This chicken adobo is a classic recipe made in a cast iron pan. The result is crispy chicken skin on top and tender meat at the bottom. As with most Filipino main dishes, make sure you eat this with steamed white rice!
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Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
1kilogramchicken thighs, deboned (~ 2 pounds)
85gramssoy sauceuse a Filipino brand such as Datu Puti or Silver Swan
1½teaspoonsugar
5-8clovesgarlic, crushed
Cooking Ingredients
60gramswhite vinegaruse a Filipino brand such as Datu Puti
240gramswater
1½teaspoonsugar
4driedbay leaves
1teaspoonblack peppercorns
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
Place the chicken thighs in a bowl, container, or plastic bag.
In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, sugar and crushed garlic together.
Pour the soy sauce mix over the chicken and cover the container. Then place in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or up to overnight.
Cook Chicken
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F ). Remove the chicken from the container and place on a plate.
Take the leftover marinade sauce from the container and pour it into a bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, and water then mix everything together. If you don't feel like you have enough soy sauce marinade, you can add up to 2 more tbsp. Set aside.
Heat a cast iron on medium heat and add oil. Add the chicken thighs skin down first and let them pan fry until the skin releases from the pan easily on its own without sticking. Then flip over to cook the other side. You may have to cook the chicken in batches depending on the size of your cast iron. Cook the chicken until the bottom also releases from the pan easily.
Place all of the cooked chicken in the pan skin side down. Pour the soy sauce and vinegar mix over the chicken making sure the cast iron doesn't overflow. The liquid shouldn't cover the chicken. Sprinkle the black peppercorn over the chicken. Add the bay leaves.
Place in the preheated oven to cook for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°F (165°F)
When there is 8-5 minutes left, change the temperature to 200°C (400°F) and change the setting to broil in order to crisp the chicken skin. You may need to move your cast iron closer to the top grill. Watch this part carefully to make sure you don't burn the chicken skin!