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Chicken Dinner One Pot Asian
4.7 from 51 votes

Chicken Adobo

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •10/8/22 28 Comments

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pin for chicken adobo.

This Filipino Chicken Adobo is a simple, yet delicious stove-top quick chicken recipe. Made so easily in one pot, with just a few everyday simple pantry ingredients, this national dish of the Philippines is sure to become a family favorite! Sweet, sticky and tangy chicken marinated in a marinade that requires a handful of ingredients, seared to perfection then braised until fall-off-the-bone tender.

chicken adobo in a braiser garnished with green onions and red chilies.
Table of Contents Open
  • Chicken Adobo
  • Chicken Adobo Highlights
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
  • How To Make Chicken Adobo
  • What Is Chicken Adobo
  • Can I Bake Chicken Adobo In The Oven Instead?
  • What Is Braising
  • Serve This Chicken Adobo With
    • Easy Tossed Salad
    • Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
    • Cilantro Lime Rice
    • Lemon Orzo with Asparagus
  • Expert Tips
  • Leftovers
    • Fridge
    • Freezer
  • More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes To Try
  • Chicken Adobo
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

Chicken Adobo

This Filipino Chicken Adobo is such an easy recipe to make and the results are incredibly delicious. Sweet, sticky and tangy chicken, is what I’m talking about. Amazing for a weeknight dinner recipe, a brunch plate or even an addition to a fancy family dinner, this recipe is so delicious it goes with every occasion. You can even prep it ahead and marinate it overnight, then cook it when you come from home the next day!

Because the chicken thighs are slowly cooked, you end up with incredibly tender, fall-off-the-bone thighs. This chicken adobo is great served over rice, even cauliflower rice for a healthier alternative, with additional sauce drizzled over it.

Chicken Adobo Highlights

  • Simple Pantry Staple Ingredients. You probably already have most ingredients in your pantry or fridge already.
  • Sweet, Sticky And Tangy Chicken. This chicken has all the great flavors we love about most Asian dishes.
  • Made In Just One Pot. Because this is my favorite way to cook, plus less dishes to clean.

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make chicken adobo.
  • Chicken – I used chicken thighs with skin and bones for extra flavor. You can use skinless boneless thighs, or even drumsticks, but I wouldn’t substitute it with breast.
  • Sugar – This is where the sweetness comes from, you’ll want to use brown sugar to help with a little bit of caramelization.
  • Soy sauce – This is where the saltiness comes from in the marinade. I recommend going with a low sodium soy sauce.
  • Vinegar – This is where the tangy comes from. I chose Apple Cider Vinegar but you can use a regular white vinegar as well.
  • Bay leaves – Also for the marinade, you can use fresh or dried, they’ll just add a nice minty flavor to the marinade.
  • Onion and Garlic – Essential for flavoring the sauce.
  • Oil – You can use any kind of vegetable oil you have handy such as Sunflower, Olive oil or any kind of neutral tasting oil.
  • Green Onions and Red Chilies – I love to use some fresh green onions for garnish and some Thai red chilies. If you like a lot of heat, you can even add some chopped red chilies to your sauce, when you’re sautéing the onions.

How To Make Chicken Adobo

process shots showing how to marinate and sear chicken adobo.
  1. Prep the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, half of the garlic and the bay leaves. Add the chicken thighs and toss well. Marinate for 20 minutes to overnight.
  2. Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, with a lid, heat 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and cook about 4 minutes per side on high heat or until golden brown. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
  3. Caramelize the onions: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion has softened and has begun to caramelize, about 5 minutes. If wanting to spice this up, now is the time to add some red chilies. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook for another minute until aromatic.
  4. Braise the chicken: Add the chicken pieces back to the skillet right over the onion, pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and about ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the lid from the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce has started to reduce, thicken slightly and become glossy.
  5. Garnish and serve: Serve garnished with green onion and red chilies.
process shots showing how to finish chicken adobo.

What Is Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo is a Filipino dish made by braising chicken legs (thighs and/or drumsticks) in a sauce made up of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper. It’s tangy, salty, garlicky, slightly sweet, and spicy. The chicken is slowly simmered in the sauce making it flavorful and incredibly tender.

Can I Bake Chicken Adobo In The Oven Instead?

Yes, you can absolutely bake this. Follow instructions up to and including step 3, preheat the oven to 375F and bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover the pot and bake for another 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

What Is Braising

Braising basically means simmering meat and vegetables in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot for longer periods of time to enhance the liquid’s flavor and tenderize the meat. Typically the meat is first seared at a high temperature then finished in a covered pot at a low temperature.

