Chicken Adobo braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and onions. Hearty and delicious with a garlicky savory sauce, this classic Filipino stew is amazing with steamed rice.
When I tell family and friends that I now food blog for a living, everyone assumes all I do all day is cook. Yes, of course, the cooking, the photo taking, the photo editing and the recipe writing are a big chunk of the work involved but they’re really just the tip of what happens behind the scenes of managing a food blog.
Apart from testing and developing recipes, I spend a huge bulk of my time promoting on Facebook, Pinterest, and other social media channels and making sure the recipes rank well on Google. The higher the recipe places on Google search, the better the chance people searching for the recipe will click on the link to the site.
Every now and then I would Google what is called keywords to check which of my recipes landed on the first page and which ones need a bit more work to get there.
Today I googled chicken adobo. I flipped through at least 4 pages of results and I couldn’t find Kawaling Pinoy! It does take some time to rank for certain search terms, especially if there are plenty of blogs competing for the same keyword, but you would think a Filipino blog like Kawaling Pinoy would do well on a Filipino dish like adobong manok, right?
So, I logged in on my blog intending to edit and improve my post to help it place better on Google search only to realize I didn’t have a recipe for it yet! LMAO, how could I expect Kawaling Pinoy to show up on Google for chicken adobo when I don’t even have the recipe on the blog?
Chicken adobo is one of the many variations of the classic Filipino adobo. Like its pork counterpart, this chicken version is made by braising the meat in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar. Onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves are added to amp up the flavor. It is not uncommon for cooks to add a small amount of sugar to balance the salty and tangy profile of the dish with a hint of sweetness.
This classic Filipino stew is an easy one-pot dish you can ready in no time and with basic pantry ingredients. Served with generous heaps of steamed rice, it makes for a truly satisfying meal.
Here are a couple of helpful tips for your next pot of adobo:
- Make sure to “cook off” the strong vinegar flavor by allowing it to boil uncovered and without stirring for a good few minutes before adding the marinade and water.
- Potatoes are optional but they’re a delicious way to extend the dish. I like to pan-fry and brown them first before adding to the adobo for better texture.
Watch the video to see how easy it is to make adobo in one pan:
Chicken Adobo
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 whole (3 to 4 pounds) chicken, cut into serving parts
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine chicken, soy sauce, onions, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Massage onto meat and place in the refrigerator to marinate for about 30 minutes. Drain chicken well, reserving liquid.
- In a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add the potatoes and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and halfway tender. With a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes and drain on paper towels. Remove excess oil from pan except for about 1 tablespoon.
- Add chicken including onions, garlic, and bay leaves and cook, turning occasionally until chicken is lightly browned.
- Add vinegar and allow to boil, uncovered and WITHOUT stirring, for about 3 to 5 minutes. This is very important to "cook off" the vinegar taste.
- Add the reserved marinade and water and stir to combine. Allow to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender and sauce is reduced. Serve hot.
Nutrition
Jennifer says
December 1, 2018 at 4:41 pmThis was good. I have nothing to compare it to, but I followed directions exactly and cooked it in my Instant Pot and it was delicious!! Thank you for this recipe.
Lalaine says
December 2, 2018 at 11:29 amYou’re welcome! I’ve never tried chicken adobo in the Instant Pot before but I’ve done pork adobo 🙂
Tina says
November 8, 2018 at 7:44 amVery helpful and yummy recipe.! Straightforward and not leaving out the tips that makes it taste authentic. Thank you!
Lalaine says
November 8, 2018 at 3:16 pmYour welcome. I am glad you found the recipe and tips helpful 🙂
Tina says
November 8, 2018 at 7:42 amThank you. It was a very helpful, informative and yummy recipe. I greatly appreciate it!
FLETCH says
May 16, 2018 at 7:05 pmYou do not put potatoes in Adobo – end of. Potatoes are not ready available in PI and historically they have never been a major food
Daniel says
January 15, 2019 at 5:32 pmPotatoes added actually is not an original ingredient, just a personal modification. Potatotes,kamotes (yam variety) were readily available (any time of the day) in the Philippines, they are ingredient of many Filipino recipes.
Elmer cabling says
January 19, 2018 at 11:30 pmLearning Filipino cooking when I Google kawaling pinoy, I use your recipes alot!
Lalaine says
January 20, 2018 at 9:02 pmThank you, Elmer!
Charlotte says
December 5, 2017 at 4:28 pmWow! This is delicious. I cooked chicken adobo before but it always tastes like vinegar. Thanks for the tip Ate Lalaine!
Charlotte says
December 5, 2017 at 4:30 pmI forgot to include that I didn’t add potato because I don’t have any. But still it came out delicious!
Lalaine says
December 8, 2017 at 8:15 amThe potatoes are really optional but try adding them next time 🙂
Lalaine says
December 8, 2017 at 8:13 amI am glad the tips worked for you, Charlotte. 🙂
Elizabeth O. says
March 20, 2017 at 1:04 amBlogging takes a lot of work and a lot of our time as well. A lot of people are still not aware of the kind of work that we put into our blogs.
This recipe is not that difficult to make at all! You pretty much cook everything in the same pot/pan and that it. It sounds like it’s also packed with lovely flavors!
Lalaine says
July 2, 2018 at 2:25 pmThanks, Elizabeth!
Jennier Gilbert says
March 19, 2017 at 4:43 pmThis looks delicious! I’m always looking for one pot dishes. I’ll have to try this!
Krissy says
August 24, 2016 at 8:58 amDo you use the liquid measuring cup or the one for the solid ones
Lalaine says
August 24, 2016 at 11:45 pmHi Krissy
Yes, I use the liquid measuring cups to measure out the vinegar, soy sauce or water 🙂
bobbie says
August 8, 2016 at 3:41 pmWill marinating the chicken overnight be too much? Thanks!
Lalaine says
August 9, 2016 at 6:25 amI’ve never marinated my adobo that long but if you do, add the soy sauce about 30 minutes before you start cooking so the meat doesn’t become too dark.
By says
August 8, 2016 at 10:27 amWould this be good with chicken breast?
Lalaine says
August 9, 2016 at 6:27 amYes, you can use boneless chicken breast although I prefer bone-in for more flavor.
Love says
August 7, 2016 at 8:04 amWhat do you mean by ‘including aromatics’?
Lalaine says
August 7, 2016 at 10:11 pmHello Love
Aromatics would be the garlic, onions, bay leaves, peppercorn you marinated the chicken with. 🙂
Eric Bohl says
August 5, 2016 at 9:55 pmWhat kind of vinegar do you use in Chicken Adobo?
Lalaine says
August 5, 2016 at 11:16 pmHi Eric
Preferably the Filipino type called cane vinegar but white distilled vinegar will also work if you don’t have access to the Filipino brand/type.