If you are looking to explore the world of Filipino cuisine, chicken adobo is undoubtedly the best place to start. This ubiquitous dish is found in every Filipino home and is said to be the unofficial national dish of the Philippines.
Now you may be thinking, I’ve heard the term adobo used in both Mexican and Spanish cooking, so where did this dish originate? The truth is, the answer is a bit complex. Filipino adobo originated in the Philippines as a means to preserve food at a time when refrigeration was nonexistent. However, at this time the term adobo did not yet exist.
This dish was not addressed as adobo until Spanish colonizers entered the Philippines and coined it as such. It is likely that this dish reminded the Spaniards of their own preservation methods for proteins which utilized pickling and marinades infused with vinegar and spices. This method was called adobar and foods made using it were called adobo. This mirrored what they saw in this staple Filipino dish, which uses a vinegar and soy based marinade infused with spices. The acid in the vinegar and the high salinity of the soy sauce inhibited bacterial growth, aiding in the preservation of proteins in an environment that was continually hot and humid.
To make it short and sweet, this dish originated in the Philippines, but the terminology did not. The same can be said for Mexican adobo, which uses many of the same ingredients as Spanish adobo with the addition of indigenous ingredients such as chilies and tomatoes. Both Mexican and Filipino adobo are subjects of colonial intervention and influence.
We are keeping it pretty classic with our take on Filipino adobo. Like most adobo, we incorporate vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, and bay leaf. We are opting to use chicken, but pork is also a very common protein choice. It should also be noted that this cooking style can be applied to other cuts of meat, in addition to seafood. Ingredient variance is also common when it comes to the preparation of adobo. This is due to regional preference and ingredient availability. With that being said, adobo is a very forgiving dish and one that is able to accommodate substitutions and modifications. Some of those possible substitutions are listed below.
Vinegar - white vinegar or rice vinegar
Soy Sauce - light Chinese soy sauce, dark Japanese soy sauce, Hawaiian soy sauce, or tamari
Chicken - whole chicken or chicken thighs
Additionally, here are some ingredients you can add to the dish to impart more flavor. We opted to introduce a chili element and ginger into our chicken adobo.
Chili - Thai chili, chili flakes, Fresno chili
Ginger - Add a few thin slices or grate in a small amount
Onion - Julienne yellow onion, white onion, or green onion and add to pan after searing the chicken
Coconut Milk - Add a heavy splash to thicken and round out the sauce
We recommend making this chicken adobo as directed the first time, then acting on your inner chef instincts the second go around. This is a great dish to unleash your inner culinary Picasso.
We acted on some culinary creative freedom and imparted a twist on this chicken adobo. We did so by making a carrot and fennel quick pickle for garnish. Warning, this is not traditional, but it truly elevates this dish. Quick pickles are fun because well, they are quick, but they also add crunch, salinity, zing, and vibrancy to food. The carrot and fennel quick pickle we created is quite lovely because it allows us to showcase flavor echoing while also pulling in some seasonal ties.
Now a quick note on flavor echoing, sometimes referred to as flavor mirroring. Flavor echoing is when the flavor profiles are carried throughout the different components of a dish. It is said to create a more harmonious and cohesive dish, as well as an eating experience. The carrot and fennel quick pickle does just this by utilizing many of the same ingredients used in the adobo base. These ingredients include vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, bay leaf, whole peppercorns, and Fresno chili. And when it comes to seasonality, we opted to incorporate carrots and fennel because they are abundant in winter. As spring and summer come about feel free to substitute in seasonal produce such as cucumbers, apples, jicama, or peppers.
If you are really looking to carry this braised chicken adobo into the spring and summer months, try grilling it. Marinade the chicken pieces in the garlic, ginger, Fresno pepper, peppercorns, bay leaf, brown sugar, white vinegar, and soy sauce that was designated for braising the chicken. Remove the chicken from the marinade and grill until cooked through. In the meantime, add the remaining marinade to a pot and reduce down until a thick sauce has formed. Brush onto the chicken after it is grilled, and serve atop white rice with a quick pickle. This is a surefire way to amp up your barbeque game.
