Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
The long simmer of this Slow Cooker One Pot Chicken Adobo delivers succulent chicken thighs and drums with a savory sauce of vinegar and soy sauce, spiked with garlic and peppercorns. Serve this national dish of the Philippines with hot rice.
Servings: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 12 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1-2 birds-eye chilis or Thai chilis
- 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon sliced scallion tops for garnish
Instructions
- In a small dish, whisk together the vinegar and soy sauce then pour into the bottom of a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add the garlic cloves and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken thighs and the legs then transfer them to the slow cooker, turning to coat in the sauce.
- Add the chilis, peppercorns and the bay leaves. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours until the chicken is tender.
- When ready to serve, remove and discard the chilis and bay leaves, transfer the chicken to a dish and garnish with snipped scallions or chopped parsley. Pour the sauce into a dish or pitcher. (see notes.)
- Serve the chicken adobo with white rice along with the sauce.
Notes
Thickening the sauce: For a gravy-like finish, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Bring the sauce to a boil in a small pan, stir in the slurry, and cook until thickened.
Browning the chicken: Optional, but worth it. Searing adds deep flavor and a golden finish to the meat.
Skip the salt: Don’t season the chicken before browning. The soy sauce provides all the salt you need.
Soy sauce: Regular soy was used here. For a lower-sodium version, sub in reduced-sodium soy sauce.
Vinegar options: Apple cider vinegar brings subtle sweetness, but rice vinegar or white vinegar work just as well.
Best chicken cuts: Dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) adds the most flavor thanks to higher fat content. Skinless cuts are fine too.
Chili substitutions: The chili is optional. For mild heat, swap in ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 1304mg | Fiber: 1g
