• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Panning The Globe
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
×
Home » Recipes » Chicken

Filipino Chicken Adobo

October 30, 2024 by Lisa Goldfinger 53 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe
Pinterest pin: two piece of Filipino chicken adobo on a bed of rice with a sprig of bay leaf

Filipino Chicken Adobo is a beloved national dish, superbly flavorful and simple to make. Chicken thighs are braised, low and slow, in a savory sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper, until they're so tender they practically fall off the bone. This chicken adobo recipe uses just a handful of ingredients most of which you probably already have, so there's no reason to delay - let's make this!

Plate with two pieces of braised chicken coated in rich sauce next to white rice topped with chopped scallions, and steamed green beans.
In This Recipe
  • What is Adobo?
  • Ingredients
  • A walk-through of this recipe, with photos
  • Time saving tip
  • What to serve with chicken adobo
  • Recipe
  • Comments

I hadn't tried Filipino food until I started working on this chicken adobo recipe. Hoping to get a broader feel for the cuisine, I googled Filipino restaurants in Boston and was shocked to find that there was only one Filipino restaurant in all of Massachusetts.

That was back in early 2019, when I first published this recipe. I'm happy to say that as of this recipe update (Oct 2024), there are dozens and what a great thing that is for everyone!

The secret to making this mouthwatering chicken dish is just simple braising - slow cooking chicken in delicious adobo sauce. Chicken thighs are the perfect choice for braising. I use this technique for so many of my favorite chicken dishes, like Braised Chicken with Sallots and Smothered Chicken. There's nothing like thighs for braising. they become incredibly tender and absorb the rich, savory flavors of the sauce.

What is Adobo?

'Adobo' can refer to many different things in the culinary world including a Caribbean spice blend and a smokey Mexican chili sauce. However, in Filipino cuisine, Adobo refers to a cooking method that entails simmering meat, poultry, or vegetables in a tangy, savory sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and black peppercorns.  

Centuries ago, before the advent of refrigeration, the adobo cooking method was used as a way to preserve meat in the hot climate of the Philippines. Since harmful bacteria cannot survive in an acid environment, vinegar was used as a natural preservative for foods.

Today, despite the invention of modern refrigeration, Filipino adobo remains a cherished dish, a testament to its deliciousness!

7 braised chicken thighs in a cast iron dutch oven, bathed in rich brown adobo sauce with sprig of bay leaves to garnish.

Ingredients

You need just a handful of ingredients to make Chicken adobo and, as I mentioned, many of them are common kitchen staples. Here's the list:

  • Chicken thighs: bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide the best flavor and juiciness.
  • Vinegar: the tangy base for the adobo sauce. White vinegar is traditional and I love the flavor it provides but some Filipino cooks prefer apple cider vinegar.
  • Garlic: chicken adobo has plenty of garlic and it's well-balanced by the other strong flavors in this dish - vinegar, soy sauce and fish sauce.
  • Onion: adds sweetness, depth of flavor and texture to the adobo sauce.
  • Soy sauce: the salty and umami component
  • Fish sauce: a unique ingredient that adds a rich, savory flavor (not a fishy taste).
  • Spices: black pepper and bay leaves are classic additions. For extra heat, consider adding a pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
ingredients with labels on a counter: bowl of cooking oil, bottles of white vinegar, soy sauce and fish sauce, 1 yellow onion, 1 whole garlic bulb, 2 bay leaves, small bowl of black pepper, and a plate of raw bone-in chicken thighs.

A walk-through of this recipe, with photos

1. Marinate

Mix the white vinegar with some chopped garlic, pour it over the chicken, and let it marinate for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade, transfer it to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Be sure to dry the chicken thighs well, especially the skin side. The dry surface allows for better contact with the hot pan, resulting in a rich, brown caramelization that will flavor the whole dish.

glass bowl filled with 8 raw chicken thighs, a measuring cup pouring white vinegar and water over them.

2. Brown

Sear the chicken thighs over high heat, 4 pieces at a time, starting with the skin side down. Then flip the chicken thighs and sear them for just a minute on the other side. The goal here is to get a nice golden brown color on the skin and create a delicious layer of flavor. Even the tasty browned bits that get stuck on the bottom of the pan will add flavor the sauce.

4 bone-in chicken thighs being seared in a large dutch oven.

3. Sauté the aromatics

Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and garlic to the pot. Cook them, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until tender. These aromatic vegetables add lots of flavor.

