Filipino Chicken Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines and may well become your new favourite Asian chicken dish! Just a few everyday ingredients I can practically guarantee you already have, it’s an effortless recipe that yields juicy, tender chicken coated in a sweet savoury glaze with little pops of heat from peppercorns.
This is a chicken thigh recipe and it MUST be made with thighs – no substituting with chicken breast!
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Filipino Chicken Adobo is one of the first chicken thigh recipes I shared way back in 2015 when I started this website. Back then, I boldly stated that this was my new favourite Asian chicken recipe even it was thoroughly disloyal of me to say that, being of Japanese background and all (Teriyaki, Karaage and Yakitori….to name a few….).
To be honest, I may have embellished a wee bit. Blinded by the excitement of discovering Chicken Adobo, how unbelievably easy it is for a dish that yields such incredible flavour,
Check out how sticky the sauce is! It truly tastes as incredible as it looks. And it’s SO EASY with just a HANDFUL of ingredients!
What you need
Filipino Chicken Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines and like all traditional dishes, there are many variations – including using different proteins like pork and beef.
Fundamentally though, the key is the right balance of soy sauce, vinegar, black peppercorns and sugar that creates an incredibly sticky glaze with a depth of flavour like it’s been slow cooked – but it’s not!
boneless skinless chicken thighs – cannot substitute with breast, need the fat to transform sauce into a glaze;
soy sauce – all purpose or light soy sauce. NOT dark soy sauce (bottle will be labelled as such if it’s dark soy sauce);
white vinegar – just everyday, plain white vinegar. Sub with any clear vinegar, including rice wine, apple cider, sherry vinegar. Vinegars can vary in their acidity, so if using substitutes start with less (see recipe notes);
onion and garlic;
peppercorns – or coarse cracked pepper;
sugar – brown best, white ok;
bay leaves – fresh or dried, not the end of the world if you don’t have; and
green onion – optional garnish
How to make Filipino Chicken Adobo
And here’s how to make it. Basically, you marinate the chicken briefly, sear the chicken, then simmer it in the pan with the marinade for 25 minutes. It will look watery right up until the last few minutes, then all of a sudden, the liquid transforms magically into a syrupy glaze!
What Chicken Adobo tastes like
The glaze of Filipino Chicken Adobo is savoury and sweet with a hint of tang, with a distinct soy flavour. The garlic and onion creates a savoury base along with the bay leaves, and the peppercorns add little subtle pops of heat.
Don’t be afraid of the peppercorns in this! The spiciness is tempered from both the cooking time and the strength of the flavour of the sauce so it becomes a flavour enhancer rather than fiery spiciness.
And finally, the chicken itself. It’s incredibly tender, owing to the cook time. Chicken thighs only take about 6 to 8 minutes to cook on the stove, so simmering them in sauce for 25 minutes yields thighs that are so tender inside, it’s like you’ve slow cooked them for hours.
What to serve with Chicken Adobo
Rice to soak up the sauce is essential! Though if you’re counting calories, I can highly recommend Cauliflower Rice – pictured in the first photo in the post alongside Smashed Cucumbers for a seriously delicious dinner plate clocking in at a grand total of just 415 calories.
You may not use all the sauce this Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe makes. It is quite strong, so have a taste before dousing your entire plate with it.
As you can see in the photos, I do not hold back. 😂 – Nagi x
PS If you do have leftover sauce, don’t throw it out! That stuff is GOLD. I use it to make Filipino Chicken Adobo fried rice – just fry up cooked rice with chopped up pieces of this chicken, some chopped Asian greens and the sauce. The sauce is so flavoursome that you don’t need anything else!
Watch how to make it
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Filipino Chicken Adobo (Flavour Kapow!)
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 750g / 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets , boneless and skinless (5 – 6 pieces) (Note 1)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/3 cup (85ml) soy sauce , ordinary all purpose or light (not dark soy sauce, Note 2)
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white vinegar , see Note 3
- 4 bay leaves (fresh) or 3 dried
For cooking
- 2 tbsp oil , separated (vegetable, canola or peanut)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 small brown onion , diced
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp whole black pepper (sub 2 tsp coarse cracked pepper)
Serving:
- 2 green onions/scallions , sliced (garnish)
Instructions
- Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in the pan. Sear both sides until browned – about 1 minute on each side. Do not cook the chicken all the way through.
- Remove chicken skillet and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in skillet. Add garlic and onion, cook 1 1/2 minutes.
- Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a simmer then turn heat down to medium high. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Add chicken smooth side down. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir), turning chicken at around 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces down to a thick jam-like syrup.
- If the sauce isn't thick enough, remove chicken onto a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself – it will thicken much quicker – then return chicken to the skillet to coat in the glaze.
- Coat chicken in glaze then serve over rice. Pictured in post as a healthy dinner plate (415 calories) with cauliflower rice and Ginger Smashed Cucumbers.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published February 2015. Updated January 2019 with brand new photos, step photos, video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!!
Life of Dozer
Dozer started 2019 the same way as he finished it – in the POOL!!
I prefer to make this with bone in skin on chicken thighs, and about 8 or 9 thighs.
Sear the chicken in the pot, then remove, or another easier option- don’t sear chicken, but at the end remove chicken and brown in the oven, then put back into the sauce.
I like to add some ginger, and I omit pepper.
I also use seasoned rice vinegar, use cane vinegar if you can find it.
The bay leaves are key to this.
