Chicken Adobo Recipe
This Chicken Adobo recipe comes from my mother, a fabulous cook renowned in her rather extensive circle of friends for her parties. As she was Filipino, parties always meant food.
Adobo is the Filipino national dish, a little like a non-sweet teriyaki with sauce to flavor the accompanying rice. I've served adobo to artists and society kids, computer gurus, visiting Internet marketers and health food folk — anyone who happened to be there when the mood struck. It's always been a hit because it's one of those can't-get-enough-of dishes.
With chicken or pork, the sequence is: simmer, fry, boil. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. The sauce is to die for; if you're reheating it on a subsequent day, add a little water but don't dilute the sauce too much.
A word about soy sauce: my favorite is Yamasa with Less Salt, which is less spicy than, say, Chinese soy sauce.
Chicken Adobo
1 chicken, cut up
soy sauce
white vinegar
handful of black peppercorns
garlic cloves, peeled (5-15)
1 large bay leaf
cooking oil (something bland like canola oil)
Simmer: Put chicken, peppercorns and bay leaf in a large pot (dutch oven or large high-walled frying pan). Peel garlic cloves, cut a slice into them, and add to pot. (You can use less garlic, but note that garlic powder does not give the same taste or quality.)
Add soy sauce and vinegar to pot: 5 parts soy sauce to 3 part vinegar. (I just tip the bottle and count "glops" as it pours.) Add some water so the pot is about half full; if you're cooking more, then adjust. Important: the liquid should be pretty brown from the soy sauce, rather than very watered down.
Cover; simmer on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat.
Fry: Pour liquid into a bowl and set it aside. (I do this by slightly opening the top of the pot, tipping and pouring into the bowl.)
Pour some cooking oil into the bottom of the pot and brown the chicken at a high heat. (Cover the pot to keep from splattering.) You may have to take some of the chicken out of the pot to do this easily. You can also brown the garlic lightly.
Remove from heat and let the pot cool. This is important — otherwise, the soy sauce can end up with a burnt taste. You may also want to pour out any residual oil, if you are big on fat-free diets.
Boil: When pot has cooled down, pour the sauce back in. Cover, and boil at medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Adobo is done when the chicken is cooked and tender.
Rice
Serve with steamed rice (fresh, cut-up tomatoes are also a nice side dish, as are sliced bananas). I like white rice or Basmati brown (not the California-grown stuff). Typical for Filipino dishes, though, is white pearl rice.
As rice takes a while to cook, it should be started along with the adobo. Wash rice before cooking; this means to rinse the rice quickly in water. The water from a second rinse can be used in place of the water in the adobe recipe. The theory is that the starch from the rice water thickens the sauce.
I could give you the "real" way to cook rice — in all its pot-watching, precise-timing glory — but many of us have opted for the wonderful modern electric rice steamer. <grin>
68 Comments for "Chicken Adobo Recipe"
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Lynn Cameron says:
I couldn't agree more on using a rice steamer. I spent my hippie years trying to cook brown rice that didn't come out gluey. I researched on Amazon and love the features on my Panasonic model – especially the "timed" factor and the 2 whole hours of keeping warm.
Oh yeah, and it does a darn good job at steaming any ol' vegies you might want to pop in there and melts the real butter topping real nice. Lynn
matthew says:
adobo is the best my mum is also filipino she cooks it for me even wen were not at parties
Editor says:
Ah, yes — sounds wonderful. Nothing like adobo, really, is there?
Mitzi says:
Am I the only one that grew up eating Adobo with bananas?? Lots of rice and one banana per person should be plenty. It adds a little sweet to the salty taste from the soy sauce. It doesn't get any better than this!!
Editor says:
Ah! We do, and our family did, but I totally forgot to mention it (nor the raw tomatoes). But thanks for mentioning it!
d says:
hi! i just finished cooking my chicken adobo .. thanks to your tips…it's been so long i used to cook it before…but i tried using soda (coke) instead of water while making it tender…;)
everytime we go to filipino restaurant the group can't help to order chicken adobo…let's eat now..
Editor says:
Glad it helped! Delicious …
Erms says:
Haven't made adobo in a hella long time. After reading this article I went out and bought some pork to make chicken pork adobo. I got home and realized the butcher gave me beed instead of pork! Aya! You need the pork if want really (bad for your heart) adobo. So I made due! Oh well. It's still good!
Editor says:
Ah, we forgot the pork! (So much for the memory …) And I'll bet it was still good!
