Chicken Adobo is rich, salty, tangy, savory, sweet, and spicy. It has amazing flavor, it's inexpensive, and everyone loves it. My best bud Pat McDonald made it for my family years ago and it blew my mind. Minimal ingredients, low cost, with booming flavor and an aroma that will fill your home. Start marinade in the morning or the night before. You want it getting flavored-up for at least 4 hours. Serve over a bead of rice and garnish with green onions and cilantro (optional).
Chicken Adobo Recipe
Marinade Ingredients
6 Chicken Thighs
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 garlic cloves SMASHED
3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
3 tablespoons HLMBBQ Back Rub
3 bay leaves
1-2 Tablespoon(s) Pepper Corns
Cooking Ingredients
1/2 large white onion sliced
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Optional
Cooked white rice
2 green onions, cut thin on a bias
Handful of cilantro minced
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all marinade ingredients in ziplock bag, place bag in bowl and stick in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Heat large pan or pot over medium high heat *Make sure it has a lid.
Add oil to pan. Remove chicken thighs from bag. RESERVE MARINADE. Brown chicken thighs about 3 minutes per side Remove and set aside in bowl. SAVE CHICKEN JUICE FOR LATER.
Reduce heat to medium Add onion to pan, scrape pan with spoon, add salt and let sweat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Add chicken skin side up, marinade (including garlic and bay leaves), chicken juice from bowl, and quarter cup of water back to pan on top of onions. Mix up, cover and braise for 25 minutes checking every 10 minutes to make sure it's not burning.
Remove lid, mix pan ingredients, increase heat to medium heat and reduce braising liquid for about 10 minutes stirring often.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 tablespoon white sugar, stir and continuing reducing for 5 minutes.
Taste test, and adjust salt, pepper and vinegar if necessary.
Serve over a bed of rice, spooning the braising liquid over the rice and chicken. Serve with garnish if you please.
TIP:
Too Salty? Add a little vinegar. The acid in vinegar and most citrus juices masks over salty dishes without taking away from the flavor.
Too Tangy? Add sugar or salt to counteract the vinegar.