Chicken Adobo - a Filipino TREAT!

Growing up, one of my best friends was Filipino (Floridel.) I used to spend a lot of time at her house having pool parties, singing karaoke, and taking advantage of Mamung's (her grandma) excellent cooking! So much fun! That lovely woman would make us TRAYS of delicious egg rolls... Always presenting them to me saying, "Eat! Eat more! You're too skinny! Eat more eggroll!" God, I loved that woman! I'll be on a mission to make her famous egg rolls one of these days!

*throwback picture of the gang coming soon!*

Anyway, Chicken Adobo was a common dish at parties at the Sotelo residence and I always LOVED it (along with everything else!) I have my own take on it (attempt at authenticity...) and I love to serve it on steamed rice with cooked carrots! So tender! So delicious!

thanks, Kelly, for bringing over croissants!

*Note: It is best to prepare and marinate the chicken a day before you want to cook this dish.  That way it will be extra tasty and tender!

What you need:

Chicken thighs or drumsticks (with bone & skin!) 4-6 pieces
Garlic, about 6 cloves
Soy sauce, about 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Bay leaves, 3
Whole Peppercorn, about 1 tablespoon
White Vinegar, about 1 tablespoon
Brown sugar, about 1 tablespoon (optional)
Cooking oil, enough to coat bottom of pot

Basmati Rice, 1 cup
Water, 2 cups

Carrots, cut up
Water, 2 cups
Butter
Parsley (fresh chopped or dried flakes)

Here we go!

Marinate your chicken -  All you need is your chicken, garlic, and soy sauce. In a ziplock bag or bowl, place your clean/rinsed chicken pieces. Coarsely chop your garlic cloves. Pour in the soy sauce and add the garlic cloves to your chicken. Seal or cover your chicken mixture and refrigerate overnight.

Cooking time! in a deep stainless steel pot, heat up about 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and keep the marinade on the side, you'll need it later! Add your chicken, skin side down to the pot. (Careful! It fights back!) Brown for about 5 minutes on each side. Ten minutes total. This should make the skin nice and a little crispy!

ahhh! it's so angry!

Next pour your marinade over the chicken into the pot. Sprinkle in the whole peppercorns, and drop 3 whole bay leaves into the mix.  Bring to a boil then turn heat to LOW, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

browning nicely :)

after adding marinade, bay leaves, & peppercorns

With 10 minutes left to cook, pour in about 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and about a tablespoon of brown sugar. Stir, cover, let it finish cooking!

While you're chicken is slow cooking, cook your rice.  You can use a rice cooker or cook it over the stove. Need help with that?  Bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup white basmati rice. Turn heat to low, stir once, and cover the pot. Cook covered for 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave covered for 5 more minutes. Fluff and it's ready to go!

Of course you can do any other side dish with this, but I just think carrots are tasty. I just boil about 2 cups water in a pan, toss in the carrots, cover and cook over medium for the entire time the chicken is cooking.  I like to strain them then saute with a little butter and some fresh or dry parsley!

carrots! nom nom!

everything cooking together like a big happy family - all to be ready at the same time!

This meal is super filling and SO good! Hopefully Mamung would be proud of me! Let me know what you think!