I also put in the garlic cloves whole. Just easier and it flavors the broth/sauce the same.
I add green onions at the end and we eat with white rice. My 15yo son won’t eat the green onions lol..
I didn’t get a syrupy gravy at the end. I got a thickened oil laden sauce with alot of bits of onion, Should I have poured it thru a sieve? It tasted delicious but the sauce had too much solids in it for it to look good. And the chicken was tender.
What is the vegetable with this dish, cucumber or zuchini? Where is recipe
Hi Marlene! I’ve linked it in the recipe in the last step where I explain what to serve it with 🙂 It’s Ginger Smashed Cucumber – it’s totally addictive! N x
You sent this recipe today via email and I made it today! Had everything I needed in the fridge. Amazing recipe and so tasty. Have to admit we were running short on time and skipped the 1.5 cups water but the sauce was so good!
That’s so great to hear Rebecca!
Filipino Chicken, absolutely yummy. Succulent chicken and stunning sauce 12 out of 10👍
Thanks so much Colleen!
This was so delicious!
Awesome Linda!!!
I absolutely loved this! Easy and super yummy. We had a very good friend from the Philippines who treated as with chicken adobo every now and then when I grew up and it brought back all these fond memories!! Thank you for that!
Oh that’s lovely Tatiana ❤️
I’m so happy N that you and Dozer are safe and sound!
Yay, you are already moved into your new house!
Sad that so many people have lost their homes though! It’s so devastating to hear!!! They will be in my thoughts and prayers!
No, I must say I didn’t like that one much at all.
A little too soy salty for my liking and the chicken was pretty dry even though I simmered it for the recommended 25 mins. On the other hand my wife wolfed it down – Jack Sprat and his wife huh!
Having said that I really just wanted to be cooking your Chinese Cashew Chicken – again…and again.
My first fail with one of your recipes Nagi!
Love your recipes Keep them coming ..
I am a fairly new convert to your very fabulous blog (also from Australia, Central Coast). Was thrilled when I noticed a low calorie (or kilojoule – showing my age) recipe. More low cal would be great if you get the time. Love Dozer (same name as my neighbour’s) dog. Best wishes.
We have started the new year diet! Yoga yesterday followed by your Thai Beef Salad…yummo!!!! Kids loved it especially the one who lives abroad and is craving Asian food!
Just finished dinner and this was really loved by all, but… The peppercorns were a bit much for my family. I will use wayyyy lesss and use the coarse black pepper in its stead. I also used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. It was really excellent. I was told, “put this on our ‘best of Nagi’ list!!
Thank You!
Happy New Year Nagi! So glad to hear that you and Dozer are safe. My thoughts are with all the people who have been affected with these fires as well as the lost of animal life. Wishing you health and happiness in your new home.
A very happy New Year, Nagi – may 2020 bring success in every way. Unlike you I have been right in the middle of the Green Wattle Creek fire blaze, evacuated multiple times, asphyxiated for some 8 weeks as far as smoke is concerned and have forgotten what the house opposite looks like. On this 7th of the New Year I have immense gratitude that I still have a home unlike so many others . . . and pray for next weekend when all hell will break loose again. For anyone interested. Nagi’s bottom arrow below her area points straight at mine ! Chicken adobo – I do not prepare too many Filipino dishes but this has always been a favourite – methinks shall use your recipe for next effort . . . best . . .
Nagi, I’m sorry happy to hear you are all safe. For a while there we thought perhaps you had been evacuated.
happy New Years as well! Nagi, I haven’t recently told that my father has high cholesterol. Most of my cooking comes from your recipes and recently I’ve been put in charge to create healthy meals for my father.
I was wondering if you would consider adding a few either low cholesterol or non cholesterol recipes. I would greatly appreciate it thank you. Again, I’m really glad to hear you are all safe
Happy New Year Nagi and Dozer!! love the pictures and glad you are safe.. can’t wait to hear about your new house.. best wishes!!!
Negi its a great recipe, except how much garlic is need along with onion??
So pleased you two are safe and sound, couldant believe the smoke I woke up to here in the deep south of the South Island here in New Zealand for a couple of days and was so dark, I feel for our neighbors, Nagi this recipe looks great going to be so pleased with some low carb recipes is there a recipe for the zucchini dish on the plate did do a search for it I love zucchini.
I think that might be the smashed cucumber salad referred to in the notes section rather than zucchini.
Hi Nagi, Happy New Year, I’m trying this for tea tonight and notice you have garlic listed in the marinade but not in the cooking. Do I fish the garlic out of the marinade for step (4) or add fresh? I’m sure it will be tasty either way.
Hi Guys and Gals, I also was wondering, so thought what can another couple of garlic cloves hurt? Put the 6 crushed into the marinade and added another 3 cloves to the cooking process.
At least there won’t be any Vampires around the house 🤗
Hi Peter- I was wondering about this too, as I just started making the marinade for tonight. In the video it looks like the 6 Tablespoons garlic is divided. Looks like about 3 Tbls go into the marinade, last 3 Tbls go in with onion to sauté. This is how I’m going to try it. If you have a minute to clarify, Nagi, that would be great. LOVE your recipes and this site- keep all the good stuff coming and Happy New Year all!
Yes! I put all the garlic in the marinade and not sure what to do now as I’m ready to cook.
Hi Stephanie,
Go ahead and cook it, it will turn out just fine. Nagi has amended the recipe however I used six cloves in the marinade and turned out just fine and was delish! See my comment above! 🙂