out of the skillet and set it aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the remaining oil. Sauté the garlic and onion for about 1.5 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add the reserved marinade, water, brown sugar, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-high and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken back to the pan, placing it smooth side down. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes without stirring. Turn the chicken at around 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces to a thick, jam-like syrup.
  • If the sauce isn’t thick enough, remove the chicken to a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself. It will thicken quicker this way. Then return the chicken to the skillet to coat it in the glaze.

Serving

  • Serve the delicious chicken over rice, and garnish with sliced green onions.

Notes

For a deeper flavor, marinate the chicken overnight. You can experiment with different chicken cuts for variety. Adjust black pepper for the desired heat.
Keyword Chicken Adobo, Comfort Food, Filipino Cuisine, one-pot meal, Savory Chicken