Filipino Chicken Adobo: One-Pot Soy and Vinegar Braise That Tastes Better Tomorrow

In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Marinate for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
• 1/2 cup (120ml) cane vinegar or white vinegar
• 1/2 cup (120ml) water
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced, to serve
• Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with the soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Marinate for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high. Lift the chicken from the marinade, pat the skin dry, and sear skin-side down in batches for 4 to 5 minutes until deeply browned. Set aside. Reserve the marinade.
3. Add the onion to the pot and cook for 3 minutes until softened, scraping up the browned bits.
4. Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up and pour in the reserved marinade with all its garlic, bay and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning the pieces once, until the chicken is very tender.
6. Uncover, stir in the brown sugar, and raise the heat to medium-high. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze that coats the chicken.
7. Taste and adjust with a splash more vinegar for brightness or a pinch of sugar for balance. Discard the bay leaves.
8. Serve over steamed rice with sliced scallions and plenty of sauce spooned over. Leftovers keep for 4 days and reheat beautifully, so double the batch for a second weeknight dinner or packed lunches.
9. Adobo is the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, though it is really a cooking method rather than a single recipe: meat simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and pepper until tender and tangy. The vinegar was originally a way to preserve meat in the tropical heat, long before refrigeration, which is exactly why adobo tastes even better on day two. Every Filipino family guards its own ratio of soy to vinegar, and this one lands right in the middle, savory, sharp and just sweet enough for kids to ask for seconds.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 460 kcal
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 29g
• Carbohydrates: 8g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 1180mg