Hamilton says:
Adobo is great for students. It's a cut up some chicken, throw it on the stove and study for a half hour type recipe that's damn good.
janec says:
Great article. You should probably also mention that adobo, aside from being a great dish, is even better when served the following day. It doesn't easily spoil and the flavors just blend nicely.
Lani says:
Adobo is one of my favorite of all time. I've found that it's either one of those things you love or just really dislike. My hubby and oldest daughter don't care for it at all, but my younger daughter and I could eat it every day – yum!
Katsh says:
Adobo is definitely the bomb. Haven't tried making it for my hubby yet, but he's quite adventurous so I'm sure he'll love it. Good article.
Editor says:
Aha, Katsh. You might need to stock up on a supply of soy sauce. <grin>
Toeknee says:
Thank you for your recipe, now I can cook Adobo for my wife. She really likes this Adobo for a long time specially with Quail eggs. We add Quail boiled eggs (wihout shell) when the chicken is cooked.
Editor says:
You're very welcome, Toeknee. Hadn't thought of quail eggs. I hope you and your wife enjoy it!
Bob says:
Hi there! Bob here from Italy, I've been cooking steamed rice long enough to test different kind of rice and It's much better to use glutinous rice to have the best Result. We eat it everyday in Thailand.
Julia Abad says:
I like my adobo in its most basic form – no gata, mongo, chili etc.. Your recipe is excellent, The ingredients are deceptively simple but the cooking method is all-important and you can get a bad result if you get it wrong e.g not frying the meat / burning the soy / using boneless chicken.
I won the affection of my (English) boyfriend's mother with my chicken pork adobo. In September her son becomes my husband! Never underestimate the power of soul food!
Living in the UK means no 'dirty kitchen' Sometimes I finish Pork adobo in the oven to avoid the frying part: after boiling on the stove, lay down the strips of belly and cover with the sabaw and keep turning from time to time until it is a bit crispy and all the sauce has gone Cebuano style.
Editor says:
Wow — I love it. Adobo is definitely Filipino soul food!
When frying (since it's a hot, fast fry), I always put the lid on the pan, and just tip it slightly so that air escapes. Don't know if that would be tidy enough for you in the U.K. <grin>
Marci says:
It`s my first time to leave our country and work in Japan. It`s only two weeks since I arrived here, but I already miss the Filipino dish. Even though I don`t really cook, I am now trying to make adobo using your recipe. Thank you so much!
Editor says:
You're welcome, Marci. And lucky — you're in the land of my favorite type of soy sauce!
Michael Alderson says:
I lived with a good friend (Filipino Heritage) and his family and his Mom would make Adobo and leave it on the stove so when you were hungry you got a bowl of rice and put some adobo over it and sat down and ate. Best I have ever had. Everytime I go back home my friends Mom will make a batch for me. She would tell her son that it was for me and he could make his own….I sure do miss being home…..One of the Seven Wonders of the World….
Editor says:
That is so awfully nice. I know what you mean. :)
Jordan says:
I lived in Bikol region for two years and we cooked everything with gata ng niyog and sili peppers (Pinanggalingan nga ng Bikol Express baga!). When should I add the gata to the adobo?
Editor says:
That's a great question which I can't answer (I could guess but that isn't worth much). Perhaps you can get some help here:
Market Manila
Pinoy Cook
Good luck!
A Gazillion Ways to Cook Adobo says:
[...] Chicken Adobo Recipe at Designer Jones: 5 parts soy to 3 parts vinegar [...]
nina says:
i so love adobo!!! but i like it better with pineapples. It gives a kick of sweetness to the salty/ sour flavor.
Ken says:
My family and I love Chicken Adobo. I grew up with my mom whom is Filipino made this dish a lot when I was a child. My wife loves this recipe because it is simple, but must be followed to the tee.
Editor says:
That's terrific! Also Nina's comment about pineapples. I'd love to hear what you all eat with adobo.
adz says:
i really love adobo. but i always end up cooking adobo the wrong way. i can't balance the taste of the vinegar with the soy sauce.. but know i know.. (5 parts of soy sauce to 3 parts of vinegar…) i'll try this now.. anyway, our family enjoys adobo with quail eggs and potatoes. you just have to put the adobo while it's boiling. the small potatoes with skin on it… (make sure to scrub it well first!) delish!
Editor says:
Hello, adz. It's hard not to like adobo, isn't it?
There are a couple of tricks to cooking it; part of it is the balance of vinegar to soy sauce. Try 5-to-3 and see how you like it — and then you can adjust from there.
