Friday, November 25, 2011

Garlicky Chicken Adobo


Adobo is an all-time favorite dish of Filipinos. Be it Chicken or Pork, each Filipino family has their own preferred way of making Adobo. Depending on "how they want it" or "the recipe they get used to". Some people prefer it with very thick sauce, some add coconut milk, some put pineapple, some like it very dry, some opt for very less soy  sauce. There are plenty of variations of adobo.

I've tried so many recipes of adobo but this recipe is definitely the one I'm keeping. I opt for a chicken adobo with thicker sauce and a little  bit of sweetness on it! I also want the chicken to be sauteed in lots of garlic after stewing in vinegar & soy sauce which brings more depth to its flavor. And I want it garlicky! So, I did a little modification on the recipe to harmonize with my taste buds. I personally prefer the thigh part of the chicken for its tenderness & juiciness. I used seasoned rice vinegar instead of the plain white one because I find the plain white vinegar more acidic, tarter and smells more pungent. Rice vinegar makes a sweeter and milder alternatives. That's why I make sure I always have a stock of rice vinegar in my kitchen. Regular vinegar primarily processes from ethanol while rice vinegar is produced by fermenting rice. I also sprinkled sugar which rendered a little bit of sweetness and also to balance off the flavors of sour to salt. I served this adobo last night for our dinner. My husband and my 2-year old son really like it! Over brown rice! Here's the recipe I'd like to share.


Ingredients:

 10 pcs. chicken thigh
 1-1/2 cups seasoned rice vinegar
 1 cup water
 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
 2 bay leaves
 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns, freshly ground 
 3/4 cup soy sauce
 3 tablespoons olive oil
 1 tablespoon minced garlic (for sauteeing after stewing)
 1 teaspoon sugar


How to cook:
In a large non-stick pot, combine all ingredients except soy sauce, oil, minced garlic and sugar, bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Add soy sauce and stir to coat chicken evenly. Simmer, covered, another 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate, shaking off as much excess liquid as possible.

Raise heat to medium-high, add sugar and boil sauce until reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let sauce cool. Remove bay leaves and skim fat from surface.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat until hot but just before smoking. Sauté chicken in minced garlic in few batches, turning pieces halfway, until browned evenly on both sides, about 5 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a rimmed platter, pour sauce over. Serve hot with sauce-drizzled rice and ENJOY!!!

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