Chicken Adobo: A Filipino Staple

 

Chicken adobo is the perfect marriage between the sweetened saltiness of soy sauce and the pungent sourness of vinegar. It's fitting that the first time I ever tasted adobo, my husband (then boyfriend) cooked it for me. He only knows how to cook a few dishes, mainly variations of rice and eggs, so that should tell you how easy this dish is to prepare.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1 1/2 lb chicken drummettes

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 cloves of garlic, minced

Cooking:

2 tbsp cooking oil

4 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onions, sliced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp black peppercorns

1 1/2 cups water

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup white vinegar

3 bay leaves

1 bag of collard greens or kale (l lb)

ground black pepper, to taste

2 green onions, sliced

In a bowl, combine the chicken and the marinade ingredients. Let stand for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Heat oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Carefully add in the chicken and reserve the marinade for later. Brown the chicken on all sides. Add mushrooms and cook until slightly browned. Add onions and fry for approximately 1 minute. Add garlic and peppercorns and stir for an additional 1 minute. Be careful since the peppercorns may pop. Continually stirring helps to distribute the heat to minimize the popping of the peppercorns and prevent the burning of the garlic. Add in the reserved marinade, water, brown sugar, and bay leaves, along with the additional soy sauce and vinegar. Let the sauce come to a boil.

Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as the water begins to evaporate. You can adjust the flavors to your liking by adding a touch of either soy sauce, vinegar, or sugar.

I like to add in leafy greens such as collard greens or kale. There is something special about the leaves absorbing the salty, savory, sour soup that really elevates this dish for me. I'm also all for combining meat and vegetable dishes into one-pot easy meals. It's a win-win! Don't be afraid to pile the greens. As you stir, the leaves will become limp and you'll be surprised at how much you can fit into the pan. Finish off with ground black pepper and green onions on top.

Serve over rice.