Growing up in a Filipino home, chicken adobo was a beloved dinner dish that everyone enjoyed. We frequently had pork adobo or chicken adobo for our evening meals, and it remains one of my top dinner choices even now. Authentic chicken adobo can be prepared in numerous ways, each with its own regional or familial twist.
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo: A Modern Twist
This Instant Pot recipe offers a contemporary twist on my family’s traditional adobo. Rather than simmering the chicken for hours, this recipe allows you to achieve the same tender and flavorful chicken adobo in just half the time, thanks to the Instant Pot.
Why You’ll Love Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
- Irresistible Aroma & Flavor: Filipino chicken adobo has a strong, inviting aroma due to its vinegar and garlic base. It’s a classic, enduring dish passed down through generations, often regarded as the unofficial national dish of the Philippines.
- Quick & Effortless: Instead of standing over the stove for hours, the Instant Pot prepares chicken adobo in roughly 30 minutes. Minimal prep work means the appliance does most of the cooking!
- Deeply Infused Flavors: Pressure cooking allows spices and flavors to penetrate the chicken, ensuring every bite is juicy and bursting with taste.
- Customizable: Adjust the sauce consistency to your liking (see tips below).
- Feeds a Crowd: The recipe serves 6, making it perfect for family meals or gatherings.
Filipino Adobo vs. Mexican Adobo
Filipino and Mexican adobo share a name but differ significantly in ingredients and cultural roots:
- Filipino Adobo: Shaped by Spanish and Southeast Asian influences, Filipino adobo uses a vinegar-soy sauce base with garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. The term “adobo” comes from the Spanish adobar (to marinate), referring to both the cooking method and the dish itself.
- Mexican Adobo: Part of Spanish-Mexican cuisine, this version features a vibrant, smoky sauce made with paprika, chipotle chiles, and spices. It’s often used as a marinade or sauce for meats.
Versatile Cooking Methods
This recipe adapts to various appliances:
- Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi: Cooks the dish in 45 minutes (including pressure time), infusing flavor without marinating.
- Slow Cooker/Dutch Oven: Simmer on the stovetop or slow-cook for deeper flavor development.
Tips for Perfect Adobo
No Marination Needed: The pressure cooker tenderizes and flavors the chicken efficiently.
Saucy vs. Reduced: For a saucier adobo, reduce the cooking time after pressure release. For a thicker glaze, simmer longer using the “Sauté” function.
Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo
This Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo is absolutely delicious and on the table in 30 minutes! A fantastic family dinner recipe from our family to yours.
Ingredients
- 8-10 pieces chicken (mix of drumsticks and thighs)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon ground paprika
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup chicken stock or broth
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup cane vinegar or white distilled vinegar
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 scallions, sliced thinly
Instructions
1. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika evenly on both sides. Use more salt and pepper if needed to season both sides of all chicken pieces.
2. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE, on HI. Add oil, and allow the oil to heat for about a minute. Working in batches, add chicken to the Instant Pot and saute until brown on both sides. This takes about 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces.
3. Once all chicken pieces are browned evenly on both sides, transfer them to a plate and set aside. Pour in the chicken stock and deglaze the bottom of the pot until there are no more brown bits sticking to the bottom.
4. Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, onions, and bayleaf to the pot. Stir ingredients together. Add the chicken back to the pot. Try to place the chicken in one layer. It's okay if there are one or two pieces laying on top of one another in order to fit into the pot.
5. Properly place the pressure cooker lid on and setting it to SEAL. Set to PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL, depending on your pressure cooker) on HI for 9 minutes. It will take a few minutes for the unit to come to pressure, and then it will start counting down from 9 minutes as it pressure cooks. When pressure cooking is complete, carefully use tongs or a thick kitchen towel to turn the valve to QUICK RELEASE. Once the float valve is completely down and all steam has been released (mine takes about 2-3 minutes for quick release; your time may vary), carefully unlock and open lid.
6. Press the SAUTE setting and bring the remaining sauce to a boil, then allow it to reduce until it turns a nice dark brown color, about 5 to 8 minutes, depending on your preference.
7. Once the sauce is reduced to your liking, remove bay leaf and hit CANCEL or START/STOP to stop the sauté mode. The adobo is done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165°F. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 444Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 2164mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 39g
Reddit Reviews
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