Chicken Adobo 🇵🇭

People who might not be familiar with Filipino cuisine have probably eaten Chicken Adobo, a popular dish cooked with soy sauce ubiquitous in Asian stews plus a few signature ingredients being vinegar, bay leaves and whole black peppercorns.  The result is tender, juicy chicken coated in a savoury sauce with a hint of tanginess.  It is one of the easiest and satisfying meal you can make.  Dig deeper and you'll find many variations of Chicken Adobo so this is my take.  Don't be alarmed by the amount of peppercorns the recipe calls for.  They do mellow in the cooking process and infuse the dish with a subtle peppery aroma.  If you are worried about biting into them, coarsely cracked peppercorns can be substituted.  Serve with steamed rice and a salad.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg / 2lb 4oz boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 dried bay leaves
• ½ cup light soy sauce
• ½ cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1½ cups water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• sea salt, to taste
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped, for garnishing

METHOD

1. In a bowl or container, combine chicken with garlic, bay leaves soy sauce and vinegar.  Cover and marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or longer.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick frying pan on high heat.  Remove chicken from the marinade and place in the pan, in batches, to brown on both sides (about 1 minute on each side).  There is no need to fully cook the chicken at this stage.  Reserve the marinade.
3. Transfer the chicken, once browned, to a plate and set aside.
4. In the same pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute or until softened.
5. Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper.  Scrape the pan with a spatula to incorporate the brown bits.  Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
6. Return the chicken to the pan.  Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tender, turning the chicken over half way through, but do not stir.
7. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.  Turn the heat up to medium-high and reduce the sauce for a few minutes, uncovered, until it is thick and syrupy.
8. Return the chicken to the pan and coat it in the sauce.  Season with salt to taste.  Garnish with green onions.  Serve over steamed rice.