The other thing is, after removing the sauce and doing the fast frying, let the pan cool a bit so that it's not too hot when you pour the sauce back in.
We like a LOT of sauce, and a high concentration of soy sauce. I mean, if you're going to have adobo, have adobo! None of this weak sauce thing!
Sean says:
Thanks for the recipe! I noticed you like to talk about soy sauce quite a bit. I myself don't prefer the usual type of soy sauce, it does tend to be too salty and it just doesn't blend well to my taste buds when I cook with it.
Instead, I cook with "Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce." It might not sound appealing to some people just because of the name, but really it tastes like soy sauce that's a bit pasty and mixes very very well with just about anything. It has a slightly sweet taste to it mixed with the saltiness of regular soy sauce, just not as salty. It's the only "soy sauce" type of sauce that I use to cook or eat with now. Regular soy sauce just doesn't cut it anymore after using this. Might want to give it a try =)
I use it to cook with fried cabbage, soups, even use it to make a garlic dip for meat like beef/pork brisket. mmm delicious!
rita cackett says:
hello i have a filipino friend who taught me how to cook adobo. my friend always used fresh ginger and so do i.!? also she cooks iton top of the stove and does not brown it or try to make the chicken crispy? i found a recipie that says to cook it in the oven in a covered dish? i would love to hear your comments on these points
Editor says:
This is delightful.
Sean, the Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce sounds great (yes, after you get past the name). If there's a "this is the only way to make adobo", I sure don't know about it. After all, we're looking for delicious food here.
Rita, my mother sometimes used ginger, although I don't.
I've heard of one person cooking adobo in the oven, or even on the stove, without browning. I say: if it tastes good, do it!
bamablondie says:
I ate adobo fo rthe first time when I was stationed in Korea, and I fell in love with it. It is hard to find where I am stationed now so I have to make it on my own ( mind you I am a southern girl from Alabama..) I have made it for my whole family and even my picky little brother eats it. I ususaly serve mine with Jasmine rice. It seems to blend a little better with the saltyness of the dish.
Editor says:
Thanks, bamablondie. Jasmine rice sounds divine.
rose says:
well, me being a pure filipino, we normally call it CPA (Chicken Pork Adobo). When i cook chicken adobo, my family loves it with chicken liver & gizzards…i know it is not appetizing to others, but you can try it for a change…and if you have a big "construction workers like" family like mine, an extenders like eggs and potatoes will do the trick….as to make it a little sweeter, i put some hoisin sauce. you can experiment actually….the dish won't complain
Editor says:
Thanks, Rose. It sounds lovely.
brennel says:
i tasted different types of adobo here in the Philippines. all i can say is that adobo is really the best for me. i tried experementing on it but now i'll be trying your own recipe of chicken adobo…wish me luck!!!
Diane Vigil says:
Okay, Brennel. Just bear in mind that I really like soy sauce!
Inez says:
I tried this recipe in my dorm room – where I had to microwave the chicken slowly at low power, in place of a stove-top simmering session (no stoves allowed in this here room!). I even "fried" the chicken in the microwave!
The result? Tender chicken that slide off the bone, marinated to perfection. I am so excited to cook chicken adobo for my friends! Thank you for the great recipe!
Diane Vigil says:
Never thought of that, Inez — but it sounds great!
angela says:
Recipe sounds great. Had a question though. During the simmer you said to simmer on med.heat.During the boil you said to boil on med.heat. I would like to try this recipe but wanted clarification on heat settings. Thanks!
Diane Vigil says:
Hi, Angela. You can simmer at a lower heat; I just don't like to wait. On the other hand, I boil at medium heat (rather than high). I know; it sounds odd, but that's what I do.
Lloyd G. says:
Hello Diane Vigil,
We have a competition for a something new or new flavor and can I use your chicken adobo image to present it?
Thanks,
Lloyd
JUSTINA Jensen-Cole says:
THANK U it has been years since I made this recipe and it brings back soooo many wonderful memories…I even had this dish at my wedding reception! The longer the adobo sits, the tastier it seems! Delicious.
Diane Vigil says:
Ah, quite correct, Justina. The longer it sits, the better it seems to taste.
Diane Vigil says:
Lloyd, sorry I'm so terribly late responding. Are you running the competition? (And, is it over?)
