Filipino Chicken Adobo (Flavour Kapow!)
Recipe video above. One of the most amazing Asian chicken thigh recipes I have ever come across. Intense in flavour, but so fast and easy to prepare! Chicken is so tender, it's like it's been slow cooked.
Ingredients
- 750g / 1.5 lb chicken thigh fillets, boneless and skinless (5 - 6 pieces) (Note 1)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (85ml) soy sauce, ordinary all purpose or light (not dark soy sauce, Note 2)
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 4 bay leaves (fresh) or 3 dried
- 2 tbsp oil, separated (vegetable, canola or peanut)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small brown onion, diced
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp whole black pepper (sub 2 tsp coarse cracked pepper)
- 2 green onions/scallions, sliced (garnish)
Directions
- 1
- 2
Combine Chicken and Marinade ingredients in a bowl. Marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to overnight.
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade (reserve marinade) and place in the pan. Sear both sides until browned – about 1 minute on each side. Do not cook the chicken all the way through.
- 4
Remove chicken skillet and set aside.
- 5
Heat the remaining oil in skillet. Add garlic and onion, cook 1 1/2 minutes.
- 6
Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a simmer then turn heat down to medium high. Simmer 5 minutes.
- 7
Add chicken smooth side down. Simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir), turning chicken at around 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces down to a thick jam-like syrup.
- 8
If the sauce isn't thick enough, remove chicken onto a plate and let the sauce simmer by itself - it will thicken much quicker - then return chicken to the skillet to coat in the glaze.
- 9
Coat chicken in glaze then serve over rice. Pictured in post as a healthy dinner plate (415 calories) with cauliflower rice and Ginger Smashed Cucumbers.