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    Chicken Adobo

    Updated May 21, 2025 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    Filipino chicken adobo is a flavor bomb in the best way! Chicken thighs are marinated in adobo sauce, which is tangy, sweet, fragrant and EASY, then simmered to tender, juicy perfection.

    homemade chicken adobo on a serving platter topped with chopped green onions

    Filipino Chicken Adobo is a One-Pot Flavor Explosion

    Our classic Filipino chicken adobo recipe is here to give your weeknight chicken dinner plans a jolt of excitement. Since we first shared it, we’ve gotten so much love for this delicious recipe! Chicken adobo is inherently easy. Even the most classic, most authentic recipes are all about ease because salty, sweet, acidic adobo sauce is naturally bold and basic.  

    Chicken thighs get soaked in that punchy adobo sauce, first with a long marinade and then by being fully simmered in the sauce. By the time you’re ready to serve dinner, that chicken will absolutely pop with so much flavorful goodness! This recipe isn’t a super time-saver, but it’s largely effortless! Simply plan ahead a bit, and make sure you’ve got a good, big skillet handy. Are you hungry yet?? Let’s make chicken adobo! Want even more chicken thigh inspiration? Our round up of the 30 Best Chicken Thigh Recipes (yes, 30!) has you covered. 

    bowl of white vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, brown sugar, chicken thighs and veg oil on the counter

    What Our Readers Love About This Recipe

    • I made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit! This is similar to teriyaki chicken, except that it is more tangy and more depth of flavor. I cooked it slow while I worked on other things, and let the sauce simmer down to a thick consistency. It was incredible! Super easy, super tasty, and so worth it! Enjoy!! - C
    • This adobo recipe is spot on! The ratio of vinegar to soy sauce is just right. The sugar balances it all out. Ive tried other recipes and had to taste to adjust. This turned out perfect. So easy to follow too. - Fides
    chicken adobo marinade made with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves and brown sugar in a glass bowl
    A glass bowl filled with boneless, skinless, chicken thighs being marinated in adobo sauce

    Tips + FAQs

    • Do marinate the chicken long enough! At least an hour, but 3 hours is even better. Some of our readers have shared in the comments that they marinate the chicken for 24 hours, but we haven’t tested it that way ourselves.
    • It’s really essential that you use chicken thighs for this recipe, because you really need at least a little hearty chicken fat in the mix, so ignore any temptation to use chicken breasts on this one, OK?
    • Chicken adobo is really all about that perfectly balanced adobo sauce, with bold, big flavors all coming together, and particularly about the assertive flavor of white vinegar, so no subs please! 
    marinated chicken adobo chicken thighs being browned in a skillet

    Ingredients For the Best Chicken Adobo Sauce 

    • White vinegar: Distilled white vinegar is aggressively tangy, and it is a phenomenal tenderizer. Don’t fear the big flavors here, trust us! They work. 
    • Soy sauce (or tamari): This recipe is gluten free if you use a GF tamari, but if you are fine with gluten, soy sauce is great. 
    • Fresh garlic: And lots of it! Sharp and fragrant, it’s a star. 
    • Black peppercorns: We love the floral scent of whole black peppercorns. They’re such an everyday ingredient that sometimes we forget how magical black peppercorns really are, but since they are used whole in this recipe you get a chance to see and appreciate them a little more than usual. 
    • Bay leaves: Bay is similarly powerful and often overlooked. We love that it gets to shine here. 
    • Brown sugar: You really need a hint of sweetness in this recipe to balance out all of the big and assertive other flavors. Don’t skip the sugar! 
    Chicken adobo simmering in a skillet, with pieces of chicken coated in a rich, dark sauce

    How To Make Our Easy Chicken Adobo Recipe

    1. Marinate the chicken thighs in the adobo sauce for at least an hour, or as long as three hours.
    2. Brown the chicken thighs! They don’t need to be cooked through—focus on getting a nice golden-brown color and slightly crisp texture.
    3. Pour in the marinade and bring the chicken thighs and sauce to a boil. Simmer the chicken in the sauce until it has reduced by half and the chicken is completely cooked through. 
    Chicken adobo simmering in a skillet, with pieces of chicken coated in a rich, dark sauce sprinkled with green onions

    What To Serve With Chicken Adobo

    Keep it classic! You’ve got to serve chicken adobo in the classic Filipino way; over a big bed of perfectly steamed White Rice, sprinkled with fresh chopped scallions and plenty of that adobo sauce spooned over everything. If you have a rice cooker, this is its moment to shine. But if you don’t, no sweat! You can follow our stovetop rice cooking method (see link above).

    a platter of homemade chicken adobo sprinkled with green onions
    chicken adobo served over white rice and sautéed vegetables topped with green onions

    More Ultra-Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes

    a platter of homemade chicken adobo sprinkled with green onions
    chicken adobo served over white rice and sautéed vegetables topped with green onions

    Chicken Adobo?! More Like Chicken We ADORE-O!

