This Filipino chicken adobo recipe is easy to make with marinated chicken thighs seared then simmered in a delicious brown sauce, huge on flavor.
Chicken Adobo Recipe
Looking for an easy chicken recipe that doesn't keep you locked in the kitchen? That is also big on flavor?
This is a recipe you'll need in your recipe box. It's Chicken Adobo, and it just might become one of your new go-to recipes.
What is Chicken Adobo?
Chicken Adobo is a dish from the Philippines of chicken that is marinated, seared in a pan, then simmered in its own marinade.
The marinade typically consists of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaf.
When making Filipino chicken adobo, you'll first marinate the chicken, which later becomes a thick and flavorful adobo sauce as you simmer the chicken with it.
It's a simple dish to make, using few ingredients and pantry staples. You can quickly and easily get your chicken marinating in the morning, then whip the dish together in very little time later that evening.
It is not traditionally a spicy dish, though it definitely delivers on those bold flavors we all enjoy, and it's easy to spice it up if you'd like to with hot chilies or pepper flakes.
I hope you love this dish as much as we do.
Let's talk about how to make Chicken Adobo, shall we?
Filipino Chicken Adobo Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN ADOBO SAUCE/MARINADE
- Chicken Thighs. Use boneless and skinless. It is best to use chicken thighs in this recipe for their fat content. Chicken breast is not recommended, though they will work.
- Garlic.
- Soy Sauce.
- White Vinegar. Use your favorite. Options include rice vinegar, cane vinegar, or plain white vinegar.
- Black Peppercorns. Or use coarsely ground black pepper.
- Bay Leaves. I used dried bay leaves, but you can use fresh.
- FOR COOKING
- Vegetable Oil.
- Onion.
- Spicy Chili Pepper. Optional, for a spicy kick, though not traditional.
- Garlic.
- Water.
- Brown Sugar. You can use honey as a substitute.
- For Serving. White rice sliced green onions, chili flakes
How to Make Filipino Chicken Adobo - the Recipe Method
Make the Adobo Sauce and Marinate the Chicken. Add the chicken to a large bowl. Whisk together the marinade ingredients, then pour over the chicken.
Cover and marinate the chicken at least 30 minutes, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
Heat the Pan. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or pan to medium-high heat.
Sear the Chicken. Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade, letting excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Reserve the marinade.
Sear the chicken in the hot pan 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set onto a plate. Set aside.
Cook the Onions, Peppers, and Garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the hot pan and add the onion and peppers (if using). Cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
Adobo Sauce. Add the reserved marinade, water, brown sugar and bay leaves. Stir.
Simmer the Chicken. Tuck the chicken pieces into the pan and sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the adobo sauce thickens to a syrupy glaze.
Cooking time can vary depending on the size of your chicken thighs.
Baste several times during cooking, if desired. If needed, remove the chicken and cook the sauce longer until properly reduced, then add chicken to warm through.
Serve It Up! Serve with rice and garnish. Enjoy!
Boom! Done! Your chicken adobo is ready to serve. So easy to make, isn't it? This is definitely an easy recipe to put together, and so delicious!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- I like serving my chicken adobo over rice with a simple garnish, but try it with noodles as a variation. It's delicious this way!
- Use bone-in chicken thighs, or combination chicken legs and thighs, if desired. You'll get even more flavor with chicken on the bone.
- Consider other proteins for this dish, such as fish, shrimp, pork, tofu, or vegetables as a variation of the meal.
Storage
This recipe will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. When you want to enjoy it again, gently warm it in a hot pan.
You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this chicken adobo recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Chicken Adobo Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN ADOBO MARINADE
- 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless – fat trimmed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns coarsely ground, if desired
- 2 dried bay leaves use fresh if you can
FOR COOKING
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 spicy chili chopped (optional, for spicy version)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- For Serving. White rice sliced green onions, chili flakes
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl. Whisk together the marinade ingredients, then pour over the chicken. Cover and marinate the chicken at least 30 minutes, or overnight for more flavor penetration.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan or skillet to medium-high heat.
- Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade, letting excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Reserve the marinade.
- Sear the chicken in the hot pan 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set onto a plate. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the hot pan and add the onion and peppers (if using). Cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the reserved marinade, water, brown sugar and bay leaves Stir.
- Tuck the chicken into the pan and sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens to a syrupy glaze. Baste several times during cooking, if desired. If needed, remove the chicken and cook the sauce longer until properly reduced, then add chicken to warm through.
- Serve with rice and garnish. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Olivier says
Thanks for the recipe Mike. I cooked it for my filipina wife and her friend and they loved it. Bookmarked!
Mike H. says
Awesome! Thank you, Olivier!
Kaitlyn says
I made this, using my pressure cooker the other day. I added carrots and served with lentils, instead of rice. Was delicious!
Mike H. says
Thank you for the feedback!
Lynn Frederick says
Love this dish!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Lynn!
Patricia Podboy says
Where is the adobo in this recipe?
Mike Hultquist says
Patricia, this is a Filipino recipe, so the "adobo" is a soy sauce based simple sauce. If you're looking for the Mexican adobo sauce, see this recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/adobo-sauce/
Ted Talbot says
That is what I was thinking. Still looking for a recipe for my chicken. I am not sure which I will do.
Mike H. says
Ted, I have some suggestions for the chicken above - under the headline "Try Some Of My Other Popular Recipes" - check them out! 😉
Darryl Noack says
There is no information on the amount of ingredients
Mike Hultquist says
Darryl, they are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.