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I first became interested in chicken adobo when I saw a recipe for it using a slow cooker. It looked delicious but completely different than the adobo that I was familiar with. I thought adobo was that rich, spicy, reddish-brown Mexican sauce that comes with chipotle peppers. But no. Filipino chicken adobo is savory, tangy, and garlicky, built on a bold combination of soy sauce and vinegar. It’s SO good and so very easy to recreate at home.
“I’m usually a sucker for spice, but this chicken adobo recipe (with accompanying yellow jasmine rice) is a juicy, tangy, taste-bomb!! Made it for my visiting parents tonight and they proclaimed “you’ve finally learned how to cook!” A definite crowd-pleaser :)”
Catherine
Easy Chicken Adobo Recipe
Chicken adobo is (unofficially) known as the national dish of the Philippines, and it’s made with simple, budget-friendly pantry staples. Filipino adobo is a tangy, salty mix of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices that is used to marinate and stew meat. It creates the most flavorful and complex meat I’ve ever had. Since learning more about it, I’ve seen many different ways to prepare it, and everyone seems to have their own method.
The recipe I’m sharing here is my home-cook take on authentic adobo, sticking to the classic base flavors and techniques, but using ingredients that are easy to find at my local grocery store. I follow the boil then broil technique, where the chicken simmers low and slow in the soy-vinegar mixture until it’s incredibly tender, then finishes under the broiler to crisp the skin. Some recipes brown the chicken first, but I like this method because it keeps the meat juicy, is more hands-off, and still gives you a golden finish at the end!
Recipe Success Tips
- I used bone-in drumsticks for this recipe, but you could really use any type of chicken pieces you’d like (or beef or pork for that matter). You’ll want to use a bone-in chicken for the most flavor, and I suggest leaving the skin on to keep everything super moist and delicious. The skin crisps up nicely in the last step and keeps the meat tender. Just note larger pieces of bone-in chicken will take longer to cook. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F before serving.
- Balance the vinegar. This Filipino chicken dish is often made with cane vinegar, which is naturally a little sweeter and more mild. I use apple cider vinegar in this recipe because it’s easier to find and more affordable. It works great, but it does have a sharper tang, so I add a small amount of honey to soften the acidity!
- Reduce the sauce by half. After boiling the chicken, boil the sauce to reduce it by about half. It will still be quite loose in consistency (not sticky), but the flavor becomes much more concentrated.
- Add color to the chicken under the broiler. If you don’t have a broiler pan, you can create a make-shift one by placing some wire cooling racks over a baking sheet, like I did. You can also pan-sear or grill the chicken instead.
Chicken Adobo
Cost $9.71 recipe / $1.62 serving
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. bone-in chicken (skin-on, $7.88*)
- ½ cup soy sauce (4 oz., $0.42)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar (4 oz., $0.28)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil (1 oz., $0.08)
- 2 Tbsp honey (1 oz., $0.31)
- 2 bay leaves (whole, $0.30)
- 1 Tbsp garlic (minced, (about 2 cloves) $0.15)
- 1 Tbsp black peppercorns (whole, $0.29)
Instructions
- Gather and prep your ingredients.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in a large pot in one layer. Remove the skin if desired.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients (soy sauce, vinegar, honey, oil, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns) in a bowl and whisk until the honey is dissolved. Partially crush the peppercorns if desired. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.**
- When you’re ready to make the chicken, add just enough water so that the liquid comes just up to the top of the chicken (about 1/2 cup). Cover the pot with a lid, place the pot over a high flame, and bring it up to a rolling boil. When it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium/low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your broiler on high. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a broiler pan (or a sheet pan with wire cooling racks placed on top). Place the chicken under the broiler until it is brown and crispy on top (5-10 minutes), depending on your broiler).
- While the chicken is broiling, turn pot with the soy/vinegar liquid up to high and bring up to a rapid boil. Allow the liquid to boil heavily until it is reduced in volume by approximately one half. You may need to boil it for 5-10 minutes longer than the chicken is in the oven to get it to this point.
- Use a soft brush to baste a few layers of the reduced soy/vinegar liquid onto the browned chicken. You can also toss the chicken in the sauce instead. Serve over rice or noodles and spoon more of the reduced liquid over top.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Chicken Adobo Step-By-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Marinate the chicken: Place 4 lbs. chicken pieces in a large pot. They really should be in one layer to maximize exposure to the marinade. Use a casserole dish if needed!
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup soy sauce, ½ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp oil, 2 Tbsp honey, 2 bay leaves, 1 Tbsp minced garlic (about two large cloves), and 1 Tbsp black peppercorns.
Then pour the marinade over the chicken, place the lid on the pot, and pop it in the fridge. Let it marinate while you’re at work, overnight, or just for a few hours. 30 minutes is okay too, if that’s all you have time for!
Boil the chicken: When you’re ready to cook, add a little bit of water so that the liquid comes a little closer to covering the chicken. You don’t want to add too much or else it will take too long for the sauce to reduce later. Cover the pot with a lid, place the pot over a high flame, and bring it up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium/low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
The chicken should be cooked through by this point (internal temp of 165°F), but it’s not too pretty, so we’re going to broil it. Turn the broiler on to high.