Get a taste of the Philippines with this easy-to-make, flavorful, and super-comforting dish. You’ll be entranced by this tangy, umami-rich chicken, and are sure to return to it time and time again. Feel free to try something new each time or stick to the standard recipe. Any way you make it-- enjoy!
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Umami-rich, tangy, easy-to-make, flavorful, and super-comforting. Said to be the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, this vibrant braised chicken dish is about to change what you think you know about adobo. One taste and you'll return to it time and time again!
Recipe and Photography by SyEnna Hackbarth
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Servings: 5-6
Ingredients:
Chicken Adobo:
1 whole chicken (~3 pounds)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2-inch knob fresh ginger, sliced ⅛” thick
1 each fresno pepper, seeds removed, thinly sliced into rings
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 each bay leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
½ cup soy sauce
1-½ cups water
Rice:
2 cups long grain white rice
4 cups water
Carrot and Fennel Quick Pickle:
½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, smashed
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 each bay leaf
1 each small bulb of fennel, julienned
3 each small carrots, julienned
½ each fresno pepper, sliced down the middle
Garnishes:
¼ cup fennel fronds
½ cup green onion curls
Directions:
PREP CHICKEN. Break down the whole chicken by using your Forge to Table Classic Cleaver. We are looking for a total of 10 cuts. These cuts should include 2 wings, 2 drum sticks, 2 thighs, and 2 chicken breasts cut in half for a total of 4 pieces. Place chicken cuts skin side up on a sheet tray and pat dry with a paper towel.
SEAR. Preheat a dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegetable oil to the pot. Sear the chicken cuts skin side down, then flip to brown on other sides. If your pot is small, sear the chicken in batches for it is important not to crowd the pan. Once all the chicken has been browned, return it to the pot.
SAUCE AND STEW. Add the garlic, ginger, fresno pepper, peppercorns, bay leaf, brown sugar, white vinegar, and soy sauce. Mix to ensure the sauce is combined and add water to cover the chicken ¾ of the way (about 1-½ cups). Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once a boil has been reached, drop the heat to medium low to create a sustained simmer. Cover the pot and leave to gently simmer for 1 hour.
RICE. When cooking rice, rinse it well with water until no residual starch remains and the water runs clear. For the stove, place rinsed rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover with a lid. Cook, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and leave the covered rice to rest for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff the rice. For the rice cooker, add the rice and water to the cooking basin, close the lid, press the white rice button, and leave to cook. Once rice is done cooking, lift the lid and fluff the rice.
QUICK PICKLE. While the rice is cooking, add the rice vinegar, brown sugar, salt, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf to a small sauce pot. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Mix pickling liquid to ensure sugar and salt are dissolved. Julienne the fennel and carrot using your 7” Nakiri (Vegetable) Knife. Add the fennel, carrots, and fresno pepper to a heat proof container or bowl. Pour pickling liquid over vegetable mix ensuring that all pieces are fully covered. Leave at room temperature uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 15-20 minutes prior to building the complete dish.
REDUCE. Uncover the dutch oven or soup pot. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Increase the heat to medium high and gently boil the braising liquid until it reduces by half and lightly thickens, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and return the chicken pieces to the pot to warm through and cover in sauce.
SERVE. Lay a hearty scoop of fluffed white rice into the center of your bowl. Nestle 1-2 pieces of chicken on top of the white rice. Spoon over sauce to coat the chicken. Garnish with a few fennel fronds and green onion curls. Top with a small mound of carrot and fennel quick pickle, ensuring that the brine has been drained off, and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
Ask your butcher to break down your chicken to save some time or opt for the equally flavorful and time saving alternative, bone in and skin on chicken thighs.
Add a pinch of two of MSG for a kick of umami.
Lean into seasonality by substituting the carrot and/or fennel in the quick pickle for produce that is in season.
This dish is better the second time around, so be sure to eat all of the leftovers. For the best, most flavorful results, store the chicken directly in the sauce.
