Chicken marinated in cane vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper, then browned and slowly simmered with bay leaves until the meat is tender and the sauce is dark, glossy, and concentrated.
Ingredients
- 1300 g bone-in, skin-on chicken legs and thighs
- 120 ml Philippine cane vinegar
- 120 ml soy sauce
- 8 cloves fresh garlic
- 3 leaves dried bay leaves
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
- 180 ml water
Method
- Peel the garlic, crush it slightly with the flat of a knife, then chop it coarsely. Also crush some of the peppercorns, leaving the rest whole.
- Combine the chicken, cane vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and pepper in a non-reactive container. Massage the meat thoroughly, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and drain them thoroughly. Keep all of the marinade and the garlic. Pat the chicken skin dry to encourage browning.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven large enough to hold the pieces without crowding. Retrieve the garlic from the marinade, gently brown it in the oil without burning it, then set it aside.
- Place the chicken skin-side down in the Dutch oven. Let it brown without moving it until the skin is deeply golden, then flip the pieces and briefly sear the other side.
- Drain off excess fat if necessary. Return the browned garlic to the pot, add the bay leaves, then pour the reserved marinade and water around the chicken.
- Bring to a rolling boil without immediately stirring the vinegar. When its sharp aroma begins to mellow, stir gently, partially cover, and simmer over low heat.
- Flip the pieces during cooking and baste them regularly. Continue until the meat is very tender, nearly falling off the bone, and cooked through completely.
- Uncover the Dutch oven and reduce the sauce over medium heat, basting the chicken. Stop when the sauce is dark, glossy, and concentrated enough to coat the meat, yet still fluid.
- Remove the bay leaves, let rest briefly in the pot, then serve the chicken coated in the sauce, with the browned garlic and a few peppercorns. Traditionally, adobo is served with steamed white rice.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 607.3 kcal
- Protein
- 48.17 g
- Carbohydrate
- 4.87 g
- Fat
- 42.86 g
- Fibre
- 1.24 g
- Calcium
- 25.49 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 35.73 mg
