Recipe · Filipino home-style

Home-style Chicken Adobo

Main dish Approx. 45 mins Serves 4

A savoury-sour classic made with soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and bay leaves — simple to cook, comforting to eat, and perfect with steamed rice.

Video

Watch the cooking steps

Follow along with the video first. When you are ready to cook, scroll down for the full ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

Steps

Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, combine chicken, soy sauce, half of the garlic and a pinch of pepper. Mix well and let it sit for at least 20–30 minutes (or longer if you have time).
Sauté the aromatics. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the remaining garlic until fragrant, then add the sliced onion and cook until softened.
Brown the chicken. Add the marinated chicken pieces into the pan (reserve the marinade). Lightly brown the chicken on both sides for extra flavour.
Add the liquids. Pour in the reserved marinade, vinegar and water. Add bay leaves and peppercorns. Do not stir yet until the vinegar has boiled for a short while.
Simmer gently. Once it boils, lower the heat, cover and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Stir occasionally and add more water if you like extra sauce.
Balance the taste. Taste the sauce and adjust with a little sugar if it is too sour, or a bit more soy sauce for saltiness. You can also reduce the sauce slightly if you prefer it thicker.
Serve. Turn off the heat and let the flavours rest for a few minutes. Serve hot with steamed rice and spoon the sauce over the top.

Make it your own

Add hard-boiled eggs during the last few minutes of simmering.
Use a mix of vinegar types to adjust the sourness level.
Let the adobo sit overnight in the fridge — many people say it tastes even better the next day.

Serving ideas