Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe

One thing is sure: Filipino chicken does not skip out on flavor. According to The Spruce Eats, this tradition has been around for ages and adobo is simply the method of marinating meat in a blend of spices and sauces to lock in tons of flavor. In this case, the flavor has a little bit of a tang to it. Chicken adobo is basically the national dish of the Philippines, and there's a good reason why people make it over and over again ... because it's delicious!

Recipe developer Ting Dalton of Cook Simply came up with this fantastic recipe that would be great for a family meal or a get-together with friends. "This is such a quick and easy meal — but what you get is deliciously tender chicken with crispy skin and a tangy, salty sauce that is incredibly moreish," Dalton raves. "It was such a hit with my family; they asked for it again and again." It's always great to find a family-favorite recipe that doesn't skip out on flavor!

This recipe requires several spices that add an excellent adobo flavor. All in all, you will need bone-in chicken thighs, white vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, brown sugar, green onions, and vegetable oil.

Take out a large bowl and begin to make your marinade. Just add the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and brown sugar to the bowl and mix.

Then, toss in the chicken thighs, ensuring that each piece gets a nice coating of the marinade. Let it sit in the sauce bath for 15 minutes, allowing all the flavors to soak in. "What is so great is that you don't need to marinate the meat for too long, as the flavors have such a depth — which is why I like to add lots of garlic cloves and the distinctive aromatics of the bay leaves," Dalton shares.

Once the chicken finishes marinating, grab a large skillet and place it on your stove. To cook, turn the heat to medium and add a splash of oil. Let the oil warm, and then shake the excess marinade off the chicken before adding it to the skillet. Brown both sides of the chicken thighs in the skillet, which should take about 5 minutes.

After you brown the chicken thighs, add the remaining marinade to the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil. Once you see bubbles reach the surface, turn the heat to a simmer and let it cook for 10 more minutes.

Flip the chicken thighs and then simmer again while occasionally stirring until the sauce reduces by half. Then, let it thicken for another 10 minutes."The sauce will thicken; try not to put the heat on too high when you're reducing the sauce, as you don't want it to [burn]. If you're unsure if the chicken is cooked, stick a thermometer in the thighs, and it should read 165 F," Dalton notes. "If it still needs longer, cover and cook further, adding a splash of water if needed."

Remove the chicken from the skillet and serve with plain white rice. You can also sprinkle green onions over the top to add more flavor. If you'd like, you could also serve the chicken with another side like veggies.

Not sure if you will have much left since this stuff is so good, but if you do, don't sweat it. "You can save any leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze them for up to three months," Dalton notes.