    For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!

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    Chicken Adobo Recipe

    Updated May 21, 2025

    By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  6
    • Prep Time:  5 min
    • Cook Time:  25 min
    • Calories:  340
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    Description

    Filipino chicken adobo is a flavor bomb in the best way! Chicken thighs are marinated in adobo sauce, which is tangy, sweet, fragrant and EASY, then simmered to tender, juicy perfection.

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
    • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
    • 8 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • Cooked rice, for serving
    • 4 green onions, thinly sliced

    Method

    1. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour, and up to three hours.

      A glass bowl filled with boneless, skinless, chicken thighs being marinated in adobo sauce

    2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, working in batches, add the chicken thighs (reserving the marinade in the bowl) in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until the chicken begins to brown on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the chicken and repeat on the other side, about another 4 minutes. 

      marinated chicken adobo chicken thighs being browned in a skillet

    3. Add the remaining marinade to the skillet and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium/medium-low to maintain a heavy simmer for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken thighs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by half and is beginning to thicken, about 10 more minutes. When the chicken thighs reach 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, remove from the heat. 

      Chicken adobo simmering in a skillet, with pieces of chicken coated in a rich, dark sauce

    4. Serve the chicken thighs over cooked rice, sprinkled with green onions. 

      a platter of homemade chicken adobo sprinkled with green onions

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 340
    • Protein 46 g
    • Carbohydrates 5 g
    • Total Fat 14 g
    • Dietary Fiber 2 g
    • Cholesterol 0 mg
    • Sodium 1081 mg
    • Total Sugars 3 g

    Chicken Adobo

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

    or
    • Cynthia

      Do you have a jerk sauce recipe for wings

      We have a sauce we marinade are jerk kebabs in and you could use that on wings instead. https://themodernproper.com/grilled-jerk-chicken-kebabs Hope you enjoy!

    • Olivia

      Can I use vegetable oil instead of canola oil?

      Sure!

    • Josh

      According to the pictures it looks like your using a cast iron skillet, is this ideal to use for the recipe, I am worried about adding vinegar to my skillet and damaging the seasoning. What would you recommend?

      You can absolutely use something different. Non stick or stainless steel will work fine! Cast iron is just our go to preferred skillet.

    • Lynn

      I have a dinner party with men having huge appetites. Two little thighs will not work for them. How can I double or even triple this recipe without messing up the flavor profile.. Thanks so much?

      Should work find to double, hope you enjoy!

    • Heather

      Hello! Could you use chicken breasts in this recipe? How long would they cook in the pan for? Thank you!

      You could. Follow the same instructions but they won't need to cook quite as long. After you simmer them for the first 10 minutes an d you go to flip them start checking the internal temp after another 5 minutes. Temp needs to be 165F.

    • Chris

      I was really hoping to love this recipe but this sauce is not it. I always order pork adobo at my local Filipino restaurant and was SO hoping I could make the sauce myself to eat a healthier version with chicken at home but this recipe never thickened up and it just tastes like salt and vinegar. I wouldn't make it again.

    • Fides

      This adobo recipe is spot on! The ratio of vinegar to soy sauce is just right. The sugar balances it all out. Ive tried other recipes and had to taste to adjust. This turned out perfect. So easy to follow too.

      Thanks Fides, so glad you loved it!

    • Averry

      I just used a different recipe thinking it was this one 🙁 (I always use this one) and it called for water unfortunately. This recipe is great! No complaints, always super flavorful, down to the bone!

      Thanks Averry, we are so happy you love our recipe!

    • Donna

      Great flavor. Easy to follow recipe.

      Thanks Donna, so glad you enjoyed it!

    • Teresa

      Outstanding. Soaked for 24 hours. The tastiest. Thankyou

      Thanks Teresa, we are so glad you love it!