Adobo is regarded as the Philippines’ unofficial national dish – a remarkable consensus in a country with over 7,000 islands and just as many regional culinary traditions. The name derives from Spanish (‘adobar’, to marinate, to season), but the underlying technique already existed before Spanish colonisation in the 16th century: meat and fish were pickled in vinegar and salt and cooked in this mixture to preserve them in the tropical climate without refrigeration. The Spanish simply gave the method a name from their own culinary vocabulary.
The most common version today – chicken braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and bay leaves – only became established in the 20th century, when soy (‘toyo’) became widely available across the country. Older recipes did not use soy sauce at all, relying solely on vinegar and salt – a lighter, distinctly more acidic variant known as ‘adobong puti’ (white adobo).
There are numerous local variations across the Philippines. In some parts of the south, coconut milk is added to the braising liquid (‘adobo sa gata’). This tones down the acidity and makes the sauce creamier. In some cases, the liquid is deliberately reduced completely so that the meat browns crisply in its own fat. However, the essential components are always acidity, salt, garlic and bay leaves.
So let’s start with light rice vinegar and soy sauce, coarsely ground black pepper, sugar, bay leaves and plenty of garlic.
Mix all these ingredients together to make a marinade, setting aside half the garlic. Coat the chicken in the mixture and then leave it to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Spring onions are the final ingredient: wash them, remove the roots and any undesirable parts, and slice the rest finely, separating the white from the green.
Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper so that it browns well later on. Keep the marinade aside, as it will be used to make the sauce later.
Heat a little neutral oil in a wok or a pan suitable for high temperatures over a high heat until it reaches the smoke point. Then sear the chicken pieces in batches briefly and remove them straight away.
Now, in the same oil, sauté the white parts of the spring onions and the rest of the garlic.
Then pour in the marinade, add a little water, and bring it to the boil…
…and return the chicken to the pan. Leave it to simmer very gently, covered, for 10 minutes over a medium heat.
Remove the lid and simmer the dish for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and is glossy. Turn the meat occasionally whilst doing so. Just before it’s ready, add the green parts of the spring onions.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and, if desired, a dash of vinegar. Serve with rice; we highly recommend an Asian cucumber salad to go with it, such as this one.
Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
750 g chicken thighs, boned, skinless, cut into pieces
8–10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (half for the marinade, half for braising)
1.5 tbsp black peppercorns, roughly crushed in a mortar
3–4 bay leaves
80 ml rice vinegar
80 ml light soy sauce
1 tsp palm sugar or brown sugar
2 spring onions, finely sliced into rings
3 tbsp neutral oil
120 ml water
