Adobo Chicken

Rule #12: Keep it simple. Keep it flavorful.

Adobo Chicken originated in the Philippines way back in the day. The basis of the recipe is the marinade of apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and jalapeño. There are many, many versions of this delicious, flavorful dish. This is my Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner take on this traditional dinner (aka: it’s easy and healthy).

Marinating the chicken breast ahead of time really allows the flavors to soak in before you brown the chicken. I’m a huge fan of marinating chicken breast. (Pssst… it’s not the most flavorful cut of meat in the carnivorous world.) Traditional Adobo Chicken uses either a fryer or chicken thighs. I opt for chicken breast because it’s a bit lower in calories and fat.

Chicken Adobo Marinade

This marinade is as simple as they come: apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and a diced jalapeño pepper.

Nuzzle your chicken breasts in there, cover, and marinate in the fridge for about 8 hours or overnight. You can also throw these in a Ziploc bag and marinate them that way!

Brown the Chicken

Once the chicken has finished marinating, heat a bit of canola or vegetable oil to shimmering in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides (about 3 minutes per side), reserving the marinade for later.

Set the browned chicken to the side.

Make the Adobo Sauce

In the same pot or Dutch oven, sauté a diced onion until softened (about 8 minutes).

Add in some minced or pressed garlic; sauté another minute.

Now, pour in the reserve marinade, and stir to combine. Next, add in some agave syrup (or honey), Kosher salt, and black pepper.

Add in some chicken stock, stirring to combine. Make sure to scrape up all of the brown bits at the bottom (there’s flavor in the brown).

Then, add in a few bay leaves.

Nestle the chicken back into the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes (until chicken is cooked through).

The result is ohhhh soooo gloooorrioouuuussss! “Oh Happy Day!” I’m singing it in my head as I look at this picture and remember the savory, sweet, slightly spicy flavor of this Adobo Chicken!

What to Serve with Adobo Chicken

We love to have our Adobo Chicken with Cheesy Polenta and a simple salad. This recipe makes 5 good-sized servings each coming in at about 240 calories, 7g fat, 11g carbs, and 38g protein. The leftovers also freeze like a charm!

I think what I love most about this recipe is that it’s made with things I usually have on hand or that have a long shelf-life. So, if like most weeks, I get off on the Menu Plan I’ve made, I can just save this recipe for later or make it in a pinch!

There’s nothing like a low carb, delicious dinner that’s still insanely full of flavor!

Adobo Chicken

Adobo Chicken is an easy, traditional dish from the Philippines that's full of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavor! This recipe is an easy dinner that's healthy (only about 240 calories), low carb (11g), and high protein (38g) per serving. It's perfect for a busy weeknight!

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Prep Time 8 hours hrs

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Filipino

Servings 4

Calories 356 kcal

Ingredients

  

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• 3 tbs. apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 jalapeño pepper seeds and membranes removed, chopped
• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large)
• 1 tbs. canola oil or vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 5 garlic cloves minced or pressed
• 2 tbs. agave or honey
• ¼ tsp. Kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 3 tbs. chicken stock or water

Instructions

 

• Marinate chicken in apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and jalapeño in a large glass dish or Ziploc bag overnight in the fridge (or 8 hours before cooking).
• Remove from fridge while you prepare the sauce. Heat 1 tbs. canola or vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven. Remove chicken from marinade (reserving marinade) and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side). Remove browned chicken to a plate. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened (about 8 minutes). Add in the garlic and sauté another minute.
• Add in the marinade, stirring to scrape the bottom. Next, add the agave, Kosher salt, pepper, bay leaves, and chicken stock to the pot. Stir to combine. Add the chicken and any juice back to the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 25 minutes).
• Discard bay leaves and serve over Cheesy Polenta (on my blog) or steamed white rice.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 50gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 975mgPotassium: 984mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Keyword Adobo Chicken, Chicken Adobo, chicken breast, Filipino

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