CHICKEN ADOBO

Bone-in chicken simmered in tangy and savory sauce.

8 ingredients•Prep: 5 mins•Cook: 40 mins

Tita Becky •

November 24, 2025

If there were a hall of fame for comfort food, Filipino Adobo would have its own wing. Seriously! Out of all the dishes I could share, this traditional Filipino adobo recipe is one I'm especially excited about because it's more than just a meal, it's a piece of culture and quite possibly one of the most delicious things you'll ever spoon over a mountain of rice.

What makes adobo so special is that something truly magical happens with just a handful of simple ingredients. All you need is chicken or pork, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns. That's it! As these humble ingredients simmer together, they transform into a rich, savory, tangy, garlicky sauce that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list would suggest.

Of course, there's one thing you should know about Filipino adobo: everyone has an opinion about it. Ask ten Filipinos for their adobo recipe, and you'll probably get ten different versions, each one proudly declared the absolute best. Some like it extra tangy, some like it saucy, dry, some load it up with garlic, and some have secret family ingredients they'll take to the grave.

This recipe, however, is based on my mom's Adobo, which automatically gives it a pretty strong head start. I grew up eating her version, so naturally, it's the benchmark against which I judge all other Adobos. Over the years, I've added a few personal touches and tweaks of my own, creating what I believe is the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and downright irresistible. Am I biased? Absolutely! But after countless pots of adobo and many enthusiastic second helpings, I'm convinced this might just be the best adobo recipe you'll ever make.

Ingredients (8)

Chicken thigh and drumsticks(3 lb, bone-in)
Soy sauce(½ cup)
I prefer to use a naturally brewed soy sauce like Kikkoman
Cane Vinegar(½ cup)
or rice, apple cider or white vinegar
Water(½ cup)
Add more if needed
Black peppercorns(1 tsp, whole)
Garlic(10 cloves, lightly smashed)
Bay leaf(2–3 leaves, dried)
Brown sugar(1 tsp)
or white sugar or any sweetener of your choice

Instructions

In a cold deep pot or wok, add chicken pieces (3 lb). Pour in soy sauce (½ cup), vinegar (½ cup), and water (½ cup). Add garlic cloves (10 cloves), whole black peppercorns (1 tsp), brown sugar (1 tsp) and dried bay leaves (2–3 leaves).
Bring to a boil uncovered then stir.
Cover and reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, turning the meat over once.
Remove chicken and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil on high for 3- 5 minutes, skin side up, to crisp up the skin. Set aside.
Broiling the chicken is optional, but it adds texture to the chicken. You can also pan fry or air fry but broiling is easier and less messy for me.
Reduce the sauce in the pan by half by letting it simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes. The Add chicken back into the pan and spoon over the sauce.
The sauce will still be thin, but concentrated in flavor.
Serve with steamed white rice and drenched in sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Whole black peppercorns are traditional in this dish, but feel free to use 1/2 the amount and crush them if whole is too much for your taste.
Bay leaves are used to fragrance the dish, but do NOT eat them!
Cane vinegar is a traditional ingredient, but you can also use rice, apple cider, and white vinegar since Cane vinegar isn't always available at American supermarkets.

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