The BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe & Video - Seonkyoung Longest (2024)

FAQs

What makes adobo last long? ›

Its relatively long shelf-life is due to one of its primary ingredients, vinegar, which inhibits the growth of bacteria.

Add Seasoning

Pour in soy sauce, garlic, black peppercorns, bay leaves and lastly white vinegar. For best results, do not stir the sauce as this prevents the acid from fully evaporating. This is a tip that I learned.

Filipino families also often have their own recipes for adobo, passed down from one generation to another. One of the unique features of adobo is its versatility. The dish can be made with different meats, such as beef or fish, and can be customized with various seasonings and ingredients.

(For a thicker consistency, blend a small amount of flour with coconut milk, chicken broth, or water, then stir into sauce.) Make sure the meat stays moist and covered with the liquid. If meat looks like it's drying out, add a bit more chicken broth or water. Stir flour into coconut milk and add to the Dutch oven.

TLDR: adding a pinch of baking soda to a dish that you put too much vinegar will fix it.

As in Puerto Rico, adobo is beloved in most Filipino households; it's the unofficial dish of the Philippines, even as it varies by region or household. Most modern-day Filipino adobo is prepared with vinegar and soy sauce. Some families keep it simple with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper.

Many Filipino chicken adobo recipes will also tell you that using entirely white vinegar is fine. The first time I made chicken adobo, I used white vinegar and it was quite tasty, though I like this recipe better. Other recipes prefer apple cider vinegar, which is a bit less sharp and acidic than white vinegar.

The glaze of Filipino Chicken Adobo is savoury and sweet with a hint of tang, with a distinct soy flavour. The garlic and onion creates a savoury base along with the bay leaves, and the peppercorns add little subtle pops of heat.

The more water you use in your adobo, the longer your adobo cooks. This also means more time for your meat to absorb flavor and fully tenderize. But too much water can waterlog your adobo, which risks losing all the flavor you've already developed up to this point.

The word adobo is derived from the Spanish word adobar, which means “marinade” or “pickling sauce.” The existence of the tangy dish was first recorded in 1613 by the Spaniard Pedro de San Buenaventura.

What is a fun fact about adobo? ›

The adobo was traditionally cooked in clay pots but today is made in more common metal pots or woks. When the Spanish invaded and settled in the Philippines during the 16th century, they witnessed this traditional Filipino cooking method and called it adobo, which is the Spanish word for marinade.

Considered by many to be the national dish of the Philippines, adobo reflects the regionality of the archipelago's 7,640 islands. In some regions, coconut milk is added for adobo sa gata, and not all adobos even contain soy sauce.

Incorporate Lemon Juice, Vinegar or Sugar

Many cooks combat a salty dish with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar. You can also try mixing in a sweetener like white sugar, brown sugar, honey or agave syrup. The goal is to dilute the soy sauce and to create a harmonious blend of flavors.

Sugar: If you find your adobo too tart, add a little sugar to mellow it out.

Try to use natural vinegar instead of distilled white vinegar. Salty – Soy sauce, garlic, and chicken balance any bitterness and enhance sweet flavours. Sweet – Adding sugar or oyster sauce to your dish will boost sweetness to complement the soy sauce.

Be sure to store the adobo in its sauce, as both vinegar and the salt in soy sauce are natural preservatives and significantly slows down spoilage.

When does adobo seasoning expire? Unopened adobo seasoning can last up to 2-3 years beyond the 'best by' date printed on the packaging, as long as it is kept in a cool, dry place.

We like to freeze the extra peppers and sauce, whether that be in an ice cube tray or flattened in a Ziploc bag, for future use. Kept this way, they'll last almost forever, and are super easy to thaw and bring back to life for use in a wide variety of dishes.

Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can generally last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator once transferred to a container. Always check for signs of spoilage, such as off smells or mold, before use.