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This Filipino Chicken Adobo is a definite step away from “the same old”! Chicken thighs and drumsticks braised in pungent vinegar and soy sauce with an addition of garlic and ginger. Just regular pantry staples produce an unforgettable flavour.
For another traditional Filipino dish check out my Pancit Canton recipe.
This might come as a surprise to you, given my background, that I carry a very strong emotional attachment to all things Filipino, and this Chicken Adobo in particular.
I spent a year of my life in the Philippines in my early twenties, and although it was one of the most difficult years in my then young life I’ve come to love and appreciate the country and her people.
I also brought home a handful of recipes with me. This Chicken Adobo recipe is one of them.
It’s interesting how strange and foreign things soon enough become familiar and even soothing. This Chicken Adobo stew is one of those things. Incredibly simple yet rich in flavour, it became my comfort food in a country so different from my own.
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make use the simplest of pantry staples. No unfamiliar or rare ingredients here.
Chicken Adobo is very easy to love even if you are not a fan of Filipino food. It’s reminiscent of our stews that nourish, satisfy and warm up from the inside.
Filipino cuisine
Filipino cuisine is wonderfully varied and complex, which is no surprise in a country made of more than 7000 islands and a rich mosaic of cultures. It also carries influence gathered over centuries from cultures as diverse as Spain, China and more.
The one constant is rice, which is served for every meal and often snacks in between. Many dishes therefore come with a lot of sauce to pour over and flavour the rice.
That sauce needs to carry a lot of flavour if it’s going to be mixed with heaps of rice, and Filipino cuisine has plenty of ways to add it. Strong flavours that tick boxes like acidic, salty and pungent can be found in common ingredients like soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic and rice vinegar.
Chicken adobo is a classic example of how this is done, to the extent that it is considered the national dish of the Philippines. It has a salty, vinegary taste that mellows when the strongly flavoured sauce is poured over plain rice.
As with every national dish, each cook has their own recipe, which is the beauty of it! My version was modelled after a few recipes of several Filipino women I watched cook during my year in Isabela.
What is Filipino Chicken Adobo?
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to make use the simplest of pantry staples. No unfamiliar or rare ingredients here.
Essentially, this chicken dish is flavoured with garlic, ginger, This is an affiliate link.soy sauce and vinegar. Carrots and potatoes are often added to balance out the strong adobo sauce. However, that particular addition could be regional to where I lived. I personally highly recommend adding them!
Pork adobo is one of the most common variations in the Philippines and it’s just as delicious but quite a bit fattier! If you decide to use pork instead of chicken, I suggest using a slow cooker for best results.
The version in this recipe is very traditional to the region of the Philippines where I lived. But it is made in countless ways and there were different approaches in other parts of the country, or even family to family.
Serving suggestions
Filipinos will always serve Chicken Adobo with plain, unsalted white rice and tiny citrus calamansi, also known as Filipino lime. Sadly I’ve never seen calamansi outside of the Philippines. It’s a real shame because their taste is unparalleled to any citrus here!
I used limes as a substitute in this recipe, just squeeze a little bit of lime juice into individual portions.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Although the marinade imparts more flavour, if you are short on time it can be skipped or reduce the marinading time to 30 minutes.
- To keep the chicken from steaming instead of browning in the This is an affiliate link.wok or pan, make sure to leave space between each piece. The chicken won’t be fully cooked after this stage of the process.
- This recipe could be adapted for slow cooker. Follow the recipe until step 3 but instead of simmering in a pan use your This is an affiliate link.slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in the cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken the sauce.
- If using This is an affiliate link.Instant Pot, also follow the recipe until step 3 then cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, then manually release the pressure. Add the cornstarch slurry and thicken then the sauce using a sauté button for a couple of minutes.
- Pork can be used in place of chicken. You will get best results by cooking pork adobo in a slow cooker. The most authentic cut will be pork belly, but for a less fatty option use pork shoulder.
- Chicken breasts can also be used, even though they are not as authentic in this recipe.
- For convenience, you can often buy jarred This is an affiliate link.garlic paste and This is an affiliate link.ginger paste. Although they are not as fresh, they are great to use on a busy night as they cut down cooking time.
