Easiest Chicken Adobo
Recipe GLPRe2bc0bb2aa0a21
A Filipino-inspired braised chicken dish where bone-in thighs and drumsticks are browned until golden, then gently simmered in a savory-tart sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves until fall-apart tender. The braising liquid reduces to a glossy, coating sauce while the chicken rests. Served over fluffy white rice and garnished with fresh sliced green chiles.
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Ingredients
1 head of garlic, halved through the equator
2 fresh green chiles (such as serrano or jalapeño), divided
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¾ cup distilled white vinegar
¾ cup soy sauce (not low sodium)
5 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup uncooked white rice, preferably short grain
Directions
Slice one of the green chiles thinly lengthwise, removing seeds if you prefer less heat. Keep the second chile separate for garnish at the end.
Pat the chicken thighs and drumsticks dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with black pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, arrange chicken pieces skin side down. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, occasionally lifting pieces with tongs to allow hot fat to flow underneath, until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean plate, keeping it skin side up.
To the same pot, add the halved garlic head, sliced green chile, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and bay leaves. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, then season with additional black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Return the browned chicken pieces to the pot skin side up, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and maintain a bare simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through. The chicken is done when the meat is very tender and pulls easily away from the bone; it should not fall apart. An instant-read thermometer should read 165°F at the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.
While the chicken simmers, cook the rice according to package directions in a separate medium pot.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Increase the heat under the pot to medium-high and bring the braising liquid to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and shaking the pot often, until the liquid reduces and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon like a light glaze. Remove from heat.
Return the chicken to the pot with the reduced sauce and turn the pieces to coat them evenly.
Divide the cooked rice among four serving bowls or plates. Top with the braised chicken and spoon the rich sauce over. Thinly slice the remaining fresh green chile and scatter it over the top. Season each serving with additional black pepper and serve immediately.
