Coconut Milk
Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo is the unofficial national dish of the Philippines. It’s savory, tangy, and comforting AF. It’s super easy to make and a typical weeknight dish. This is my recipe for a coconut milk chicken adobo.

The word “adobo” is derived from the Spanish word “adobar” which translates to “marinate”. Back in the day, meat was often marinated in vinegar and seasonings as a method to preserve the meat. Chicken adobo was born out of this method.

When I traveled to the Philippines, I immediately fell in love with adobo and I most definitely made sure there was a plate of adobo within reach at all times. 

I soon realized there are so many different versions of this dish and every Filipino cook thinks their version is the best, but all of them share the same basic components: meat (mostly chicken or pork), vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves. Additional components include chili, onion, and coconut milk.

Oh, and do yourself a favor and save some for the day after or cook the whole shebang the day before. The cooked vinegar mellows over time and all the other flavors intensify overnight, which will lead to foodgasm after foodgasm the following day.

One last very important point: Don’t forget to bite into a peppercorn with a piece of chicken, a bit of rice, and sauce. It will add value to your life.

Method

Step 1

Dry chicken with paper towel and season lightly with salt. Let it rest for at least 45 minutes. Skip this step if you have limited time and season lightly with salt just before browning the meat (See step 2).

Step 2

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a heated heavy-bottom saucepan or pot (28 cm / 11 inch). Add chicken pieces to the pot, skin side down. Cook until well browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces and lightly brown the other side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Tip: Make sure to not overcrowd your pot when browning the meat. If you overcrowd your pot, the meat will steam or boil and not brown, because there’s no room for moisture to escape. Rather do it in batches. I brown 4 to 5 chicken pieces at a time in my 28 cm pot. 

Step 3

Add the garlic, bay leaves and black peppercorns to the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Don’t let it burn.

Step 4

Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and coconut milk, and let the mixture come to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces halfway through.

Step 5

Remove lid, increase temperature to medium-high and cook for about 10 minutes or until sauce is thick, glossy and velvety. Garnish with chives and serve with garlic fried rice (preferably) or steamed white rice, steamed broccoli, and boiled eggs (soft egg yolk is best).