Filipino Chicken Adobo

Method8 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all 4 bone-in skin-on thighs with 5 tbsp brown sugar, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup vinegar, all 6 minced or smashed garlic cloves and 1 tsp whole black peppercorns. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight. Keep the chicken and its marinade for the following sear and braise.

   Minimum refrigerated chicken marinating · 60 minUses 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs · 5 tbsp brown sugar · ⅓ cup soy sauce · 0.25 cup vinegar · 6 clove garlic, minced or smashed · 1 tsp black peppercorns

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a little cooking oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat.

   Uses A little cooking oil for searing; quantity unspecified

3. 3

   Step 3: Lift all the earlier marinated thighs from the bowl, keeping the remaining raw marinade refrigerated for the braise. Put the thighs skin-side down in the earlier hot pan oil. Sear for about 4–5 minutes until golden, then turn and cook the other side briefly. Lift the seared chicken out and keep it for the onions; keep the actual pan oil and chicken fat in the pan.

   Sear chicken skin-side down · 5 minUses All four earlier marinated thighs with their clinging marinade · Earlier heated cooking oil in the pan

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Add all the sliced onion (1) to the actual oil and chicken fat left in the pan. Sauté for about 2–3 minutes until softened, then return all the earlier seared chicken to the pan.

   Sauté sliced onion before returning chicken · 3 minUses Actual earlier searing oil and released chicken fat left in the pan · 1 onion, sliced · All earlier seared chicken thighs

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Pour the earlier reserved raw marinade into the pan with the onion and seared chicken. Add 1 cup chicken stock and all 4 bay leaves. Add extra chicken stock only if needed until the thighs are nearly covered, keeping the skin above the liquid where possible.

   Uses All earlier seared chicken, softened onion and actual pan fat · All actual remaining marinade reserved earlier · 1 cup chicken stock, starting amount · 4 bay leaves · Additional chicken stock only as needed to nearly cover the chicken; quantity unspecified

6. 6

   Step 6: Bring the earlier chicken, onion, reserved marinade, stock and bay-leaf mixture to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Check the thickest part of each thigh reaches 74°C / 165°F away from the bone and is tender; continue simmering if needed before reducing the sauce.

   Braise chicken after bringing marinade to boil · 30 minUses All earlier assembled chicken and braising liquids

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Uncover the earlier cooked braised chicken and sauce. Raise the heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce for about 6 minutes, spooning it over the thighs until it becomes a glossy sticky glaze.

   Reduce and baste actual adobo sauce · 6 minUses All earlier fully cooked braised chicken and its actual garlic soy vinegar sugar stock sauce

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Remove and discard the 4 bay leaves from the finished chicken and glaze. Divide the 4 thighs and their sauce into 4 servings. Add any optional chopped scallions and sesame seeds, and serve with any optional ready cooked rice.

   Uses All earlier fully cooked glazed chicken and sauce, with bay leaves removed · Chopped scallions for garnish, optional; quantity unspecified · Sesame seeds for garnish, optional; quantity unspecified · Ready cooked rice for serving, optional; quantity unspecified