Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe

According to several experts in Asian food history, Filipinos were cooking adobo before Spanish colonization. Cooking with vinegar preserves meat, and is one of the earliest food preservation practices. This is also true of pork adobo, which is another popular variation of the dish.

While there have been several variations of adobo across the years, chicken adobo remains one of the most popular and for good reason!

The taste of juicy chicken in a succulent, umami adobo sauce makes chicken adobo a comfort food for all ages. From kids to adults, we can’t get enough of this mouthwatering meal!

How to Cook Chicken Adobo

1. Marinate the chicken in soy sauce and garlic. The garlic needs to be crushed for best results. This process takes 1 hour to 12 hours depending on how flavorful you want the dish to be. Sometimes marinating for an hour is not enough. I think that 3 hours is optimal. The chicken absorbs most of the flavors from the soy sauce and garlic during this step. It is noticeable when you taste the dish after cooking. Note that it is also possible to include the vinegar in this step.
2. Separate the chicken from the marinade. Make sure to set the marinade aside because it will be used later on. Pan-fry the chicken pieces for 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. This will partially cook the outer part. It also makes the skin tough enough to withstand stewing later. This means that it will remain intact, which is nice for presentation.
3. Pour marinade into the pot and add water. Let boil. The bay leaves and whole peppercorn can now be added. The process takes 20 to 25 minutes depending on the quality of the chicken. However, feel free to cook longer in low heat for a super tender chicken adobo. Add the vinegar. This can also be added as a part of the marinade. Let it cook for 10 minutes and then add sugar and salt. I only add salt if needed. It is important to taste your dish before adding seasonings.
4. Filipino chicken adobo can be served with or without sauce. If you like it very tasty then continue to cook on an uncovered cooking pot until the liquid

Where did it originate?

The famous Chicken Adobo originated in the Philippines. The dish is prepared using the Inadobo style of cooking. It means cooking meat or seafood with vinegar and mostly soy sauce. It is a popular method during the olden days when refrigerators and freezers were not yet available because vinegar helps extend the shelf life of food.

How Long Would It Take to Make Chicken Adobo?

It may seem like a lot to take on such a popular recipe. Chicken Adobo may not seem like the best option to those people just starting out in the kitchen, but it will surprise you how simple it can be to create this, especially after you’ve had your first try. In fact, it takes me less than an hour to cook up my adobo. For this recipe, just an estimated 40 minutes is needed to craft the most pleasant, aromatic Chicken Adobo. 

Prep time would be approximately 5 minutes since we actually won’t be slicing or mincing anything. We simply need to get our ingredients together before we cook for around 35 minutes in total. But understandably so, this may all take longer for beginner cooks. If you are having a hard time following the recipe from the steps written here, just click on the tutorial video linked at the bottom of this article. I will happily guide you through the process of making Chicken Adobo!

Try this Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe and let me know what you think.