See 7 Ways to Make Your Chicken Adobo Unforgettable (2024)

FAQs

What makes adobo unique? ›

Philippine adobo has a characteristically salty and sour, and often sweet taste, in contrast to Spanish and Mexican adobos, which are spicier or infused with oregano.

Adobo is a well-balanced dish but you can bend the rules a bit by putting your spin on it by using ingredients such as crunchy garlic or star anise as a spice. Try switching plain vinegar with pinakurat, apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar.

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.

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 way this food is cooked is really through a use of vinegar and preservation. In the old days they would use vinegar to preserve the meat over time. So, cooking this dish is a means of preserving food so it's not really a dish it's a process." Adobo, or adobo chicken or adobo pork, is a classic Philippine meal.

Adobo or adobar (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor. The Portuguese variant is known as carne de vinha d'alhos.

(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.

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

If the sauce is too light or liquidy, simmer uncovered longer and/or add more soy sauce. Once it is to your liking, serve over a bowl of rice.

Adobo is more than just a dish. It is a cultural symbol that represents the country's history and identity, which is why adobo is so popular in the Philippines. The dish's versatility and simplicity reflect the resourcefulness and ingenuity of Filipinos in making the most out of available ingredients.

How do you explain adobo? ›

Adobo is a dish that is usually made with meat (chicken, pork, or beef) marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and other spices. The meat is slowly cooked until it becomes tender and flavorful. Adobo is often served with rice and is a staple dish in many Filipino households.

The unofficial national dish of the Philippines, adobo is a vinegary, garlicky, addictive dish that's worth celebrating every day.

Traditionally, cane or coconut vinegar is used. For my own recipe, I chose rice vinegar because it's a little less sharp on the palate. But truthfully, I've made so many last-minute adobos with white vinegar, apple cider, or a combination of whatever I have left in my pantry, and they've all turned out great.

Filipino Chicken Adobo is a simple dish that packs a big flavor punch. The combination of soy, vinegar, and sugar creates a salty-sweet tangy glaze that is hard to stop eating. Paired with the bright crunch of the corn and cucumber salad, this dish goes equally well on a bed of rice as it does in a taco.

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.

Dry adobo can also be used in much the same manner as any seasoning salt. You can add it to sauces, stews, soups, and at any point in a sauté or stir-fry to punch up the flavor and give it some Latin life. Sprinkle it directly on meat as you're searing, melt it down into beans, or add it to rice as you're cooking.

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

“Some people add coconut milk; some cooks add a bit of sweetness in the form of sugar, honey, ripe fruit or even preserves to round out the adobo's sharp acidity and saltiness,” Ponseca writes.

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.