Buzz
Adobong Manok, also known as Chicken Adobo, is a popular Filipino dish widely enjoyed across Asia. This savory and aromatic traditional Filipino recipe has been cherished and handed down through generations. It can be served with rice, potatoes, or enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
- Cooking oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Steps
Cooking on the Stove
Heat oil and sauté garlic and onions over medium heat. Start with garlic, cooking until it turns light brown. Then add the chopped onions and sauté until the mixture is well combined.
- Be careful not to burn the garlic and onions. Use a spoon or wooden spatula to stir the ingredients evenly.
Add the chicken and mix. You don’t need to use the whole chicken. Instead, just add the parts of the chicken you enjoy the most.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, pepper, salt, sugar, water, and bay leaves. Stir and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Bring the chicken to a boil. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to low.
- Add more water to the mixture if you feel the pan is drying out too much.
Simmer the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover the pot and let the chicken cook until tender.
- After 15 minutes, baste the chicken with the sauce. Continue simmering for the remaining time.
- If you prefer a less watery dish, you can simmer it a bit longer.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and serve. Adobong Manok pairs well with rice, potatoes, or bread, and can be enjoyed with a refreshing soda or fresh juice.
Marinating the Chicken
Place the chicken in a bowl, container, or pan. You’ll need to refrigerate it, so ensure the container is large enough to hold the chicken and fits in your fridge.
- Using a pan is convenient. After marinating, you’ll use the same pan for cooking.
Add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, onions, pepper, salt, and bay leaves to the pan. Cover and shake well until the chicken is fully coated with the marinade.
Cover and refrigerate the chicken. Marinate overnight for the best flavor.
- If you need to cook Adobo the same day, marinating the chicken for 2 to 3 hours is acceptable. However, marinating overnight yields the most flavorful results.
Cook the marinated chicken on the stove. Place the marinated chicken in a pan or on the stove and cook over medium heat. Add water.
Bring the chicken to a boil. Once the mixture starts boiling, reduce the heat to low.
- Add more water to the mixture if the pan becomes too dry.
Simmer the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes. Cover the pot and let the chicken cook until tender.
- After 15 minutes, baste the chicken with the sauce. Continue simmering for the remaining time.
- If you prefer a less watery dish, you can simmer it a bit longer.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and serve. Adobong Manok pairs well with rice, potatoes, or bread, and can be enjoyed with a refreshing soda or fresh juice.
Tips
- Another Filipino chicken dish is Pininyahang Manok - Chicken cooked with pineapple.
- Experiment with various spices in Adobo to create unique flavor profiles for the dish.