Place the chicken onto a broiler pan (or on wire cooling racks set over a baking sheet).
Broil the chicken: Place the chicken under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes or until it gets a nice brown color to it. The time it takes will depend on how hot your broiler is and how close you have your rack to the heat (it should be fairly close). So, you’ll just have to keep an eye on it. You should hear crackling and popping as the skin begins to crisp.
Reduce the sauce: Meanwhile, after you pull the chicken out of the simmering liquid, turn it all the way up to high and let it boil furiously while you broil the chicken. You want it to reduce in volume by half and concentrate in flavor as much as possible.
Finish and serve: Once the soy/vinegar liquid has reduced in volume by half, use a brush and baste a few layers onto the chicken. This will add moisture and tons of flavor. You can also just add the broiled chicken to the pan and toss to coat instead.
What to Serve with Chicken Adobo
I like serving my chicken adobo with some yellow jasmine rice, which isn’t at all authentic, but I found the flavors to be really great together! The brine that the chicken simmers in is super delicious, so I do suggest serving it over rice or noodles of some kind to soak up that awesome broth. You can also use the chicken and sauce to make a yummy adobo chicken fried rice!
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover chicken adobo in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The leftovers are DELICIOUS and the vinegar flavor mellows even more in storage. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through. You can also freeze the chicken and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add some water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
More Asian-Inspired Chicken Recipes
Our Chicken Adobo recipe was originally published 7/24/11. We have updated it to be the best it can be and republished 1/23/26.
Can white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?
You could. Just note that the vinegar flavor will likely be more pronounced and tangy. You could add a touch more honey to try and counteract that tartness. Traditionally it’s made with cane vinegar, which is naturally even sweeter and more mild than apple cider vinegar, so swapping white vinegar will make it even more acidic.
This was a labor of love but SO good. Can’t wait to make it again!!!!
Chicken came out delicious, for some reason half a cup of water was not enough to add to the pot, the chicken was barely covered so I had to add 2 cups. I reduced for 10 minutes and then I ended up spooning the Liquid over the chicken instead of wasting it. Came out very good
Basting it***
I grew up eating adobo! It’s one of my favorite dishes, but my favorite is probably pork belly braised adobo. If I have leftovers I make fried rice out of it and eat it with an over easy fried egg. It’s super flavorful and always a hit with guests!
I’m usually a sucker for spice, but this chicken adobo recipe (with accompanying yellow jasmine rice) is a juicy, tangy, taste-bomb!! Made it for my visiting parents tonight and they proclaimed “you’ve finally learned how to cook!” A definite crowd-pleaser :)
Well that’s a huge win! Great work Catherine!
You should update the “total time” of this recipe to reflect that it needs an overnight marinade.
Thanks, fixing now! :)
Aaaaand another home run recipe from you! Made this last night and again, the spouse said it’s the best thing i’ve ever made (so far all the best things have been from your recipes)!
I marinated this before i left for work and threw everything in the crock pot (added 1/2 cup of chicken broth) and cooked under high pressure for 20 minutes. The chicken legs were falling off the bone! so good. After about 4 minutes i released the pressure manually and followed the steps for the broiler portion. I left the liquid in the IP under saute to bubble up and thicken then poured over rice and chicken when all was done.
Thank you again for these amazing recipes!
***EDIT, NOT CROCK POT BUT *******INSTANT POT************
OMG THAT MARINADE IS CRACK!! It goes good with EVERYTHING
I love that last line “I suggest spooning more of the reduced liquid over top of the chicken and the rice or noodles..” I can’t wait to try this marinate later this week :D
Thanks for all of you and your team’s support!
So good! My husband said the meal was awesome
If you can put this together before in the morning, then the time commitment after work will be minimal. big hit with the picky german boyfriend.
that sauce…my my my.
hahha Jenna! I know the drill! I married the picky German boyfriend. (37 years…still picky!) I will try this recipe for sure.
Used the Basmati rice I had on hand. Our new favorite rice. the leftovers were easy to incorporate into later meals – tacos, bratwurst/onion/rice stirfry.
oops. meant this comment for yellow jasmine rice…
Can you throw the chicken on the grill instead of under the broiler to brown it?
That should work in a similar manner, yes. :)
Could you use boneless breasts? My family hates bone in chicken. How would the cook times differ?
Hmm, not sure how that would work out for this recipe. I’d need to try it first. This is definitely one that is better suited for bone-in and dark meat, though.
I generally use either breasts or thighs and throw everything into the crockpot for 8ish hours. Shred it up after and serve it over top of the rice (either yellow as pictured or coconut) – sauce thickens up great on the chicken with the long cook time and everything mixes together deliciously. I have also done the same with pork loin for equally awesome results. I imagine you could throw it under the broiler after shredding if you want it more crispy, but I’ve never felt it needed it. =)
My Filipina mom always makes adobo in a pressure cooker. I would love be to try this in my Instant Pot, do you have any recommendations?
Love your recipes!!
I bet that would work beautifully! I don’t know the times offhand for bone-in chicken, but I would check the tables in the instruction booklet and try the suggested time for bone-in chicken pieces.