Serve This Chicken Adobo With

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Cilantro Lime Rice

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Lemon Orzo with Asparagus

two chicken adobo thighs over a bed of rice garnished with green onions.

Expert Tips

  1. If the chicken skin sticks to the skillet when you try to turn it, leave the pieces to cook another minute or so. Once the chicken is ready to be flipped it will slowly release from the skillet.
  2. If you have the time, you can marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. This will give the chicken time to absorb the flavors of the marinade.
  3. Don’t skip the searing of the chicken. Searing the chicken first creates color and lots of flavor.
  4. Drizzle the simmering sauce over the chicken thighs to help it form a tasty glaze over the meat.
two chicken adobo thighs over a bed of rice garnished with green onions.

Leftovers

Fridge

Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container. It will store nicely in your fridge for up to 3 days!

Freezer

After it cooled down, transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer. It will last anywhere from 4 – 6 months.

chicken adobo in a braiser garnished with green onions and red chilies.

More Delicious Chicken Thigh Recipes To Try

  • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
  • Pollo Asado (Chicken Asado)
  • Thai Cashew Chicken
  • Three Cup Chicken
  • Chicken Gyros
  • Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes and Kale Bake

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

chicken adobo in a braiser garnished with green onions and red chilies.
Print
4.73 from 51 votes

Chicken Adobo

Prep 10 minutes
Marinating Time 20 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 1 hour 15 minutes
Rate Recipe
This Filipino Chicken Adobo is a simple, yet delicious stove-top quick chicken recipe. Made so easily in one pot, with just a few everyday simple pantry ingredients, this national dish of the Philippines is sure to become a family favorite! Sweet, sticky and tangy chicken marinated in a marinade that requires a handful of ingredients, seared to perfection then braised until fall-off-the-bone tender.
4

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup soy sauce (low sodium)
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 6 cloves garlic (chopped, divided)
  • 4 bay leaves (fresh or dry)
  • 8 large chicken thighs (with skin and bones)
  • 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion (sliced)
  • ¼ cup water

Garnish

  • 2 green onions (green parts, sliced)
  • 1 red chili (sliced)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Prep the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, half of the garlic and the bay leaves. Add the chicken thighs and toss well. Marinate for 20 minutes to overnight.
  • Sear the chicken: In a large skillet, with a lid, heat 2 tbsp of the vegetable oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and cook about 4 minutes per side on high heat or until golden brown. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
  • Caramelize the onions: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until the onion has softened and has begun to caramelize, about 5 minutes. If wanting to spice this up, now is the time to add some red chilies. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook for another minute until aromatic.
  • Braise the chicken: Add the chicken pieces back to the skillet right over the onion, pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and about ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the lid from the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the sauce has started to reduce, thicken slightly and become glossy.
  • Garnish and serve: Serve garnished with green onion and red chilies.

Equipment

  • Le Creuset 3.75-Quart Braiser

Video

Notes

  1. If the chicken skin sticks to the skillet when you try to turn it, leave the pieces to cook another minute or so. Once the chicken is ready to be flipped it will slowly release from the skillet.
  2. If you have the time, you can marinate the chicken overnight in the fridge. This will give the chicken time to absorb the flavors of the marinade.
  3. Don’t skip the searing of the chicken. Searing the chicken first creates color and lots of flavor.
  4. Drizzle the simmering sauce over the chicken thighs to help it form a tasty glaze over the meat.
  5. Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container. It will store nicely in your fridge for up to 3 days!
  6. After it cooled down, transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer. It will last anywhere from 4 – 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2thighsCalories: 654kcal (33%)Carbohydrates: 15g (5%)Protein: 39g (78%)Fat: 48g (74%)Saturated Fat: 19g (119%)Trans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 221mg (74%)Sodium: 890mg (39%)Potassium: 657mg (19%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 351IU (7%)Vitamin C: 22mg (27%)Calcium: 53mg (5%)Iron: 2mg (11%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

chicken adobo in a braiser garnished with green onions and red chilies.

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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28 Comments
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Jenny
Jenny
Posted: 1 month ago

5 stars
This was incredible! We’ve made many variations of adobo and this is by far the best (and fastest!). I only marinated for four hours, next time will do so overnight. Can’t wait to make again, thanks Jo!

0
Reply
Sue Walters
Sue Walters
Posted: 1 month ago

Could this be cooked in an instant Pot then sautéed with lid off to reduce the sauce?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Sue Walters
Posted: 1 month ago

I haven’t tried it myself, but I don’t see why not!

