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Originating in China thousands of years ago, soy sauce needs no introduction. But while American supermarkets tend to stock the same couple of brands, in countries where soy sauce is used extensively, you find many different varieties, each with its own use. In modern Chinese cooking, light soy is all-purpose, and dark soy, which is sweeter and aged longer, lends bold flavor and glossy color to all sorts of sauces. It’s light soy that brings a caramel color and depth of flavor to this chicken adobo, a classic sour and savory Filipino dish. Heads up: “Lite” or reduced-sodium soy sauce is not the same thing as light soy sauce.
Chicken Adobo Recipe
Serves 4 | Active: 30 min | Total: 2 hr 30 min (includes marinating)
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| Chicken Adobo |
Chicken Adobo Ingredients
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks (about 2 1/2 lb. total)
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
- 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. whole black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- Jasmine rice and hard-boiled eggs (optional), for serving
Chicken Adobo Preparation
- Mix the chicken, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper in a large bowl. Cover and marinate for 1 hour, turning the chicken halfway through. Remove chicken from the marinade (do not discard), let ting excess drip off. Transfer to a plate and pat skin dry with paper towels.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken in two batches. For the thighs, cook skin-side down until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes more. Turn the drumsticks every 2 to 3 minutes until browned all over, 10 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot, along with 1 cup water, the reserved marinade, vinegar, brown sugar, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and simmer until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and increase the heat to medium-low, cooking at a more vigorous simmer until the sauce reduces to a gravy consistency, 25 to 30 minutes more, and turning the chicken periodically. Skim fat from the sauce, if desired. Garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with jasmine rice and, if desired, hard-boiled eggs.
