I was introduced to this Chicken Adobo recipe by the Lucky Peach cookbook, 101 Easy Asian Recipes. I’d never tried chicken adobo before, but it seemed too easy to pass up. And you know what? It’s so delicious I’ve added it to my regular rotation.
Note: This post was originally published in January 2016, and updated and republished in June 2019.
What is Chicken Adobo?
Chicken Adobo is a Filipino dish that features chicken braised in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and black peppercorns.
It initially seemed very similar to a soy sauce braised chicken that I grew up eating, kind of like this soy sauce braised recipe my mom posted in the early days of the blog.
What sets it apart, however, is that liberal use of vinegar. It gives the dish a really tangy quality that I love.
A Note On Coconut Milk
The Lucky Peach version of the recipe also includes coconut milk (you can find the original recipe republished on Goop.com).
I’ve done some research, and while there are a lot of chicken adobo recipes out there that don’t include coconut milk at all, I think it really rounds out all the flavors––the saltiness of the soy sauce and the tang of the vinegar.
Developing Our Recipe
I did make some changes to the recipe, however. I add more coconut milk than called for, and less soy sauce and vinegar. I initially found the dish a little too salty and sour, but that could definitely be due to the brand of soy sauce I was using (which is why I recommend using low sodium soy sauce. Definitely avoid using “light soy sauce” for this dish, as it is way too salty).
You can adjust the amount of soy sauce you add to your liking. I recommend starting with 1/2 cup, and adding more if needed after the sauce has reduced.
But that’s the great thing about this recipe. It’s very forgiving. You can make substitutions according to your own taste preferences, and you guys can feel free change my version up however you like! If you can’t get whole dried red chilies, just add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
If you don’t have whole peppercorns, replace them with ground black pepper. And using regular old distilled white vinegar––almost everyone has a bottle in their house––works perfectly.
One thing that you can’t do, however, is eat Chicken Adobo without lots of steamed rice. You’ll need it to soak up all that lovely sauce.
If you would rather have something else other than chicken, then check out our Pork Adobo recipe!
Chicken Adobo: Recipe Instructions
Rinse the chicken pieces and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Brown the chicken on all sides until crisp.
Add in the coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper/peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, and chili.
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 1 hour (add a bit of hot water if you need more liquid).
In the last 10 minutes of cooking, crank up the heat to medium high to thicken the sauce slightly.
Serve your Chicken adobo over rice, and garnish with cilantro, if using.
Chicken Adobo
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 5 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 14 oz. can coconut milk (400 ml)
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce (115-155 ml, We DO NOT recommend using light soy sauce for this dish, as it is too salty)
- 1/4-1/3 cup distilled white or cane vinegar (60-80 ml)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns (or 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves garlic (smashed)
- 1 dried red chili (optional)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped, optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken pieces and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Brown the chicken on all sides until crisp.
- Add in the coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper/peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, and chili. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 1 hour (add a bit of hot water if you need more liquid).
- In the last 10 minutes of cooking, turn up the heat to medium high to thicken the sauce slightly. Be careful not to heat the sauce too aggressively or too long, or the sauce may "split," and transform from sticky/creamy to oily! Serve over steamed rice, garnished with the cilantro.
Could this be done in an instant pot?
Haven’t tried it, Jessica! You could certainly do it on the sautee setting, but I don’t know that it needs pressure cooking.
Looks good
Hope you like it, Pree!
If you like this, you should try also the indonesian “Babi Kecyap”, pork belly or shoulder braised in Kecyap Manis (sweet soy sauce). Delicious!
I love your recipes although i doubt many are authentic. Many have an American touch to them.
Thank you for that tip! We will have to try that recipe. :)
I like your blog!
Thanks so much! We hope you enjoy the recipes. :)
I have to admit, I’ve never seen a Filipino chicken adobo dish incorporate coconut milk before. Maybe I’ll give it a go but I love the classic w/o the addition.
Never is a strong word. Our country is an archipelago with thousands of islands. We have a lot of coconuts. And adobo is a household staple. Depending on the province it’s made, the ingredients change to adjust to what’s available. As long as it’s sour, salty, peppery and savory, it’s adobo. Some add coconut milk, some add pineapples, change the vinegar from coconut to sugarcane. it’s a very forgiving dish.
