Filipino Adobo Braise
Filipino-style adobo is more of a technique than a recipe: it refers to braising any kind of meat in an acidic & salty liquid base, like the vinegar and soy sauce mixture here.
The recipe breakdown originally appeared in The Mouthful, our weekly food newsletter for the curious home cook. There are hundreds of iterations out there on this dish, so this is a straightforward recipe to help you understand the flavor profile.
Keith McBrayer
Ingredients
Meat
- chicken thighs3-4
- chicken drumsticks3-4
- cooking oila drizzle
Braising liquid
- soy sauce1 part
- vinegar1 part
- water1 part
Aromatics
- garlica handful of cloves
- black peppercornsa spoonful
- bay leavesa few
For serving
- rice, cooked
- scallions, thinly slicedfor garnish
Method
Step 1: Sear the meat
In a heavy pot over medium heat, add the oil and all pieces of the chicken until all sides, especially the skin, are deeply .
Step 2: Add the aromatics & liquid
Add the garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Stir and them until aromatic, about 1 minute.
- Then, to prevent the aromatics from burning, add in the braising liquid.
Add in the equal parts of water, soy sauce, and vinegar until everything is barely submerged.
Step 3: Braise & reduce sauce
Bring the liquid to a , partially cover, and for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced by a third and the chicken is tender.
During this time, cook the rice or anything else you'll want to serve the chicken with.
Step 4: Serve
Once the braise is finished, let it cool down for 15 minutes to an hour to let the meat rest.
Then, this dish can be enjoyed immediately or stored in the fridge and reheated later.
Serve the chicken over rice with a few spoonfuls of the sauce and scallions for garnish.
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