Simple Sundays | Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo
A recipe for Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo – a classic dish that braises chicken and pork to tender perfection in a flavorful soy and vinegar sauce.
A recipe for Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo – a classic dish that braises chicken and pork to tender perfection in a flavorful soy and vinegar sauce.
I usually don’t speak to my neighbors on the plane. I’m not one to drum up conversation – for me, that time in the air is a little respite from the every day, and I would hate to bother other travelers who may feel the same way. But I’ve been on the road a lot lately (if you follow my Instagram, then you will know what I mean), and for some reason, I found myself chatting with the woman next to me on a little regional jet from Houston to Lafayette.
We had more in common than I could have ever imagined. On the surface, it seemed that sharing this flight was the only common ground, but as we got to know one another, we laughed at how similar we were. As we soared over the rain drenched delta, we learned a lot.
We each had two children, a girl and a boy, of the same ages. We both were nervous of small planes and dubious of the hail that was periodically spitting out of the jet’s air vents. Both our mothers passed away from breast cancer.
It was a reminder of how we are all more alike than we think. Even when you can’t imagine it.
About My Recipe for Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo
When I got home on Friday, I was exhausted. And eager for a home cooked meal. As delicious as my adventures were over the last several days – and I can’t wait to share those with you – all I wanted was comfort food. I wanted something simple.
Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo, with lots of garlicky sauce, over a bed of white rice. I have shared some adobo recipes with you before, but they are variations and hybrids of this, the most basic and true to the adobo my mother made, and the kind my father loves best. This is a favorite dish, and one that I can make with my eyes closed.
Adobo is typically one of the first dishes you taste when you’re first introduced to Filipino food, and for good reason – it’s the national dish, and it is simply delicious. I often make it with all chicken, but my dad prefers it like this, with pork, and together, it braises in a rich and flavorful sauce of soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.
If I have time, I start marinating the meat the night before, but often, I make this meal in 30 minutes, and it is still bursting with rich flavor when I bring it to the table. It’s a dish that will please your tastebuds, no matter what foods you grew up eating, a dish that reminds you that truly, we’re more alike than we think.
More of My Favorite Filipino Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
Filipino-style Picadillo Bowls
Instant Pot Beef Nilaga (Filipino Beef and Vegetable Soup)
Lumpiang Shanghai – Filipino Spring Rolls (Lumpia)
Ensaymada: Filipino Brioche Bread
Taho: Filipino Silken Tofu with Sago Pearls and Syrup
Ube Halaya (Filipino Purple Yam Jam)
Filipino Chicken and Pork Adobo
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs on the bone
- 1 small pork tenderloin sliced in 1/2 inch rounds
- 1/3 cup soy sauce I like Silver Swan for this recipe
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1 small head of garlic minced
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken and pork in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and pepper, in a non-reactive bowl, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, rotating at least once. The chicken can also marinate overnight.
- Place the chicken, bay leaves and marinade in a deep sided sauté pan and cook over medium heat. When the sauce is bubbling, turn the chicken and cook until the meat is nearly cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, add oil to the pan, and brown the chicken and pork on all sides, working in batches. Return the sauce to the pan, bring to a boil and lower heat to a simmer. Adjust the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce a thick and deep color.
- Serve over rice.
I see you also prefer Silver Swan soy sauce. Now days you can only get it iplastic bottles but I transfer it to my one remaining glass bottle . Sometimes I add a little diced onion in the sauce
George, that is a good tip to transfer the Silver Swan into a glass bottle! Glad you enjoy the adobo!
I’m just wondering about the step: “Transfer the sauce to a bowl, add oil to the pan, and brown the chicken and pork on all sides, working in batches.”
Is this right? You’re browning the chicken AFTER cooking it? You’re supposed to scoop all the sauce out of the cooking pan, leaving the chicken behind, then add oil and brown the chicken in the same pan? But wouldn’t any sauce left behind burn before the chicken browns? And “work in batches” implies that the chicken is not left in the pan – otherwise, how do you work in batches with all the chicken in the pan? Someone printed this recipe for me and after reading it, I had to come here for some clarification because it didn’t make sense to me. I appreciate any light you can shed on it. Thanks!
Hi Buck,
Yes, you read correctly. So part of what gives this adobo it’s flavor is how it is braised. In any braise, you typically brown the meat then add a liquid and allow it to simmer. The way I braise adobo is a little different in that I begin the cooking process with the sauce to allow the flavors to really get into the meat, then subtract the sauce and brown the meat before reintroducing the sauce again. As long as you drain all the sauce and add some oil, you will not have any sauce burning. I mention working in batches because depending on the size of your pan, if you find that the chicken is overcrowded, you might not get any browning, but you may not have this issue. I hope this helps! Enjoy!
