The Global Kitchen

This is my second recipe for Chicken Adobo. It comes from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper.

The ingredients are a little different but the technique is basically the same. This version has you brown the chicken at the end which I really like. It photographs better too.

Between the two I like the flavors of Adobo 1 the best. I'll definitely add the browning step to it. Adobo 2 was too vinegar-y for me. Maybe it wouldn't have been if I'd used palm vinegar.

I served it with leftover rice from the first adobo. It does freeze and reheat well.



Filipino-Style Chicken Adobo

1/4 cup soy sauce
10 large garlic cloves peeled and rough chopped
1 tbs fresh ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups Filipino palm vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
1 cup whole canned tomatoes with their liquid
2 bay leaves, broken
3 lbs bone in skin on organic chicken thighs(about 8)
Extra virgin olive oil
2 med onions thinly sliced (I chopped mine)
2 scallions thinly sliced(optional)

Combine soy sauce through bay leaves in a zip-loc breaking tomatoes with your hands as you add them. Add chicken and marinate 18-24 hours.

Put mixture in a large sauce pan and bring to a gentle bubble. Cover and cook for 25 minutes or until chicken is done.

Remove the chicken and skim as much fat as possible from the cooking liquid. Increase the heat to a brisk boil. Reduce to half.

Meanwhile film a saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium high. Arrange chicken in pan skin side down and brown. When they are a deep rich brown on one side turn them and scatter the onions around them. Continue to brown moving the onions around so they don't burn. When chicken is browned on the other side transfer chicken and onions to a bowl and pour reduced cooking juices over them. Garnish with scallions.

I love chicken adobo and have had several incarnations. The reason I called this post #1 is that I've found two recipes for adobo I want to try.

This one comes from Memories of a Philippine Kitchen by Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan. This is the version they serve in their acclaimed restaurant Cendrillon.

It couldn't be easier. Mix ingredients in a bag, marinate and boil. A simple recipe with a huge payoff. I loved the way the vinegar flavored the chicken and the leftovers were even better.

I served it with Mushroom and Bamboo Shoot Rice which was also delicious. It reminded me of some of the rice recipes in Cradle of Flavor.

Chicken Adobo

1 1/2 cups rice vinegar
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce
12 peeled garlic cloves (I smashed them too)
3 bay leaves
3 whole birdseye chiles (I cut them in four pieces)
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3lb of chicken pieces(I had thighs in the freezer so I used them)

Combine the vinegar through the black pepper in a large ziplock and marinate overnight.

Place marinade and chicken in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 25 minutes or until chicken is done turning every now and then to coat. Remove chicken from pan and increase heat to med-high. Cook until reduced to the consistency of a heavy cream. Remove chiles and bay leaves. Add chicken and rewarm.

Mushroom and Bamboo Shoot Rice

3 cups jasmine rice rinsed
3 tbs vegetable oil
1 small onion finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed,cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots drained and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan.

Cook onion and carrot until tender. Add garlic and cook a minute more.
Add mushrooms, bamboo and turmeric and cook about 5 minutes or until mushrooms give off liquid, stirring often.

Stir in rice, stock or water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove pan from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.