0
Reply
Barbara Thompson
Barbara Thompson
Posted: 2 months ago

5 stars
We really enjoyed this recipe. A happy accident had me make the full recipe of marinade for four thighs. That left us tons of sauce and we will probably do it intentionally next time. I also think I will up the spiciness next time as we didn’t have any red peppers to use.

0
Reply
Mina
Mina
Posted: 8 months ago

5 stars
Foolproof and easy! Marinate overnight! So delicious to have with rice, I swear it gets more flavorful as leftovers. Thank you for this great recipe Jo!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Mina
Posted: 8 months ago

My pleasure, so glad you liked it!

0
Reply
Raqy
Raqy
Posted: 8 months ago

5 stars
I’m Filipino, this recipe is good exactly how Filipinos will make it, I suggest to use the white vinegar instead it brings out the original flavor of the adobo, also you can never have too much garlic in adobo! Add more garlic 😊😊😊

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Raqy
Posted: 8 months ago

I will never say no to more garlic!

0
Reply
Martine
Martine
Posted: 8 months ago

Ce poulet Adobo a l’air délicieux ! merci pour cette recette très bien expliquée. Bonne journée.

0
Reply
dee
dee
Posted: 8 months ago

Hi – for some reason my family only likes boneless chicken breasts. Do you think they will be too dry to use? Should I cut it up in big pieces or slice it up or actually don’t try this with the boneless cutlets. Thanks. I love your recipes; never failed to please.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  dee
Posted: 8 months ago

Yeah, I wouldn’t use breasts, the chicken might end up too dry. I would stick to chicken thighs or chicken drumsticks if you want juicy chicken.

0
Reply
Mary
Mary
Posted: 1 year ago

Fantastic recipe. After you simmer the chicken for 20-30 minutes, do you remove the chicken and then reduce the sauce on medium high for 5-10 minutes? I wasn’t sure about that step.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Mary
Posted: 1 year ago

You leave the chicken in there, removing the lid will help reduce the sauce. 🙂

0
Reply
elena graziela
elena graziela
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This is an EXCELLENT recipe for chicken adobo. I’m 100% Filipina, and not only does this remind me of the adobo I had as a child, it gets my mother’s approval! I remember it as a stew — no searing of the chicken, just all in the pot and cooking away until it was done. This is now my preferred recipe for adobo. I made it once just as written, and it was wonderful. The second time, I changed a few things — I used Datu Puti, a Filipino cane vinegar and increased the soy sauce to the same amount as the vinegar. I also doubled the recipe (using 6 lbs of chicken) — adobo is one of those dishes that improves with time and was never a one-meal dish when I was growing up. Braising it in the oven is a brilliant idea — so easy and SO delicious — and I highly recommend it. And the leftovers freeze really well. Thank you much for this marvelous recipe!

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  elena graziela
Posted: 1 year ago

Elena, thank you so much for taking the time go write this comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

0
Reply
Alyce Sica
Alyce Sica
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This was a super flavorful dish. It was easy to make and everyone who ate it enjoyed it. I didn’t add the chilis because we don’t like the heat. I will be making this again soon. Thanks for the great recipes!

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Reply to  Alyce Sica
Posted: 1 year ago

That’s awesome! So glad you enjoyed it so much!

0
Reply
Deborah Joan Vollans
Deborah Joan Vollans
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This is the most flavorful chicken I have ever had. Next time I will marinate over night.

0
Reply
Francyne Chenier
Francyne Chenier
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This was wonderful
Substituted the brown sugar with maple syrup YUMMY

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Francyne Chenier
Posted: 1 year ago

So glad to hear this. 🙂

0
Reply
Susana
Susana
Posted: 1 year ago

In step 2, you don’t state the temperature of cooking the chicken. Should it be medium? Medium high?

0
Reply
Susana
Susana
Reply to  Susana
Posted: 1 year ago

Nevermind. I see the temperature above; it wasn’t in the directions below.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Susana
Posted: 1 year ago

In step 2 it says to sear the chicken over heat. “Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and cook about 4 minutes per side on high heat or until golden brown.”

0
Reply
Mindaluz lacap
Mindaluz lacap
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This is one of my favorite dishes

0
Reply
Johanna
Johanna
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Made this tonight, didn’t have too much time, the chicken thighs only got to marinate for 20mins, turned out so good! No leftovers.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Reply to  Johanna
Posted: 1 year ago

Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed it! It’s such a fun and easy recipe.

0
Reply

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I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
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