Loren, thank you for that super helpful explanation, I’ve gathered my ingredients and will be attempting this over the weekend. Fingers crossed! Thanks again.
You’re very welcome, Buck, I hope you enjoy the adobo!
P.S. Stupid autocorrect changed your name and I didn’t notice until after submitting and I couldn’t figure out how to edit :-P Sorry!
No worries!
Hi Liren,
Found your site through Skinnytaste! I used your recipe to make chicken adobo for the first time a few months ago and it came out just like my mom’s as I remember from my childhood. I was so happy to be able to make a traditional recipe for the first time with ease, so thank you for that! Now this is in rotation in my kitchen all the time ☺️
Hi Heather,
You have no idea how happy this makes me! I’m so glad you found me through Gina at Skinnytaste (she’s awesome!) – and even happier that the adobo recipe brought you a taste of your childhood and is a regular in your rotation. That means SO much!!
thank u
You’re welcome!
Awesome, this looks so delicious. I love chicken very much, I can’t wait to try your recipe. Thank you so much for sharing this post!
Like the other poster i found this way overpowering and salty. After experimentation i found my own method. Marinate meat with thick soy. Make a simmering stock with 3 different soys,add vinegar to taste but also add a small amount of water. 1 onion finely chopped and browned as step 1 adds another element of taste and helps reduce the added liquidity.quite nice!
I rarely make pork at home just because I never know how to cook it. This chicken and pork adobo sounds incredible! (Also – I’m totally the person that’ll strike up a convo with you just when you’re trying to get a little rest…haha).
Hi Liren,
Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I think you nailed it by suggesting I may have reduced the sauce too long! I should have known better. This recipe is certainly worth another try and this time I will look for Silver Swan. It was not available in our local chain grocery.
I will conquer this and post my success!!!
I followed the recipe using chicken and pork and the overpowering saltiness and flavor of soy sauce was too much. I served this last night for a dinner party of 6 and we were quite disappointed. I don’t know what difference the garlic, vinegar and bay leaf made because I couldn’t taste them. I will continue trying your recipes and have had good success with others. Maybe I should try again by cutting way back on the soy sauce?
Hi Karen,
I am so disappointed to hear that the adobo did not turn out to your liking. Several thoughts regarding the saltiness:
The brand of soy sauce can definitely make a difference. I personally like Silver Swan, but if not available, Kikkoman is fine. You could try low sodium if that suits your palate better. You can certainly cut back the soy sauce (I like a 50:50 soy sauce to vinegar ration, but everyone is different), or alternatively, you can also water the sauce down with a little water.
Also, I wonder if the sauce reduced down a little too long, resulting in a more salty sauce. Again, if that happens, check the taste and add a little water if necessary.
I hope that helps, and really hope it turns out better for you next time!
-Liren
This sounds amazing! I myself and craving a home cooked meal, I’ve had a ton of company and everyone has been wanting to eat out. I cannot wait to get back in the kitchen and make something like this.
Enjoyed your plane story about connections. Also LOVE this recipe. Way simple and I wasn’t expected that. I gotta try this one. Thank you!
I sat next to a woman on a 4 hour flight last year – reminded me so much of my mom – we talked the whole way and then walked to baggage claim together. So delightful, the flight went so quickly! GORGEOUS adobo dish. I love anything rich with vinegar and soy sauce, can only imagine how wonderful this tastes!
Can we add turkey chicken as an ingredient.
I haven’t yet tried turkey adobo, but why not? Let me know how it works out!
will try it this week! needing some comfort food!
Hope you like it, Drisdy!!
If you have the patience of a saint to stop yourself from eating adobo as soon as it is remove from the stove, you are in for a win. Adobo tastes even better after a few days!
You can even add boiled egg, sweet plantains (but that’s another dish), potatoes and what not.
So true, Didi, adobo is always better the next day!
I struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger as well! He was a nice guy… another photographer who wanted to pick my brain about locations to photograph around Boston. Kinda neat!
It was so nice seeing you last week! Makes me a little sad we’re not closer.
This dish is so comforting! And it’s totally striking!
Isn’t it amazing how much smaller the world becomes when we open up just a little? What an interesting guy to meet – he picked the right person to find great Boston locations!
So glad you made it safe and sound, Brian. Wish Boston wasn’t so far away!