Chicken Adobo

No Filipino I know has ever marinated adobo or used cane vinegar when making adobo. We use rice vinegar and we never add sugar. Don’t worry about the strong vinegar flavor, it cooks off after 45 minutes. This recipe works for a flavorful adobo but it has made it more complicated than necessary. You can brown the chicken or just put it to boil straight away. It is finished when the meat easily comes off the bone.

Omg, my fellow Filipinos need to chill. No adobo is ever the same. We come from an archipelago where each region has their own variation! Some regions use turmeric, some use just vinegar without soy sauce. Heck, my lola’s (grandma) adobo is different from mine — hers is soupy and mine is saucy. I’ve always added a bit of sugar or oyster sauce. You do you! Thanks Naz, another adobo recipe to try!

Half Filipina here- my dad is from Ilocos and he makes adobo with cider vinegar or cane vinegar, sometimes even balsamic! A dash of fish sauce too for some savory flavor… never added sugar but it might be delicious! Adobo is like any national dish, every house has its own way of cooking it, and thinks theirs is the best!

But you're further cooking the chicken after adding the marinade. Everything in that marinade is cooking for a full 40 minutes--long enough by far to cook any raw meat juice and render it harmless. If the marinade was added at the end, just before serving, with no further cooking--then yes, it's a very bad idea. But because you're cooking the chicken for 40 minutes longer along with the marinade, it's as safe as if you'd dumped the marinade in with the raw chicken at the beginning of cooking.

1 pack of wings--cut in half and somewhat trimmed lay in single file of pyrex baking pan pour layer of soy sauce 1/4" 1/2 as much of vinegar sprinkle peppercorns nestle in: a bunch of smashed garlic cloves, 1-2 torn bay leaves then dust w/black pepper bake at 400 for 1/2 hour then reduce to 350 for another 45mins or bit more sauce reduces/caramelizes and wings get sticky serve w/white rice cooked in a bit of coconut oil and simple broccoli can add a cup of chicken broth if want more of a sauce

I make a version of this all the time and never ever add sugar. I cook the chicken in vinegar and soy sauce with lots of garlic cloves. I do not marinate it prior to cooking. I add paprika and cayenne for heat. Always a big hit in my family.

More garlic. Like way more. And no sugar.

I boil the vinegar in a pan first, it seems to soften the sharpness of the vinegar if you are not cooking it for a long time. Also use brown sugar not white.

The sharpness of the vinegar is *key* to adobo. It should be added with the rest of the marinade, not later. (I use a 2:1 vinegar-to-soy sauce ratio.) Also, double up the garlic and definitely skip the sugar, which is heretical.

Agree with previous comments:overnight marinade is unnecessary, and no sugar needed. Recipe is similar to how I prepare adobo, except I add vinegar at the beginning along with other ingredients. A cautionary word about boneless skinless: Just because you can, doesnt mean you should. This dish works best with bone-in fatty dark meat and high heat. Don't try it with chicken breasts and no, it doesn't cook properly in a slow cooker. Excellent recipe. Thanks to NYTCooking for showcasing it.

Very authentic and delicious. I skip the marinade part and the rest of the recipe comes together perfect regardless.

I’m Filipino and some of us will add some sugar. No big deal on controversy that some Filipinos get all bent out of shape of someone adds sugar. There is variety in Filipino taste and recipes. Not one size fits all.

I collected versions of adobo from my family. some swear by skin-on pork belly from a fave butcher. Some only use salt, whole peppercorns, lots of garlic, cane vinegar. Chickens is always bone-in. The Chinese brought soy sauce. Prior to that it was salt and fish sauce. In Bicol region, coconut milk and fresh or dried chili peppers are added. Most swear by Datu Puti vinegar. Make your own version and own it!

I do the same recipe, but I add coconut milk to the marinade and cook the whole thing in the Instant pot for about 15 minutes after browning the chicken. At the end, I pop the chicken under the broiler with sliced fresh red onion or shallots to crisp up, and cook down the liquid until it becomes thicker. And never any sugar. I've also added Chinese black vinegar and Szechuan peppercorns as well.

Adobo has many reiterations and any type of vinegar can be used. The readily available Datu Puti cane vinegar is most commonly used in the Philippines. Living abroad I’ve tried to make this with chicken, with tofu, with coconut milk or without… The BEST EVER version that all of my friends agree on is this — use pork belly and pork ribs, place in a cast iron pot with lots of garlic, peppercorn, salt, bay leaves (No onions nor soy sauce here). Cook on low for 2.5-3 hours. You are welcome! xxx