And as for coconut milk in dishes, try looking up dishes from Bicol. They use coconuts and chilies and lemongrass a lot. Our local ceviches use coconut milk.
Basically. Our country has a ton of coconuts.
You could omit the coconut milk, certainly, J, but I think it really balances the other flavors!
Adobo is the first dish Filipino children learn to cook. At its simplest, it’s just raw meat, vinegar, soy sauce, black pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. However, every family has their own go-to recipe. Adobo with coconut milk (aka “adobo sa gata”) is actually more common than you think. There’s also adobo without soy sauce (“adobong puti”), adobo with onions, adobo with paprika, and myriad other versions.
The addition of ingredients other than the basic six, as well as the proportion of the ingredients, is all a matter of taste. My maternal grandmother’s adobo is sticky, sweet with caramel notes, and has more soy sauce than vinegar. When my sister served that version to our paternal relatives, our granddad turned to her and told her never to put sugar in his adobo again. Best thing to remember is that there’s no wrong way to cook adobo, no matter what anyone says!
I forgot to remove the word “raw” when I changed my comment. Please don’t eat raw meat unless you know it’s safe, like tartare or sashimi. >_<
Denise, I was born and raised in the Philippines and NEVER had nor heard of adobo with coconut milk. Thank you for your clear explanation. I am now more inclined to try this recipe thinkong that it could very well be an authentic Filipino adobo version that I had missed out on while living there!
Fabulous Sarah! Just like dad lol. I did remove my wok from the heat for 10 minutes prior to adding in the coconut milk and the rest of the ingredients. It was delicious!! I never had something with this type of flavor before and it’s quite distinctive. I’m stoked to FINALLY have tried one of your recipes! I wasn’t worried about the color because the flavor ROCKED! Looking forward to next adventure with you:)
Awwww, just like dad! What a high compliment! So happy to have you cooking with us, Lisa! :)
Like they say…”Like father, Like daughter”. Lol Now we actually utilize your families recipes 3-4 times per week. If I didn’t work the other day’s, it’d be every night cooking for us. Have a spectacular New Year and making dad’s Peking duck w/Mandarin pancakes next…mmmmmmm lol. (Thanks for the cilantro update too)
Hiya. Is the cilantro for garnish or does it get cooked with the chicken. Unfortunately the recipe doesn’t specify. Thanks and soon you’ll have a rating:)
I updated the recipe card, Lisa. Thank you!
The flavour of the sauce is good but like another commenter mentioned, I have no idea how the beautiful red colour was achieved unless something like anatto or paprika was added. The sauce is indeed a less appetizing beige colour. I removed the chicken while the sauce reduced so as to not overcook the chicken – I feel like that should be noted in the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the recipe, Evelyn! The colors in the photo could be down to lighting!
Thank you, Sarah! I like this recipe & look forward to using it
You’re welcome—just made it for dinner last week too. Hope you enjoy it!
Hello Sarah, I’m 93 years old and teaching myself to cook. I search out recipes that I can make in bulk like this recipe for six, my plan is to freeze it into separate servings so I save it for later. I have a freezer. vacuum bag device, access to all the necessary ingredients and lots of time (I think…..maybe). As I can’t afford to throw out food and have to eat my failures I need to know if this will freeze well before I cook it. It looks so good and wouldn’t stretch my limited abilities to the breaking point. Thank you for your wonderful website and advice.
Hi Edmund, love that you’re teaching yourself to cook—it’s never too late to learn and try new things! I actually just froze some chicken adobo leftovers that we didn’t have time to eat, so I would say yes—you can freeze it. :)
Thank you, that’s good news. This is truly the source for real Chinese food recipes that I can understand.. The instructions and the photographs are so clear and concise.
I don’t know how to say thank you enough, would purchases by me from Amazon Canada count towards your arrangement with Amazon? Please let me know.
Hi Edmund, I believe if you make a purchase via our Amazon links, we should receive a small affiliate commission. But the best way to support us and our blog is to spread the word about it to others! Thank you so much. :)