- The potato here is not added as a side dish but to be part of the stew. They soak up the vinegar, and both carrot and potato bring balance to the dish.
Storage and leftovers
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container for 3-4 days or kept in the freezer for up to three months. It can taste better after a day in the fridge as adobo sauce flavours meld and the vinegar mellows.
Leftovers can be reheated in a microwave or in a This is an affiliate link.saucepan on a stovetop over medium-low heat. You may need to loosen up the sauce, in which case a splash of water can be added.
Cover with a lid so the chicken adobe doesn’t dry out. It will be ready in approximately 15 minutes.
More Asian inspired chicken recipes
- Shoyu Chicken Recipe
- Sticky Asian Chicken
- Honey Soy Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks
- Chicken Satay with Easy Peanut Sauce
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Carbon steel wok
Ingredients
- 8 chicken pieces, legs and thighs
- 125ml / / 1/2-3/4 cup This is an affiliate link.soy sauce, Bragg or Kikkoman brand for gluten-free version
- 125ml / / 1/2-3/4 cup rice vinegar, adjust it to your taste
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 inch long piece of ginger, grated
- 5 cloves garlic , crushed
- 2-3 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1-2 carrot, medium, cut in large chunks
- 3 potato, medium, cut in large chunks
- 125ml / 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 spring onion, optional
- 1 lime
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, 1 tbsp of oil, 4 garlic cloves crushed, half of grated ginger, black pepper, add chicken pieces and let them marinade for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- In a wok or a deep pan brown chicken pieces for 3 minutes on each side, might need to do that in batches not to overcrowd chicken, otherwise they will steam instead of brown. Do not discard the marinade. Chicken will not be cooked all the way through, remove it from the pan to a plate and set aside.
- To the same pan add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, sliced garlic and the remaining ginger, stir fry for 1 minute, do not let them brown. Add the chicken, marinade, water, bay leaves, potatoes and carrots, (the sauce will not cover the chicken entirely), turn the heat up and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes until carrots and potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and the chicken is cooked all the way through.
- In a small bowl mix cornstarch with water, making sure there are no clumps and add to the sauce, mix through and let it simmer for a couple more minutes, which will allow the sauce to thicken. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, it should be thick enough to coat the pieces. If the sauce is not thick enough, cook it a bit longer until desired consistency. Sprinkle with sliced spring onion.
- Serve with plain rice and lime wedges.
Notes
- Follow the recipe until step 3 but instead of simmering in a pan use your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in the cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken the sauce.
- If using Instant Pot, cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, then manually release the pressure. Add the cornstarch slurry and thicken the sauce using a Sauté button for a couple of minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We adopted a little girl just last year from the Philippines and have loved exploring the wonder filipino dishes. This is definitely one of my favourites and will have to try your spin.
As for ingredients, not sure where you live, but if you have any population of Filipino OFWs you
may be able to find things you need. I live in small town Newfoundland and we have in our town a Filipino grocery run from a persons basement. Frozen kalamansi is one of her products. Not as good as fresh, but still a wonderful fruit. We use it normally on our Pancit Bihon. Haven’t tried it with adobo. She also carries coconut vinegar and Filipino Soy sauce. Anyway, thanks for sharing your recipe.
That’s so awesome you have a Filipino shop in a small town in Newfoundland, Steve! I live in London and I am sure there is a Filipino population here but nowhere near me. I hope you like my take on this Chicken Adobo!
I spent almost a year in the Philippines, and enjoyed some fine Adobo.
I live in the Metro Manila area. After I returned to the states a filapina, Aleli, became me room mate. She taught me how to make Adobo. Her recipe included pork and chicken. It is a treasured recipe.
I love a pork Adobo as well, so simple yet so tasty!!Thanks for your comment, Bonnie.
Hi I made this before from your recipe and i loved it I just made the marinade and put in the fridge but it’s kinda late already can I let it sit over night till supper tomorrow?
This is probably too late as I am traveling at the moment but it’s absolutely fine to leave overnight.