Anna says:
Hi, try adding beer to the marinade. My husband loves it! I use Apple Cider Vinegar as opposed to the white version and I also fry onions along with the chicken and add potatoes to the boil. I love when the wonderful smell of adobo fills the house! Great and simple recipe – Salamat Po!
Susan Ness says:
I saw this chicken adobo being eaten on a TV program. Never having heard of it before I did a google on it. Now I'm anxious to try it. Nothing was said about the skin on the chicken. I have always removed it because I have never liked it. Do you leave it on for the Adobo? Would it matter if I removed it?
Diane Vigil says:
Hi Susan. I'd say remove it — give it a try. Why eat something you don't care for?
Ashley says:
My boyfriend is filipino and he always makes adobo for me. so tonight i decided to try to make it for him as a surprise. thanks for the recipe. Hope he likes it.
Diane Vigil says:
Excellent. Hope you like it!
Mary says:
I am Japanese, but I grew up eating chicken adobo. My mom learned how to make it from a Filipino friend. Hers is good, but your is fantastic!! I agree, your method makes the chicken taste excellent! Thank you SO MUCH….I first cooked this about 2 months ago, and now I can\'t stop eating adobo! You rock!!
Diane Vigil says:
Thanks, Mary. I'm glad you find it to your liking.
I think the difference with mine is that I don't hold back on the sauce (and Yamasa is absolutely delicious soy sauce) — none of this loads of chicken with a tiny bit of weak water-down sauce for me! We want nice sauce, and lots of it!
Japanese, eh? I'll bet you have some great recipes … tempura and terriyaki. Now, that's heaven!
Janet Brown says:
I am cooking this for a large group (100) I bought boneless, skinless thighs, can I use them? Any suggestions!!
Diane Vigil says:
Hi Janet. Sure, why not … give it a try. I would suggest that it might not take as long to cook, but you'll just have to eyeball it … and poke it with a fork to tell when it's done.
Susan N says:
I have not been able to find the Yamasu soy sauce. Can anyone tell me where to find it?
Diane Vigil says:
Well, foolish me. It's spelled "Yamasa" (with an "a" on the end … I'd originally spelled it with a "u").
At any rate, I don't know where you are located but, amazingly, I did find it at Amazon.com (which seems to be my second home lately …).
Here's a search for Yamasa at Amazon.com.
Chuls says:
OMGEE! A million thanks for your adobo recipe..^_^ I'm a Filipina living in Shanghai with my Chinese husband for almost a year and I miss adobo so much, which my mom usually cooks for me. Now thanks to your recipe, i can start to cook tomorrow.:D Hope you will post more filipino food recipes.:D
Mae says:
Thanks for the recipe. I could never cook this kind of adobo before. One time I wanted to surprise my bf with a hot adobo meal waiting for him after his trip, but i totally ruined it and we had to throw it out because it really tasted burnt and salty!
I tried this recipe and now I finally got it. Thanks.
Diane Vigil says:
Hi Mae. Yep; soy sauce is salty, and it's easy to overdo it (and easy to give the soy sauce a burnt taste if you pour it back into the pan or pot without giving the pan/pot time to cool down a bit).
I would say that we happen to love the adobe sauce, so I probably rather overdo it with the soy sauce and vinegar mix … but anyone could cut down on those a bit when making adobo.
Glad this worked for you.
Janice says:
Hi Diane. I serve my chicken adobo with thinly sliced salted fried potatoes (sometimes skin on when I'm in the mood to scrub the potatoes clean) as a side dish. Since my typical adobo is less oily than the typical, the combination of a stewed dish with a fry-up is always very tasty!
Diane Vigil says:
Hi Janice. That sounds pretty interesting!
I'll admit that I use an awful lot of soy sauce, so I go with sliced tomatoes and/or bananas. But yours sounds pretty tasty! Do you do rice, too?
Janice says:
Hi Diane. Yes I do rice, too. I'm Filipino – I cannot survive a day without it :) The past years I've actually been away from home – I've developed a liking for American long grain (particularly Uncle Ben's)!
Diane Vigil says:
Ah, okay. I'm half Filipino. And I'm liking Basmatic brown rice (also like long grain). Unfortunately, my husband does not understand that you can eat rice with fried eggs. <grin>
Birdie says:
Sounds delicious. What vinegar do you use? And how much water do you put in?
Diane Vigil says:
Hi Birdie. I just use a good white vinegar … and, as to the amount of water, I use enough to bring it near the top of the chicken. In other words, without some amount of water, the soy sauce/vinegar will be a little too strong. Play with it and see what you think.