Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish. It's super easy and very tasty -- and as a bonus, the kitchen smells delish while it's cooking. It's a very mild sauce of soy sauce and vinegar, with a few tasty spices. There are just a few ingredients and it comes together with just minutes of prep, if that.

I use a 3-breasted chicken (package, not an actual chicken--that would be odd) so hubby and I can mostly eat white meat. The kids don't seem to mind what type of meat, so it works out well. You can use any combination of chicken parts you like--all breasts, mixed parts, whatever you like. Cooking on the bone is important for this dish, and I don't really recommend it with boneless skinless breasts.

Below I've listed directions for cooking it on the stovetop or in the crockpot. Both are really easy -- the stovetop is basically unattended for about an hour, and the crockpot--well, it's a crockpot -- things cook themselves. The biggest difference is if you are using breasts. In the crockpot left for 8 hours or more, the breasts will dry out a bit. I've put some tips for dealing with that below. If I'm home, I prefer it on the stovetop but both are tasty. Note that the sauce for the stovetop version is a little less because you will reduce it, which I don't really do with the crockpot version (though you certainly can).

Also, note that the sauce doesn't really get thick. It is thicker when you make it on the stovetop for sure, but it's not going to turn into a sticky sauce like a glaze.


Chicken Adobo on the Stovetop
3/4 cup white vinegar
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or 1/2 tsp ginger powder)
3/4 cup soy sauce
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 chicken in parts, plus an extra breast, skin removed. On the bone will impart more flavor, but you can use boneless if you like.


Stovetop Directions
Put the chicken parts and all other ingredients into a large bowl or pot. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least one hour, and up to overnight. Put into a pot if it isn't already, and set on high heat and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to medium low, cover and allow to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, and chicken is tender, about 20 more minutes. The timing definitely depends on the size of your chicken breasts, so adjust accordingly for large pieces.

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Chicken Adobo in the Crockpot
1 cup white vinegar
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (or 1/2 tsp ginger powder)
1 cup soy sauce
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 chicken in parts, plus an extra breast, skin removed. On the bone will impart more flavor, but you can use boneless if you like. 

Crockpot Directions
Remove any skin from the chicken parts. Mix together the vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, bay leaves, pepper and sliced green onions. Put everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours. The chicken will be falling off the bone and absolutely scrumptious. Pour some of the juice over it and enjoy!!

A few suggestions for making this extra-tasty:
-White meat can get very dried out when overcooked. Check for doneness around 5 hours in to be sure you don't overcook this too much. Sometimes I set it before I leave for work, and by the time I get home 9.5 hours later, it can get a little dry. You can use just skinless thighs for this recipe, but I personally prefer white meat.

-If it does get dry--shred the chicken and pour some of the juice over. Still delicious.