Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe – Very few dishes epitomize simple Filipino home cooking in quite the same way a Chicken Adobo does. As the soy sauce and vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns come up to a simmer together, there is a scent in the kitchen that smells comforting, full of strength and history. This is the sort of dish that does more than feed you; it also unfolds a narrative with every bite.

Chicken adobo is frequently known as the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, appreciated for its sweet-savory-tangy-garlicky balance. The Panlasang Pinoy way of preparing it is with ‎no frills, using very basic ingredients and steps that are guaranteed to yield a perfect or in my case, the closest flan you grew up eating. Like so many classic comfort dishes, adobo is even better the next day, when the chicken has soaked up some of that rich, glossy sauce.

What makes Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe special is its versatility and dependability. It’s inexpensive, naturally dairy-free, and super forgiving, which makes it great for catering to kids and meal prep on busy weeknights or feeding a lot of people in family dinners. Serve it with steamed rice, spoon plenty of sauce over the top, and you will know why this dish retains its classic Filipino status from generation to generation.

Origins of Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

The Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe is a precursor of preexisting Philippine cuisine, long before the Spanish settlers heavily influenced Spanish food in the Philippines and adopted it. The indigenous peoples of the Philippines had been cooking meat in vinegar as a method of preserving it with no refrigeration. This method did more than extend shelf life: It also made bold, tangy flavors that would later serve as the frame for what we recognize today as adobo.

When Spanish colonizers came along in the 16th century, they encountered this vinegar-soaked style of cooking and dubbed it “adobo,” influenced by the Spanish word adobar, which means to marinate. But Filipino adobo developed independently and is not the same as Spanish adobo. Eventually, soy sauce got into the mix, harmonizing with vinegar to provide the savory-tangy balance that defines today’s chicken adobo.

That’s what the Panlasang Pinoy style adobo tastes like: Filipino home cooking at its soul, where plain ingredients, comforting flavors and trusted technique are passed down generations. Bay leaves, garlic and whole peppercorns, and long slow cooking turn lowly chicken pieces into something deeply flavourful that only gets better with age. Fast forward to today, Chicken Adobo has since become a household favorite known throughout the country, a dish recognized by many as one of the simplest, yet unforgettable concoctions in Philippine cuisine.

Health Benefits of Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

It’s not just tasty, but the Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe is also healthy as long as it is eaten in moderation and balanced with other nutritious foods. With a base of protein-packed chicken, and everything held together by a savory vinegar sauce, this meal feeds your body without needing thick cream or sugar-induced highs.

“Chicken is not only a lean protein but also a high-quality protein that helps with muscle repair, satiety and energy for the day. Vinegar is also good for digestive health and can help control sugar levels, so if you replace it with lemon juice, the benefit would be lost; garlic provides natural antioxidants and immune support. Since adobo is cooked gently instead of being fried, it can be lighter than many saucy dishes when you exercise some oil and sodium restraint.

This meal is dairy-free friendly from the get-go and has an option to be lower in sodium depending on how much soy sauce you use, so it fits a wide variety of different diets.

Nutrition Highlights Table (Per Serving)

Tips & Tricks : Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

Tip : Use bone-in chicken pieces
Why this works: Bone-in thighs or drumsticks add collagen to the sauce as they simmer, which makes for a richer sauce and deeper flavor akin to slow-cooked comfort dishes such as Chicken Caldereta.

Tip: Get the vinegar-soy balance just right
Explanation: You’re starting with more vinegar than soy sauce here, and adjusting at the end as you like, so that the dish remains tangy rather than salty, an equilibrium crucial to traditional Filipino cooking.

Tip: Browning the chicken, then simmering it
Explanation: Just browning chicken very slightly adds to the depth, or umami, and is part of the reason the sauce sticks so beautifully to it; the technique is also used often in intensely flavored dishes like Marry Me Chicken.

Tip: Use whole garlic cloves
(You also have the fact that whole cloves of garlic soften and sweeten as they cook, so you are getting their flavor in a gentle, bitterness-free way, kind of like with recipes using Roasted Garlic Butter.)

Tip: Simmer it down!
Why this recipe works: A gentle simmer softens the vinegar and melds flavors in that glossy, iconic adobo sauce.

Tip: Allow the dish to stand before serving
Explanation: The resting time allows the chicken to soak up more sauce, enough for flavour just as it does in make-ahead comfort meals such as Low Sodium Chicken Soup.

Tip: Serve with plain rice
Explanation: Steamed rice is a perfect complement to spicy adobo sauce, and works the same way it does for traditional Chicken Fried Rice dishes.

Variations : Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

Variation: Chicken Adobo With Potatoes
Description: Throw in some cubed potatoes right before it’s done cooking and let them soak up that delicious sauce, turning a side dish into a hearty meal!

Variation: Creamy Coconut Chicken Adobo
Description: Add coconut milk at the end for a creamy, sweet surprise reminiscent of comfort-food favorites like Creamy Cajun Chicken.

Variation: Spicy Chicken Adobo
Description: Drop in a few dry chilies or fresh chili slices to let that warmth come without overshadowing the traditional vinegar-soy balance.

Variation: Garlic-Forward Chicken Adobo
Description: Amp up the garlic and smash a few cloves for even more garlicky smell and flavor, inspired by intense garlic recipes like Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers.

Variation: Low-Sodium Chicken Adobo
Description: Light on the sodium, add a little more vinegar to taste it and keep your heart healthy.

Variation: Crispy Skin Chicken Adobo. For a crispy skin version of this dishasyarakción, broil chicken for an additional 5 minutes before serving.
Description: Simmer it and then pan fry the chicken so it gets a slight edge, almost crisp & pour the sauce over to get the texture contrasts.

Variation: Shredded Chicken Adobo
Description: Shred the chicken and reduce the sauce to a deliciously thick version, perfect for rice bowls or wraps.

Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe From OoohDelish!

This Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe brings bold Filipino flavors straight to your table.
Tender chicken simmers slowly in a savory blend of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices.
The sauce turns rich and glossy as it cooks, coating every bite with deep, comforting flavor.
Simple ingredients come together in a timeless dish loved across generations.
Perfect with steamed rice, this classic recipe is pure comfort in every spoonful.

Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe

A classic Filipino chicken adobo made with tender chicken simmered in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns for a bold, comforting dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Resting Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Chicken Recipes, Easy Dinner ideas

Cuisine: Filipino Cuisine

Calories: 420

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 pounds chicken thighs or drumsticks
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup cane vinegar or white vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic smashed
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 cup water

Equipment

• Large deep skillet or pot
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cups

Method

 

1. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until warm.
2. Add chicken pieces and lightly brown on all sides until golden.
3. Pour in soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
4. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered until chicken is tender and sauce reduces.
5. Stir in brown sugar if using and cook until sauce turns glossy and rich.
6. Remove from heat and let rest briefly before serving.

Notes

• Bone-in chicken creates a richer sauce and deeper flavor.
• Letting the dish rest improves taste as the chicken absorbs the sauce.
• Use low-sodium soy sauce for a lighter version.
• Best served with steamed white rice to balance the bold flavors.

Share Your Twist on This Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe!

Did you make your Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe extra garlicky or slightly sweeter with more brown sugar?
Did you add potatoes, coconut milk, or chili for your own family-style version?
Maybe you let it simmer longer so the sauce turned darker, richer, and more intense.

However you make it, we’d love to see your version!
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FAQs: Chicken Adobo Panlasang Pinoy Recipe