Thinly sliced onions and garlic cooking in a cast iron skillet, being stirred with a wooden spoon.

4. Braise

Add the chicken back to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients: the reserved marinade, the soy sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, bay leaves and water. Cover the pot and cook the chicken thighs at a gentle simmer for an hour.

7 browned chicken thighs in a Dutch oven, surrounded with cooking liquid and topped with two bay leaves

Done!
Very tender chicken in rich, flavorful adobo sauce. Serve the chicken hot, with rice and lots of sauce spooned on top.

7 deep golden brown braised chicken thighs is a Dutch oven surround with a rich sauce.

Time saving tip

Peeling a whole head of garlic for this recipe can be time-consuming. Here's a quick trick: smash the garlic - place a garlic clove on a cutting board and place the flat side of a large heavy knife on top it. With the heel of your hand, press down hard or CAREFULLY pound on the knife once or twice, to partially crush the garlic clove. This will loosen the papery skin so you can easily peel it off.

Someone's hand pressing down on the flat side of a chef's knife with a garlic clove underneath.
A hand holding the in-tact skin of a garlic clove.

I also want to mention the tempting aromas that will fill your house while the adobo cooks. Even my 16-year-old was lured downstairs to ask 'smells good in here - what's cooking?' And he loved it! This is a great dish for the whole family.

Two pieces of Filipino chicken adobo, braised chicken thighs, covered in rich thick adobo sauce, with rice and green beans on the side. A fork is pulling some tender looking chicken from a thigh.

What to serve with chicken adobo

Rice is the traditional side dish for chicken adobo and it really is a must for soaking up all the delicious adobo sauce!

I personally love this dish with steamed green beans, tossed little olive oil and sea salt.

Here's a list of other Filipino side dishes you can serve with chicken adobo (based on this Filipino Side Dishes Reddit Thread):

  • A bowl of chopped tomatoes with green onions (sometimes a little minced garlic), with salt and pepper 
  • Diced Indian mangoes with chopped tomatoes and onions and patis (fish sauce) or salt.
  • Sitaw (green long beans) steamed or stir fried
  • Broccoli or boiled okra
  • Lumpia (egg rolls)
  • Sliced banana or mango
  • Chopped cilantro or chopped scallions or both

I hope you'll try this Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe. And if you do, please come back to leave a star rating and comment. I'd love to know what you think!

Print

Recipe

clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Two piece of Filipino chicken adobo - two braised chicken thighs coated with rich brown adobo sauce - on a bed of white rice, on a plate, with a sprig of bay leaves on the side.

Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.8 from 21 reviews

  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Chicken adobo is the national dish of the Philippines. It's easy to cook, uses a handful of common ingredients, and tastes amazing! Fall-apart tender chicken thighs in a tangy flavorful vinegar sauce. Serve Filipino chicken adobo with white rice to soak up all the tangy delicious sauce.


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (7-8 thighs)
  • 1 ½ cups distilled white vinegar
  • 1 head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped (6 tablespoons), divided
  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced (1 ½ cups)
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce or Filipino fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • Chopped cilantro or chopped scallions, optional garnish

Instructions

Marinate:

  1. Put chicken into a large bowl. In a small bowl combine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of the chopped garlic,  pour over chicken and toss, to coat. Marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge or in a cool place. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, and transfer chicken to a clean plate. Reserve the marinade.

Cook:

  1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels (this helps it brown).
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid. Brown chicken in batches (4-5 pieces at a time), starting skin side down for 3-4 minutes. Then turn and brown for a minute or so on the other side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pot.
  3. Turn heat down to medium-low, add onions and remaining garlic to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the onions are softened.
  4. Return chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Pour in reserved vinegar-garlic marinade, soy sauce, fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 bay leaves and ¼ cup of water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook at a low steady simmer for 1 hour or until the chicken is very tender and the sauce is a rich brown color. 
  5. Serve chicken adobo with rice and top with chopped scallions or cilantro, if desired. (See recipe post for more side dish ideas)

Notes

  • Nutrition Disclaimer: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator however our nutrition information should only be used as an approximation.
  • If you are sensitive to salt or on a reduced-sodium diet, you can make this with low-sodium soy sauce.
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Main Dish, Dinner
  • Method: Braise
  • Cuisine: Filipino

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turns out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on instagram with the hashtag #panningtheglobe

[This Chicken Adobo Recipe first appeared on Panning The Globe in March 2014. It has been updated with new photos, a photo walk-through of the recipe, serving suggestions that include authentic Filipino side dishes, and clearer instructions in the recipe card. ]