I’m Filipino (living in Cebu) and this is a bit of a revelation. Why haven’t I thought of putting carrots and potatoes before? Come to think of it, they’d caramelize really well too. I’ll def. try them soon! Thanks!
It’s amazing how different Adobo is made in different regions, Rachel. I spent a year in Isabela and that’s how they made adobo there. I noticed they didn’t always add vegetables to pork adobo though. I love it with carrots and potatoes!
Do I cover it as it simmers?
It’s not necessary, Jen. It’s made in a wok in the Philippines, so if your sauce covers the chicken initially, you are good to go. It’s important for the liquid to reduce a bit, which won’t happen if you cover.
Can you substitute soy sauce with something else? For people with soy allergy?
Hi Mary, unfortunately I don’t know of anything you can use in place of soy sauce, which is the anchor ingredient in this recipe.
I bet you could use coconut aminos…might just need to use a little less (to taste) as it can be a bit stronger
Thanks, Brooke, that’s a great idea, I have no experience with coconut aminos but just looked it up and it seems like a fair soy sauce substitute.
I just have one question.. What is the purpose of ONE potato?
Well apart from it being an authentic ingredient in Chicken adobo both carrots and potatoes neutralise the acidity of the sauce that is quite vinegary. It is an optional ingredient though and the quantity of potatoes varies depending on how big your pot is and your personal taste! 🙂
I’m Filipina, my kids are half Dutch, and my daughter married a Dutch, too. They love the potatoes in Adobo so I add more. They also neutralise the saltiness of the soy sauce. I’m going to try your version of adobo. Looks great!
Yes, I completely agree and so do carrots! I just couldn’t fit them all in my pan. I think I need a giant wok! 🙂
Julia, you can get kalamansi here. They sell them in most Asian grocery stores. You can also buy the plant and grow your own.
That’s great, Princess! Where is “here” for you? I live in London! 🙂
Ooops, I meant the US, but I think you can still find them. Most people grow them as ornamental fruits. I found some in a nursery and grow them in big pots (grow to 3/4 feet tall). Below are other names they are know.
Other Names — calamonding, calamondin orange, calamansi, calamandarin, golden lime, kalamunding, kalamansi, Philippine lime, Panama orange, Chinese orange, musk orange and acid orange.
I’ve never seen them in the UK but who knows they might even have them here!! Thanks for the info, Princess.
Dear Julia,
I have 2 kalamansi plants one with few fruits which I currently consume. I bought them from our local plant nursery. They are called calamodine but label says ornamental plant. Maybe that’s why you don’t notice them in the store.
We love adobo. This is one of the very few Filipino dishes my husband eats. I’m from southern Tagalog in Philippines and we do not put potato or carrots with our adobo. My favourite part is the sauce.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hope you find calamodine plant. If not let me know.
Thank you so much, Edna! I will look out for it although I have to admit I am a rubbish gardner!
Well done, Julia! This is the all-time Filipino favorite meal I make for friends, too. I once made 125 pounds of chicken adobo for a fundraiser! I often simmer mine for a couple hours in a wok, or even half a day in a crock pot, depending when I’m leaving the house or coming back. Makes it super tender. I like the pretty onion garnish you put on top. I will try and remember to do that. Doring taught me how to make the meal. Fantastic cook! (real name is Charlita, but she goes by Doring)
125 lbs…Carol, you are a legend!! I love how non-fussy this dish is and compared to many Asian recipes it doesn’t require too many ingredients. Thanks for the complement, garnish was an artistic necessity as you know Chicken Adobo is such a dark looking dish and I needed some colour to lift it! 🙂
It does sound very exotic to me your stint in the Philippines! Bet it was tough being apart from Brad (had similar but much less exotic break from my husband when we first started going out and it was hellish) but the wonderful memories the letters bring back must make it all worth it now. Oh and the dish looks amazing too 😉
Hahaha it was exotic alright although as I’d mentioned everything exotic becomes very normal quite quickly. Being apart was the hardest part although we did spend Christmas together and that was super exotic…Christmas in the tropics and the letters made it all worth it! 🙂