Filipino Chicken Adobo

Article By: Krissy Downey

This recipe for Filipino Chicken Adobo is as flavorful as can be and so easy to make. A classic chicken adobo marinade infuses the chicken with a rich and tangy flavor, and that same marinade cooks with the chicken and transforms into a glossy sauce.

What Is Adobo?

As the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, adobo is adored by millions, and for good reason. With very little effort, adobo yields delicious and unique flavor. The word “adobo” translates to “vinegar-braised” in English, and that is exactly what adobo is: meat, fish or vegetables braised in a vinegar-based sauce. Typically, vinegar is mixed with soy sauce, garlic, pepper and bay leaves to create a marinade that infuses the protein or vegetable with tangy, mildly spicy and umami-rich flavor. Rice vinegar is often the vinegar of choice here, and some recipes will include coconut milk to cut the sharpness of the vinegar. Filipino chefs all have their own variations, but the vinegar-based sauce is the defining component of a true adobo. Between marinating and braising, that sauce carries the cooking process through from start to finish.

How to Cook Chicken Adobo Like a Pro

Make a flavorful marinade. The ingredients for chicken adobo marinade are simple: chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and bay leaves. Make sure you use quality ingredients like real fresh garlic, not jarred, and dried bay leaves that still have a scent when you smell them.

Allow the sauce to thicken. The chicken will simmer and cook in the marinade, but you’ll know the dish is ready when the sauce is thickened, glossy and coats the back of a spoon.

Let the sauce carry from start to finish. There’s no waste here: the marinade will serve as the cooking liquid that will then transform into a sauce for serving.

What to Serve with Chicken Adobo

Steamed rice is the classic accompaniment to chicken adobo, and it is perfect for soaking up all that delicious sauce. We think a cucumber salad, sauteed string beans, or fried eggplant would all make excellent sides here. A spritz of lime and a garnish of scallions would also be wonderful additions to this simple classic.