Chicken adobo is the dish that wins everyone over on the first bite. There are only a handful of ingredients — soy, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns — but the flavor they build together over a slow braise is something remarkable. The sauce reduces at the end into a glossy, slightly tangy glaze that coats every piece of chicken. We use bone-in skin-on thighs for the richest result and remove the skin before eating, which gives you all the flavor of the long braise without the extra fat. This recipe makes outstanding leftovers — the chicken actually gets better overnight as the sauce keeps working on it.
Ingredients
- 6–8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- ½ cup water
- Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Preparation
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat a light coat of olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown for 5 minutes without moving them, until the skin is golden. Flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, white vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and water to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and braise for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is very tender and cooked through.
- Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium. Let the sauce reduce and concentrate for 5–8 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally, until it becomes slightly syrupy and coats the meat. Remove the bay leaves.
- Remove the chicken skin before eating. Serve over jasmine rice with steamed bok choy on the side and spoon the reduced sauce generously over everything.
Notes
- Portions: Him 2 thighs + ¾ cup rice (~570 cal) | Son 2 thighs + ¾ cup rice (~570 cal) | Her 1 thigh + ½ cup rice (~325 cal)
