Cook Time: 37 mins | Total Time: 37 mins | Yield: 4
Nothing will beat my friend’s version of Chicken Adobo. They said that it’s close to the original but upon researching, chicken adobo has lots of different varieties. Chicken Adobo is an authentic Filipino dish. It’s the pride of the Filipinos and it is obvious why. It’s simple yet amazingly flavorful!
INGREDIENTS
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4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. cane vinegar or white vinegar
1/2 c. sake or water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 c. chopped garlic
zest from 1 lime or lemon
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish, optional
How to Make The Best Filipino Chicken Adobo
Step 1: Heat cooking oil in a large dutch oven or dip pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Step 2: To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sake, fish sauce, sugar, chopped garlic, lime zest, bay leaves, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until the sugar is melted.
Step 3: Turn the chicken, tapping out about half of the fat from the bottom of the pan. You can also spoon the chicken fat and keep it for later.
Step 4: To the pan, pour the sauce mixture and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 5: Using a spoon, remove the lid, then pour the sauce over the chicken making sure that the chicken is evenly coated. This takes another 5 minutes.
Step 6: If you’d like, you can garnish the adobo with some fresh chopped green onion and cilantro. Enjoy warm cooked rice.

Ingredients
- 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 3/4 c. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. cane vinegar or white vinegar
- 1/2 c. sake or water
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/3 c. chopped garlic
- zest from 1 lime or lemon
- 4 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- chopped green onions and cilantro for garnish, optional
Instructions
Step 1: Heat cooking oil in a large dutch oven or dip pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs to the pan skin-side down and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Step 2: To make the sauce, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sake, fish sauce, sugar, chopped garlic, lime zest, bay leaves, and black pepper in a mixing bowl until the sugar is melted.
Step 3: Turn the chicken, tapping out about half of the fat from the bottom of the pan. You can also spoon the chicken fat and keep it for later.
Step 4: To the pan, pour the sauce mixture and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 5: Using a spoon, remove the lid, then pour the sauce over the chicken making sure that the chicken is evenly coated. This takes another 5 minutes.
Step 6: If you’d like, you can garnish the adobo with some fresh chopped green onion and cilantro. Enjoy warm cooked rice.