Chicken adobo is another popular Filipino dish. It traditionally consists of chicken pieces slowly cooked in garlic, vinegar, bay leaf, black peppercorns and soy sauce. The meat is then browned in oil and served with the reduced sauce. Every Filipino has his/her own way of cooking chicken adobo. Some used onions, brown sugar, pineapple or coconut milk. It depends on the region or on one’s personal preference.
This recipe is quite different to the traditional chicken adobo. The chicken pieces are first marinated in vinegar and a mixture of spices for 2 hours, slowly cooked in the marinade and then browned in oil. The addition of coriander and annatto seeds give this adobo dish its warm, spicy-sweet scent, distinct yellow color and its slightly lemony flavor. This dish is so delicious and flavorful that you will be proud to take to any potluck 
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon annatto seeds
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 kg chicken pieces
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, vinegar, chicken stock, bay leaf, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, annatto seeds and soy sauce in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover and leave to marinade in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to a large heavy-based pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Gently turn chicken occasionally during course of cooking.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Set aside the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chicken in batches and cook over medium heat until chicken are crisp and brown.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces and serve with rice.
- Enjoy!
Notes
This recipe is adapted from “The Essential Asian Cookbook”
Annatto seeds may be purchased at any local Filipino store. If it is not available, substitute ¼ teaspoon paprika combined with a generous pinch of turmeric.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks great! How much chicken? Do you leave the skin on?
Oops! Thanks for letting me know Christine
As for the skin, you can remove or leave it on. What I did was to leave it on and it was sooo delicious.
Hi – thanks! How much chicken did you start with for this recipe – I see it serves 6 and we’re only 2 – it would help me in my shopping if you included the weight or parts of chicken you used. Can’t wait to try it
Whoops! Just saw you added it to the recipe! Thanks!
My pleasure Christine
A big THANK YOU to you for spotting what I have missed! Enjoy your chicken adobo. If you prefer, sift the sauce before you pour it over the chicken to remove the seeds. Let me know how it goes.
yummy!
My aunt is from Philippines but she doesn’t eat any spice. so should i avoid the annatto seeds? and will the coriander seed also make it spicy. My aunt can’t even handle raw onions. so trying to make it for her. Pls let me know/.
Hi Ruth,
Thanks for stopping by. It is nice of you to cook something for your aunt and adobo is a good choice. It is a dish most Filipinos love. To answer your question,as far as I know, annatto seeds are not spicy. It is used mainly for color. Coriander seeds,on the other hand,adds a certain taste to the adobo. When crushed, it is spicy but if you leave it whole, it’s okay. What I would suggest is for you to cook and try it first. This recipe is one of my fave..so flavorful and delicious. I am not fond of spicy food and don’t like eating raw onions either. And lastly, strain the sauce first to get rid of the seeds before pouring it over the chicken. This way your aunt won’t bite any seeds as she eats. Give it a try and let me know!