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Bring authentic Filipino flavors into your home with my Filipino chicken adobo recipe. It features chicken thighs braised in a slightly spicy, savory, and tangy glaze.
Need more out-of-the-ordinary chicken recipes? Try my pollo guisado, huli huli chicken, and Peruvian chicken next.
I love cooking chicken thighs. They’re delicious enough with nothing more than salt and pepper, but with a few more elements, you can make something special.
My adobo chicken recipe is precisely that. It’s easy to make, yet the results are juicy, tender chicken pieces infused with a well-balanced glaze.
What is chicken adobo
Popular in the Philippines, chicken adobo is a dish composed of dark meat chicken braised in a tangy, vinegar and soy-based sauce. Over time, the sauce thickens to a glaze consistency, infusing each bite with savory, sweet, and spicy flavor.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Hassel-free. This dish doesn’t call for any special ingredients and has a deceptively simple preparation process.
- A one-pot dish. Once the chicken is marinated, everything simmers in a pot until the chicken falls apart.
- A fancy weeknight dinner. It only takes me 30 minutes from start to finish, but it looks like I spent all afternoon working on it.
- Works with other cuts of chicken. Chicken thighs are traditional, but I’ve made this recipe with chicken breasts, chicken drumsticks, and chicken wings, and it never fails to impress.
Ingredients needed
- Chicken thighs. I used skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. If you use boneless thighs (or chicken breasts), just note they’ll cook more quickly.
- Vinegar. For acidity. Use either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Soy sauce. Regular or dark soy sauce will work. Use low-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free coconut aminos if needed.
- Ginger, garlic cloves, and onion. Essential aromatics.
- Red chilies. Sliced and seeded. Adjust the number of chilies depending on how spicy you want it.
- Bay leaves. For flavor and aroma.
- Brown sugar. Essential for balancing out the other strong flavors in the sauce.
- Black peppercorns. To give the stew a peppery kick. You can remove them before serving or use freshly grated black pepper instead.
- Chicken broth. I used store-bought low-sodium broth, but homemade broth also works.
How to make chicken adobo
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Toss the chicken in the sauce and let it sit for 5 minutes to marinate.
Step 2- Simmer. Pour everything into a deep saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Step 3- Thicken the sauce. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and allow the sauce to continue simmering until it reduces.
Step 4- Assemble. Return the chicken to the pan and cook everything for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Sear the chicken. When I have time, I find browning the chicken first helps create a deeper flavor base and helps crisp up the skin.
- Don’t skip the marinating step. Five minutes is the bare minimum, but you could marinate the chicken as long as overnight. If you marinate it for over 30 minutes, put it in the fridge.
- Be patient. Don’t rush the cooking time by keeping it on high heat, lest you scorch the sauce and overcook the chicken. I’m watching you!
Variations
- Add some vegetables. As the sauce simmers, fold in sautéed peppers, mushrooms, or spinach into the stew.
- Garnish the stew with sliced green onions or fresh cilantro for a pop of color.
- Serve the adobo with basmati white rice (or cauliflower rice) to soak up the sauce.
Storage instructions
To store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.
To freeze: Store the cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Reheating: Reheat the chicken in the microwave or a large skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of water or broth if needed.
Frequently asked questions
The word adobo refers to flavoring food in a sauce or marinade consisting of vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spices. While cooking in adobo sauce is popular in Mexican cuisine, this is a traditional Filipino dish.
More weeknight chicken dinners
- Chicken vindaloo
- Empress chicken
- Saffron chicken
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Or any of these chicken recipes
Chicken Adobo
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs skin on
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger minced
- 1 small red chili seeded and chopped
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 large onion sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except for the chicken thighs, into a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. Add the chicken thighs and let it sit for 5 minutes, to marinate.
- Transfer everything into a deep saucepan or pot and place over hot heat. Bring it to a boil, then reduce it to medium and let everything simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and allow the sauce to continue to simmer until it reduces and thickens.
- Return the chicken to the pan and cook everything together for a further 5 minutes, or until the chicken is glazed.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published Januar 2023, updated and republished September 2024
This was the best chicken adobo recipe I’ve made, and I’ve made a ton of them. This seriously reminded me of the Phillipines.
Thanks, Eramus!
I married into a Filipino family, and my father-in-law was a cook in the US Navy for 20 years. He taught me how to cook adobo.
His “secret ingredient” is to omit the 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and in it’s place, substitute 2 teaspoons of standard barbecue sauce. Doesn’t have to be a fancy brand of barbecue sauce; even supermarket brands work well. Don’t overdo it. It will lend a smoky-sweet background flavor that is subtle, but it gives the dish a great flavor!
I made this with skinless boneless chicken thighs and it was absolutely delicious! I hit the “Jump to Recipe” link so missed the tip on searing the chicken because it’s not in the instructions. Still so very yummy.
I will definitely try this recipe , could it marinate overnight or not?
Will it make much difference if I take the skin off
Thanks
I can’t wait to try it
My father-in-law taught me to make Filipino adobo, and marinating it overnight is a no-no. The vinegar is too strong and will begin to digest the chicken and turn it to mush. Plus, it isn’t necessary for great flavor.
Adobo is, at it’s Filipino best, a powerful combo of vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Put them together and they become more than the sum of the original parts. It’s basically the “national dish of the Philippines”.