Filipino Chicken Adobo

Happy Thursday, friends!

We're just one day away from the weekend, and that always makes me happy! The President will be in town tomorrow, very close to where my office is, which means traffic will be oh-so-much fun since they will shut down the highway for several miles in either direction from about 2 pm until...??? In downtown Austin. On a Friday. Yeah, whoever had that bright idea is not  my favorite person at the moment. But whatevs. It is what it is, right?? The news yesterday was actually recommending that businesses in the area either let people work from home, shut down for the day, or let their staff leave by noon to avoid the chaos. UT actually cancelled classes for the day. We're keeping our fingers crossed for a noon closing time, but we shall see!

I had this chicken on my menu off and on for a couple of months. For one reason or another it just kept getting bumped back. I think originally I even had a different recipe that I was going to use, but I decided that one was too...involved (i.e. time consuming) for me. Because you all know I'm all about the quick and easy weeknight meals.

Granted, this one does need to marinate for a bit, but a minimum of 20 minutes is no biggie, right? Or if you are more organized that I am these days, you can throw it in the marinade the night before and it'll be ready to go when you're ready to cook the next night! That would be my preferred method but...I'm not so great at looking ahead at recipes these days. Well, who am I kidding, I was bad about that even before I had a Tater in the oven!

Anywho...this chicken. You guys.

Marinated in garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar and then you make a sauce using the marinade and some brown sugar and water. How does the mere thought of that not make your mouth water??

It's amazing. The sauce gets thick and sticky and coats the chicken so nicely. Top it with some chopped green onions and then you bite into a moist, flavorful  chicken thigh and think you've died and gone to Heaven. Yes, it's that good.

And, minus the time to marinate, it's ready to eat in 30 minutes, just like we like it around here!! 

Filipino Chicken Adobo

As seen on Recipe Tin Eats

Ingredients

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 to 6 pieces)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ⅓ cup soy sauce 
• ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 3 dried bay leaves (or 4 fresh)
• 3 Tbsp cooking oil
• 1½ cups water
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp whole black pepper
• 2 scallions, sliced

Preparation

1. Combine the chicken with half of the minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaves in a shallow dish or bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or overnight.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat. Place the chicken in the heated skillet (reserve the marinade) and sear on each side, about 1 minute, until nicely browned but not cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm. 
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet, reduce the heat to medium high, add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant. 
4. Add the reserved marinade, water, sugar and black pepper. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. 
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the chicken back in, top side down (ie the smooth side should face down). Leave to simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes (no need to stir) until chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduces down to a thick glaze and when you turn the chicken over, it is coated. It will thicken more as it rests, as well. 
6. Serve chicken topped with sliced scallions and your favorite grain and veggie!