Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo

 Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo

2 tablespoons coconut oil

15 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and thighs

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

½ cup coconut vinegar

½ cup soy sauce

8 fresh bay leaves

Cooked rice, for serving

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the garlic, whole peppercorns, freshly ground pepper and red-pepper flakes, drop the temperature to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is toasted and softened and mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook over medium-high, undisturbed, until fat starts to render, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk, coconut vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves and 1 cup water, and let the mixture come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken feels loosened and just about falling off the bone, stirring halfway through, about 1 hour.

Increase the temperature to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened to a velvety gravy, about 15 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Source: NY Times

Coconut vinegar: I use rice vinegar.

*It varies by recipe but I do 1 to 1 ratio of vinegar and soy sauce and make enough to cover the chicken (I use bone in thighs). I also put onions in the skillet with the chicken and sauce while it simmers.

*Since I started using balsamic vinegar, I never went back

*I use 1 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1 cup water. I also like to use ribs as the meat.

*Tips for adobo: I use a whole garlic bulb for 2 pounds of meat. And for 2 pounds of meat, I use a cup of soy sauce and around 3/4 of vinegar. When you have all the things in a pot, bring it to boil before stirring it, to "cook" the vinegar. (Tame down that sharp acidic taste). Adding hard boiled eggs to your adobo is a game changer . I usually add the cooked eggs when my adobo has simmered, just right before the broth dries out and the fat from the meat renders out. Also feel free to add dried chili flakes

*Kenji's recipe: +1. Use his recipe (I did the 50/50 dark and regular soy sauce) and followed comment suggestions to reduce the brown sugar way down to like a table spoon max. Used regular white vinegar. Turned out sensational (one of the best dishes I’ve made). I also added sliced onions and chopped chilli.

*Adobo Chicken (Joshua Weissman)

Serves: 4

If you need to purchase the dark soy sauce and especially the Silver Swan® Soy Sauce and the Superior Quality® palm sugar, then do so at your local Asian Grocery or Amazon. They are essential in making this dish sing.

- 4 chicken drumsticks

- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

- 20 garlic cloves, heavily crushed

- 1 1/4 cup (300ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

- 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce (Silver Swan® Brand)

- 1/4 cup (60ml) Lee Kum Kee® Premium dark soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon (7g) whole black peppercorns

- 1 puck Superior Quality ® palm sugar (approx. 55g), chopped

- 4 bay leaves

- 1/2 cup (120ml) water

Mix all ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Add chicken.

Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove chicken from marinade, pat dry, and sear well on all sides in a tablespoon or two of the cooking oil of your choice. Remove chicken to a platter.

In the same skillet, add marinade and bring it to a boil, then add chicken in single layer, cover with a lid and simmer 35 minutes, turn chicken, cover again, and simmer another 25-35 minutes, turning occasionally, until well-glazed.

- Sliced Green onions for topping.

- White Rice (of your choice) for serving.