Braised Chicken Adobo (Adobong Manok)
Chicken adobo or Adobong Manok in tagalog is a dish that I grew up loving and continue to make. My own take on this recipe includes dark soy for a bit of color and brown sugar to balance out the umami flavors. In this blog post, learn all you need to know to make this umami filled weeknight chicken recipe.
Growing up, my mom had these super sweet Filipino coworkers who, for some reason, enjoyed making me Filipino dishes. That’s why I grew up eating pancit, lumpia, and this dish chicken adobo. I was brought back to those moments while watching the show Selena & Chef during quarantine. Seeing Selena make this dish with Jordan Andino made me want to make it myself. It is also one of the simplest dishes to make with less than 10 ingredients. This recipe is my version of chicken adobo.
How I developed my version of chicken adobo
Adobo is a cooking method used in the Philippines. It involves braising protein in a liquid composed of vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, and garlic which gives food the flavor profile of tangy, sweet, and salty. My version of the braising liquid includes garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns. I personally like the addition of brown sugar to balance out the intense umami and salty flavors of the soy sauce and oyster sauce.
Key Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments
These substitutions and adjustments are based on my own preferences and on this recipe.
- Chicken thighs – I chose to use bone-in chicken thighs because I love how flavorful they are compared to other cuts of chicken. I tested this with other cuts of chicken like chicken breast and found that bone-in chicken thighs is the best.
- Dark soy sauce – This ingredient adds an umami flavor and gives the chicken its dark brown color. I tested this with dark soy sauce and regular soy sauce, and liked the color much more with dark soy sauce. You do eat with your eyes first! However flavor-wise, both dark and regular soy sauce work well.
- White vinegar – Most adobos traditionally use white vinegar, but a good substitute is apple cider vinegar. I have used both in my adobos, and they both work equally well.
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Get the Recipe:
Chicken Adobo (Adobong Manok)
Ingredients
- 3 lb chicken thighs, bone in
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- ⅔ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a big pot. I used a Dutch oven. Add chicken thighs skin side down and sear on both sides.
- Once done searing the chicken, add the garlic, oyster sauce, and soy sauce. Mix to the coat the chicken.
- Add the vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Bring the liquid to a boil and lower to a simmer.
- Simmer on low heat for 1 hour. Flip the chicken every 20 minutes, so each side gets an even amount of color.
- Serve chicken over a bed of rice.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten free, substitute tamari for oyster sauce and soy sauce.
- Storage Instructions – Store this dish in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
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