Make Ahead

Filipino Chicken Adobo

by:
April 26, 2011
0
0 Ratings
Filipino Chicken Adobo
  • Serves 4-6
Author Notes

My step-father was the cook of the family and when he passed, my mother tried to feed me with Hamburger Helper. Enough said. In remembrance of him I began to experiment with one of my favorite dishes: chicken pork adobo. However, I usually stick to chicken because I'm too lazy to deal with pork cuts. I don't exactly have a set recipe since I've combined a Filipino cookbook, recipes online, and snippets of memories of my step-father (7up was his secret ingredient). When I can't think of anything else to cook or I'm thinking of my dad, I make chicken adobo.

Note: Everyone has a different recipe for adobo, some salty some sweet, some with coconut milk, etc. This is just a basic recipe and I encourage everyone to experiment with salty adobo (no 7up, although it also works as a tenderizer), different types of shoyu and vinegars, or adding lemon or coconut milk. —shortnmorose

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1/2 onion, sliced (I usually use red or sweet)
  • 2 pounds chicken (with skin and bone)
  • 1/3 cup shoyu (Kikkoman for salty, I use Aloha brand for sweetness)
  • 1/6 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/6 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/6 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/3-1/2 cups 7up
  • 6 smashed or minced cloves of garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Handful peppercorn
Directions
  1. Brown the chicken over medium heat. To reduce the amount of oil in adobo, do not oil the pan first. The chicken skin will give it all the oil it needs and usually, adobo is a pretty oily dish. I love the oiliness and marinated skin but if you want to cut back on grease then take out the skins.
  2. Add garlic and onion. Allow onion to cook until translucent.
  3. Add shoyu, vinegars, and 7up. Bathe chicken in this glorious trifecta. Add peppercorns and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then simmer at low heat for 1-2 hours while turning chicken every now and then to allow sauce to cover all areas. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with less than 1/4 cup of liquid.
  4. Serve hot with jasmine rice and steamed bok choy or your favorite green veggie.
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1 Review

monkeymom
monkeymom May 3, 2011
This looks delicious...great with the secret ingredient. Love your cooks name, by the way!