Filipino Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 large thighs)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1/2 cup cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, lightly cracked

Method

1. 1

   Step 1. Plan for about 70 minutes: 15 minutes of preparation and 55 minutes of searing, braising, and reducing. Use a 5-quart stainless-steel or enameled Dutch oven or wide lidded pot (not bare cast iron) and an instant-read thermometer. No marination is required. This is a vinegar-and-soy Filipino adobo; the recipe’s timing and yield do not include a rice accompaniment.

2. 2

   Step 2. Pat the thighs dry with paper towels without rinsing them. Keep the bone and skin intact, trimming only loose excess skin if needed. Choose a pot wide enough for the four thighs to sit mostly in one layer; they can fit snugly while braising, but the skin needs contact with the pan during browning.

3. 3

   Step 3. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 7–9 minutes, until the skin releases readily and is well browned. Turn and cook the second side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Spoon off excess rendered fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add the crushed garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.

4. 4

   Step 4. Pour in the vinegar, soy sauce, and measured water. Stir in the sugar, bay leaves, and cracked peppercorns, and scrape up the browned bits. Return the chicken and its juices, skin-side up. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Braise for 25–30 minutes, turning the thighs once, until tender. Check each thigh in its thickest flesh away from the bone for at least 165°F.

5. 5

   Step 5. Move the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Simmer the sauce uncovered over medium heat for 8–12 minutes, until slightly reduced and glossy; it should remain pourable rather than syrupy. Return the chicken and turn gently in the hot sauce for 1–2 minutes.

6. 6

   Step 6. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve one thigh per person with the garlic and sauce; the peppercorns may be left in the pot if preferred. Refrigerate leftover chicken and sauce in shallow containers within 2 hours.