This flavorful Mexican Chicken Adobo is made with traditional dried chilies and seasonings to create a smoky homemade adobo sauce that you braise your chicken in, until it’s so tender it falls off the bone!.
Never tried Chicken Adobo, Pollo en Adobo, before? Now is the time to remedy that! The word Adobo comes from the Spanish word adobar, which means to marinate. It’s the ultimate Spanish chicken dinner recipe that tastes – and looks – like a million bucks. I mean, let’s talk about that beautiful burgundy sauce! Don’t you just want to dip a spoon right into it? I know I do.
Coming back to taste, the first forkful of this braised chicken is guaranteed to delight the tastebuds. The sauce has a wonderful deep smokey flavor, while the three (that’s right, three!) types of chiles add a warm spiciness to each bite. Throw in a little garlic, and this chicken dish becomes the recipe to beat as far as flavorful dinnertime favorites are concerned!.
The chicken is simmered in the homemade adobo sauce until it is literally falling off the bone it is so tender. Serve this Mexican style Adobo Chicken with your favorite Spanish sides and watch it disappear!.
Filipino food that tastes great and is quick and easy to make is adobo chicken breast. Soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, pepper, and other spices are mixed together and cooked with the chicken to give it a tangy, savory taste. This recipe is flexible because it can be made with chicken breasts, drumsticks, or thighs with bones still in them. There are only a few easy things you need to make a tasty chicken dinner in less than an hour.
Overview of Adobo Chicken Breast
Adobo chicken breast is made by braising chicken pieces in a blend of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, whole black peppercorns and bay leaves. It’s commonly served with white rice and veggies on the side. Some key things to know:
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You can use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks, but boneless, skinless chicken breasts also work. Boneless breasts will just cook faster.
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Marinating Chicken can be marinated overnight but not required
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Sauce: The flavor of adobo is made from a mix of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf.
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Cooking Method Chicken pieces are seared then simmered in the sauce until cooked through and tender.
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Flavor Expect a wonderful balance of salty, sweet and tangy flavors in this sauce
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Serve With: Perfect with steamed white or brown rice. Also delicious with a simple salad.
Now let’s get into the step-by-step method for how to make juicy, flavorful adobo chicken breast at home.
Ingredients Needed
Adobo chicken breast requires just a handful of ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar (cane, rice wine, coconut or white vinegar)
- Garlic
- Whole black peppercorns
- Bay leaves
- Yellow onion
- Vegetable or canola oil
For specific measurements, check the recipe notes below.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps for tender adobo chicken breast ready in just 30 minutes:
1. Prepare the Chicken
- Use 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Sear the Chicken
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.
- Transfer seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
3. Cook the Onions
- Add sliced onions to the same skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes until softened and browned.
4. Make the Adobo Sauce
- To the skillet, add soy sauce, minced garlic, whole peppercorns and bay leaves.
- Pour in the vinegar last. Do not stir it in yet or the sauce can taste too acidic.
5. Simmer the Chicken
- Return chicken breasts to the skillet and bring sauce to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
6. Finish the Sauce
- Uncover and let sauce simmer for a few minutes to thicken up.
- Turn off heat and let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
That’s it! For a complete list of measurements and timing, see the full recipe below.
Tips for Perfect Adobo Chicken Breast
To make sure you get the best adobo chicken breast, here are some tips:
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Use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks if you want a more authentic, flavorful dish. Cook until 165°F internal temperature.
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Consider marinating the raw chicken in the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and pepper overnight in the fridge for even more flavor.
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Use the vinegars recommended. Avoid balsamic, flavored or black vinegars.
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Don’t stir the vinegar into the soy sauce right away. This helps burn off the acidity.
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Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute into the meat.
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Add a tablespoon of brown sugar if the sauce tastes too acidic or tangy for your preference.
Full Adobo Chicken Breast Recipe
Now that you know how to make adobo chicken breast, give this easy recipe a try:
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1⁄4 cup soy sauce
- 1⁄2 cup rice vinegar or coconut vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1⁄2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1⁄2 yellow onion, sliced
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Set chicken aside.
- Add sliced onions to skillet. Cook 3-5 minutes until softened.
- Make sauce by adding soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf and vinegar to skillet.
- Return chicken to skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Uncover skillet and let sauce thicken another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.
Serve this easy adobo chicken breast with steamed white or brown rice and enjoy! Leftovers will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.
FAQs
What is the traditional way to make chicken adobo?
The traditional method uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks. They are simmered in soy sauce, vinegar and spices until super tender and flavorful.
Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts?
Yes, boneless breasts can be used. The cooking time will be faster, so watch closely for doneness. Expect 15-20 minutes simmer time.
Is chicken adobo spicy?
Adobo chicken is not a spicy dish. However, you can add chili peppers or hot sauce to give it some heat if desired.
What vinegar is best for chicken adobo?
Traditionally, regular white vinegar or cane vinegar are used. For a less acidic flavor, try coconut or rice wine vinegar. Avoid balsamic, black or flavored vinegars.
Can I prepare chicken adobo in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours until chicken is very tender and cooked through.
More Delicious Adobo Recipes to Try
Once you master the basic adobo chicken breast, try these flavorful variations:
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Pork Adobo – The classic Filipino pork version
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Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk – Richer, creamier sauce
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Chicken Adobo Casserole – Baked chicken adobo dish
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Chicken Adobo Wings – Excellent appetizer
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Adobo Salmon – With ginger and lemongrass
So get ready to impress your family with this easy, delicious Filipino classic – adobo chicken breast! The tangy, savory sauce is so addicting and pairs perfectly with rice.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
This pollo en adobo can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. You can microwave the chicken in short segments (30 seconds) until warm to reheat leftovers, or you can heat a pan on low on the stove and warm the chicken that way. If the adobo sauce is too thick, add a splash of water to it.
What is Chicken Adobo?
Filipino Chicken Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish. Vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, and other things are used to marinate and/or braise chicken.
Mexican Chicken Adobo: a Mexican adobo sauce is made with three types of dried Mexican chiles, lots of spices, vinegar, garlic, onion and tomatoes and the chicken is braised/simmered in the sauce until tender. This version does NOT include soy sauce. The smoky flavor combination is truly over the top and makes any cut of chicken irresistible.
Let’s round up the ingredients you’ll need to get started on this chicken adobo:
- Cooking Oil: I like to use olive oil, but canola oil will also do.
- Chicken: You’ll need 2 pounds of chicken legs without skin and 1 pound of chicken thighs without skin and bones.
- Tomatoes: Use Roma tomatoes, if you can, roughly chopped.
- Onion: Before you start, get 1 white onion and roughly chop it up.
- Garlic: You’ll need 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled.
- Chiles: Chop and seed 4 dried guajillo peppers, 1 dried ancho pepper, and 1 dried chipotle pepper. You can add more or less of each depending on how spicy you like your food.
- Chicken Broth: Low-sodium chicken broth is just fine.
- Plain vinegar and white vinegar will also work. Apple cider vinegar
- For spices, I like to use cumin powder, dried thyme, Mexican oregano, ground cloves, dried bay leaves, and salt.