Lola Gloria's Chicken Adobo
Filipino chicken braised in vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. The national dish of the Philippines, perfected in Blacktown kitchens.
The Story Behind This Recipe
My friend's grandmother's recipe from Manila - Maria Santos
In Blacktown, Western Sydney, where the Filipino community has grown to become one of the largest in Australia, my friend's Lola (grandmother) Gloria makes chicken adobo every Sunday after church. She's been making it for sixty-three years - first in Manila, then during her years in Hong Kong, and finally here in Sydney since 1985. "Adobo is home," she says simply. "No matter where I am in the world, when I smell adobo cooking, I am in my mother's kitchen in Quezon City."
Chicken adobo is often called the unofficial national dish of the Philippines, and every Filipino family has their own version passed down through generations. The word "adobo" comes from the Spanish "adobar" (to marinate), but the technique of cooking meat in vinegar is distinctly Filipino, predating Spanish colonization. It was originally a preservation method in the tropical heat - the vinegar and garlic kept the meat safe to eat for days. Now it's simply delicious.
What makes Lola Gloria's adobo special is her precise balance of soy sauce to vinegar, her insistence on using Filipino cane vinegar (or as she calls it, "proper vinegar"), and her technique of reducing the sauce at the end until it's thick, glossy, and intensely flavorful. "Some people like their adobo soupy," she explains. "That's fine for them. But in my family, we reduce the sauce until it coats the chicken like a glaze. That's proper adobo."
The cooking process is deceptively simple but relies on proper technique. Chicken pieces (always bone-in, skin-on for Lola Gloria - "the bones give flavor, the skin gives richness") are braised in a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. No browning first - the chicken goes straight into the liquid. It simmers until tender, then the sauce reduces to a concentrated, tangy-savory glaze. The smell while it cooks - sharp vinegar mellowing into savory depth - fills the house and draws everyone to the kitchen.
Lola Gloria serves adobo the traditional way: over steaming white rice, with the reduced sauce spooned generously over everything. The rice is essential - it soaks up the intense sauce and balances the strong flavors. Sometimes she'll hard-boil eggs in the adobo sauce during the last 15 minutes, creating adobo eggs that are prized at her table. "Whoever gets the eggs is lucky," she laughs.
Every Sunday, after church, the Filipino community gathers at various houses in Blacktown for shared meals. Lola Gloria's house is a popular stop because everyone knows she makes the best adobo. "It tastes like my own Lola's adobo," people tell her, the highest compliment. This recipe represents the Filipino-Australian experience - maintaining culinary identity across oceans, teaching the next generation, and creating community through food that tastes like home.
"Every recipe tells a story, and every story brings us closer to the heart of home."
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Scaled Ingredients:
💡 Tip: Cooking times may need adjustment when scaling. Larger batches may take longer, smaller batches may cook faster.
Ingredients
For Serving
Pro Tips
- • Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for maximum flavor - boneless breast will be dry.
- • Don't skimp on the garlic - a whole head is traditional and creates that signature flavor.
- • Don't stir during the first 20 minutes of simmering - this keeps the meat tender.
- • Filipino cane vinegar has the best flavor, but white or apple cider vinegar work.
- • Reduce the sauce at the end for that proper thick, glossy glaze.
- • Adobo tastes even better the next day when the flavors have melded.
- • For crispy adobo: after braising, pan-fry the chicken pieces to crisp the skin before serving.
Storage
Adobo keeps refrigerated for 4-5 days and improves with age. The flavors deepen overnight. Freezes well for up to 3 months. The vinegar acts as a preservative.
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Leave the skin on - Lola Gloria insists this is essential for flavor and richness. If you prefer, you can remove it, but the adobo won't be as rich.
- 2
In a large, heavy-based pot or dutch oven, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, and water. Add the crushed garlic cloves (use the whole head - about 10-12 cloves!), bay leaves, peppercorns, and brown sugar if using. Stir to combine. Do NOT add salt - the soy sauce provides all the salt needed.
- 3
Add the chicken pieces to the pot, arranging them in a single layer if possible. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat - do NOT cover at first. Lola Gloria says the steam needs to escape to mellow the vinegar.
5 minutes - 4
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Don't stir during this time - Lola Gloria's rule. Stirring makes the meat tough. Just let it simmer peacefully, the vinegar working its magic to tenderize the chicken.
20 minutes - 5
After 20 minutes, you can gently turn the chicken pieces once. Cover the pot and continue simmering for another 20-25 minutes until the chicken is very tender and cooked through. The sauce will have reduced slightly and smell incredible - sharp vinegar transformed into mellow, savory depth.
25 minutes - 6
If adding hard-boiled eggs (already peeled), add them now. Let them simmer in the sauce for 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors. They'll turn brown and develop the distinctive adobo flavor.
15 minutes - 7
Remove the chicken pieces and eggs (if using) to a serving platter. Cover to keep warm. This is Lola Gloria's technique: increase the heat to medium-high and let the sauce reduce for 5-10 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken to a glossy glaze that coats the back of a spoon.
10 minutes - 8
Taste the sauce and adjust if needed - add a splash more vinegar for tanginess, or a pinch of sugar for balance. Lola Gloria says good adobo should make you want to lick the spoon - tangy, savory, just slightly sweet, with intense garlic.
- 9
Return the chicken (and eggs) to the pot, turning to coat in the reduced sauce. Or, for presentation, arrange the chicken on a platter and pour the sauce over. Either way, every piece should glisten with that beautiful dark glaze.
- 10
Serve immediately over steaming white rice. Lola Gloria's serving method: a mound of rice, chicken pieces on top, eggs alongside if you made them, and generous spoonfuls of the thick sauce over everything. Garnish with sliced spring onions for color and freshness.
Ingredient Substitutions
Nutrition Information
Per serving (approximate)
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