The weather is a’changing around these parts and I promise there’s salad, crunchy raw salad on the horizon in the very near future.
In the meantime, there’s Filipino Chicken Adobo.
Put aside all those thoughts of ‘surely not another braised recipe?’ I just know you’re thinking looking at that photo there!
It’s prepared quickly and simply from readily available ingredients, it packs a punch in the flavour department and it’s cooked on the stove top. What more could you ask for?
Last month I signed up to be part of a blog hop where you’re allocated a blog and it’s up to you to choose what to cook. I got to browse through Lalaine’s Kawaling Pinoy blog chock full of her homestyle Filipino recipes so it was only natural that I plumped for what is considered to be the national dish. No pressure there at all then:)
Many other adobo recipes add sugar but thinking that would make it more like a teriyaki sauce I was happy to follow Lalaine’s recipe apart of course from the fact that I used chicken instead of pork but let’s just over look that for now…..
The first time I cooked it was the first time I’ve ever tasted it and it was so good I made it again two nights later just to be sure. It is slightly tangy – but no more than a squeeze of lemon tangy.
One day maybe I’ll get to eat the real thing in Boracay with a San Miguel in one hand and fork in the other and I’ll be happy with the comparison.
I hope so!
Filipino Chicken Adobo
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Quick and simple to prepare using readily available ingredients. Serve with rice or quinoa and steamed greens.
Cuisine: Filipino
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 4 pieces bone-in chicken, skin on {Note 1}
Marinade
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 bay leaves
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp ghee or other oil
- ½ cup water
- Steamed quinoa or rice and greens to serve
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients apart from the oil and water in a non-reactive bowl and marinade for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high-ish heat.
- Remove chicken from the marinade and sear until it’s nicely coloured all over.
- Pour over the remaining marinade {including the onions and peppercorns etc} and half a cup of water and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer, covered for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender enough to start falling off the bone.
- Serve with steamed quinoa {not authentic I know!} or rice and greens.
Notes
Note 1: Because I’m only cooking for 2 people I buy a maryland – thigh and drumstick – and separate using a cleaver but obviously you can use a whole pack of drumsticks and/or thighs and double up the quanities. I much prefer bone-in chicken with the skin on but sliced thigh meat will work too.
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And just to prove that Spring really is on the way, here’s this morning’s view from the balcony.
Clean air, clean skies, clean streets. People are sitting out on the streets smiling and chatting. The plane trees are still bare but it’s only a matter of weeks before they turn green. It’s a gorgeous time of the year in Shanghai and there may have been beers in the sun over the weekend……