More Chicken Recipes

  • bowl filled with sesame coated linguine noodles, topped with matchstick cucumbers and carrots, sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
    Spicy Peanut Noodles: Chicken or Vegetarian
  • Arepas stuffed with chicken avocado salad, and a stack of five arepas in the background.
    Reina Pepiada: Venezuelan Arepas with Chicken and Avocado
  • chicken Marbella in a roasting pan with prunes, green olives and a garnish of chopped parsley
    Chicken Marbella from The Silver Palate
  • Two coconut chicken thighs in a bowl bathed in lots of coconut curry sauce with a lemon wedge on the side and a cilantro sprig on top.
    Coconut Chicken with East African Flavors

Filed Under: All Recipes, Asia, Chicken, Dinner, Entertaining, Fall Favorites, Most Popular Recipes, Stew Tagged With: dairy-free, easy weeknight dinner, gluten-free, paleo

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

  1. Aileen Cunanan-Dwight

    April 26, 2023 at 11:49 pm

    My family LOVES adobo esp my daughter who is half American, this is her all time fave dish, hands down. I agree with another commenter that this dish is the Filipino equivalent to American PB&J or Mac&Cheese comfort food.
    I made this with 1.5c vinegar (filipino sugar cane vinegar or coconut vinegar is KEY) & 3/4C premium low sodium soy sauce (again quality soy is impt) & patis. We grew up with potatoes and onions in our adobo, so that went in. A really nice touch is 1 star anise pod with the usual aromatics: garlic, onion, peppercorn and bay leaf. My family loved this! We made this chicken adobo but I look forward to trying pork belly adobo very soon! Thx for this recipe, the vinegar/soy/water/patis ratios were perfect! And I prefer marinating in vinegar/garlic only, not with soy. Thank you! It's Masarap!

    Reply
  2. PJ

    October 23, 2022 at 6:29 pm

    I air fried my chicken and it was sooooooooooo ????

    Reply
  3. Lydia

    August 21, 2022 at 7:43 am

    I tried it! It's really good. The only change I have made, is that I lessened the extra oil in the pan after frying.

    Reply
  4. Ted

    August 27, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    I cook delicious adobo differently but I like to try your recipe

    Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Pinterest pin: two piece of Filipino chicken adobo on a bed of rice with a sprig of bay leaf

Hi, I'm Lisa! Welcome to Panning The Globe. Dive into my collection of delicious, healthy recipes, discover new global flavors, and create unforgettable meals for your family and friends. Learn More!

Healthy Easy Recipes for Spring!

  • Easy White Bean Turkey Chili Verde
  • Bowl of lemon asparagus risotto topped with shredded basil and parmesan
    Lemon Asparagus Risotto
  • Rows of colorful chopped veggies and chicken in a serving bowl: cherry tomatoes, chicken, cucumbers, red onion, carrots and avocados.
    Rotisserie Chicken Chopped Salad
  • a bowl of Korean Chicken Stew with Gochujang Sauce
    Korean Chicken Stew with Gochujang
  • overhead shot of a cast iron skillet filled with paella: shrimp, sausages, chicken, strips of pimiento and a parsley leaf in the middle
    Easy Spanish Paella Recipe
  • white bowl filled with roasted fennel, tomatoes and white beans
    Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes and White Beans
  • Fish in crazy water is a classic Neopolitan dish of fresh fish, poached with carrots, celery, onions and tomatoes. The fish is tender, the veggies are crisp-tender, the broth is sweet and delicious, and dinner is on the table in just 30 minutes.
    Fish In Crazy Water
  • rimmed baking sheet topped with baked chicken thighs, potatoes, red bell peppers, zucchini and green olives.
    Baked Chicken Thighs with Potatoes Peppers and Olives

STAY ON TOP OF WHAT’S COOKING

Subscribe to our free newsletter and get the newest recipes and seasonal menu ideas sent directly to your inbox.

Footer

LET'S CONNECT!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

Pinterest pin: two piece of Filipino chicken adobo on a bed of rice with a sprig of bay leaf

↑ back to top

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Browse

  • Contact
  • All Recipes
  • Quick & Easy Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
banner with names of publications that have featured recipes from panning the globe

COPYRIGHT © Panning The Globe 2025 · All text, recipes, content and images on this site are the sole property of Lisa Goldfinger and Panning The Globe.

PRIVACY POLICY · CONTACT ME · SUBSCRIBE

7.7K shares