This popular Filipino dish is easy and makes the whole house smell wonderful. It was one of my favorite meals growing up as a kid. This recipe serves 2 to 4, so just double it for a bigger crowd.
1. Combine together in a large pot and stir-fry until chicken is browned:
- enough oil to keep chicken from sticking
- 1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (no need to cut)
- minced (peeled) ginger root; use a chunk about an inch or two big
- 2 cloves minced fresh garlic
- 3 green onions, WHITE parts only, sliced thin (save green parts for later)
A) Pressure cooker -
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
B) Regular pot on stovetop -
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
C) Crockpot -
2/3 cup vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
do NOT add extra water when cooking in a crockpot
3. Cook the chicken based on one of these methods:
A) Pressure cooker - Place the lid on your pressure cooker, then cook per pressure cooker instructions. In my pressure cooker, I brought it up to pressure, then cooked it for about 10 minutes. I removed the pot off the heat for a few minutes before releasing the steam.
B) Regular pot on stovetop - Bring the chicken and liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat 40 to 60 minutes. Check it and stir it occasionally. If too much liquid starts evaporating, add another 1/3 cup water at a time.
C) Crockpot - Cook chicken and other ingredients on low or high (per your schedule preference), based on crockpot instructions.
4. When finished cooking, chicken should be very tender and fall apart with a fork. If desired, the ingredients can be boiled down for several minutes to make the broth more concentrated and intense in flavor. Make sure there is still enough broth for serving, though. Add the green part of the green onions (cut into one-inch long pieces) just before serving.
5. Serve the chicken and broth over white rice. For a side dish, I suggest green beans, broccoli, or other stir-fried vegetables. Or...serve with an Asian salad in a separate bowl.
VARIATIONS.....
A) Skin and bones version... This version is tastier and more traditional in Filipino cooking. If using chicken that has skin and bones, be sure to add extra cooking time and make sure it is completely thawed out first. I grew up with my mom cutting chicken pieces (such as the legs and thighs) in half. Sawing those bones is way too much work for me! I prefer to keep things as simple as possible when I'm cooking.
B) White (breast) meat... This would be a lower-fat alternative, although not as tasty as using dark meat. I also prefer the texture of dark meat better in this particular recipe.
C) Pork... Pork adobo is a popular Filipino dish. My cooking experience with pork is limited, since I try to keep a somewhat kosher diet (but always cave in to bacon, of course!). I'm not even sure what cut of pork meat is used, but if you're a pork lover, then this dish is worth trying with pork.
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| Finished Chicken Adobo. This was made in a pressure cooker. |
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| Ready to eat! The broth tends to be runny, so make sure side dishes are compatible with the flavors of the chicken adobo. |
