“Yung kanin, chicken adobo,” I know that everyone who loves chicken adobo and rice loved hearing this line from APL’s song Bebot. Not to mention, the whole song if you are Filipino. (Enhance the experience. Listen to this song while you cook: https://youtu.be/wESgcExetso). Before becoming a dad, I knew that I would have to create an easy, kid friendly Chicken Adobo, so that my kids can enjoy it as much as I did. And still do, of course.

Growing up, Chicken and/or Pork adobo was one of my favorite Filipino dishes. Coming home, I remember smelling the distinct smell of garlic, vinegar and soy sauce vapors dissipating into the thick Daly City fog.

I was always amazed at how fast and easy my Mom and Grandma made cooking adobo look. I remember one time, my Grandma was going to drive me somewhere but she remembered that she had to make adobo for dinner. She told me that it wouldn’t take that long and I was thinking that I was going to be late, but sure enough she was done and later on that evening, it was good.

Today, my kids love it just as much as I do. My son usually asks for thirds and sometimes fourths. All of them always tell me not to forget to put more sauce on their rice or to add more. It is one of those meals that generates more scraping and chewing sounds than talking. For the most part, the only talking is someone saying, “More please!”

Parts of My Plan

My go to pieces of chicken are thighs when I cook adobo and most chicken dishes. The dark meat not only is juicier and tastes better than white meat, but thighs and drumsticks give you more flexibility with cooking time. With breast, it is obvious and boring when it is over cooked. Plus, dark meat is packed with more nutritional value. Also, to avoid the inevitable textural surprise attack, we don’t use drumsticks. The tendons can be removed before cooking, but I don’t have the time and adobo should be a quick meal to put together. I save the drumsticks for my barbecue recipe.

So, to make this an easy, kid friendly Adobo, I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. This saves us from deboning pieces for the kids and the agony of seeing bones with so much meat still attached when they say that they’re done. But you may think that there is so much flavor that comes from those parts that you’re leaving out. I agree, especially when you are making a broth, but for adobo the garlic, vinegar and soy sauce are the dominant flavors. Also, remember that this is for a kid friendly version of our favorite Filipino pot of love. If I was going to cook for the Senator of the Philippines, I’d go out back and grab a chicken myself.

Herbs at Home

We are blessed to have a Bay Laurel Tree in our backyard. The leaves are so fragrant. My mouth waters simply by just smelling them. If you really like cooking, consider growing your own herbs. Most of them are easy to grow, and they’re great when used fresh. They’re not expensive at the grocery store but it is one less ingredient that you have to buy. Not to mention, I don’t remember the last time I actually used the whole bunch of parsley or cilantro that I buy.

Look Out!

I know we call this our Easy Kid Friendly Adobo, but since not all of our kids have expanded their taste buds to pepper yet, we do use peppercorn. Peppercorn can give your dish a more subtle pepper flavor, without a little one talking through a locked jaw, saying that it’s spicy. Just be sure you know the whereabouts of every peppercorn that goes into the dish. My recipe calls for 1 teaspoon, which would roughly be eight peppercorns. Know where they are before serving. In the 80s, 280 Metro Center Mall was built upon a landfill, comprised mainly of my napkins with peppercorn spit.

The Big Three

Garlic

After the chicken and spices, there are not many ingredients left. This is the first reason why adobo is so easy to make. It’s a Filipino dish, so of course it is going to have garlic. Like most of the dishes I cook, I love adding a little extra garlic. Of course, depending on its size (oh the Elephant garlic), I use anywhere between 3-5 cloves. I also mash them up in a wooden mortar and pestle to maximize its flavor throughout the dish.

Soy

Next is the Soy Sauce. I am not going to get too finicky with this ingredient, use what you have. On many occasions, I have found myself in the middle of cooking to only find that I didn’t have as much soy sauce that I thought that I had. This is when I reach for the infamous drawer or shelf in the refrigerator, searching for soy packets, in the midst of hot sauces and ketchup. The more you cook, you’ll find your preferences.

As an eater, I find that it doesn’t matter too much. Someone asking the type of soy sauce that I use is not a common dinner conversation. Just keep in mind that there is a drastic difference between “light” and “lite” soy sauce. One refers to a color tone and has more sodium and the other means that it is low in sodium. When I buy jugs of soy sauce, I usually gravitate to Silver Swan. Probably because of the “Buy Pinoy!” emoji on the label.

Vinegar

Lastly, our secret weapon, the vinegar. We have tried many types of vinegars when cooking adobo, by default and through experimentation. For us, the best has been Rice Vinegar. Rice vinegar will enhance the savory taste of the soy sauce. Seasoned rice vinegar will do the same, in addition to adding some sweetness, but it will increase the sodium count. White vinegar works as well. It also can be used as a household cleaner. I’ll just leave it at that. Honorable mention – Apple cider vinegar.

Kid Friendly Chicken Adobo

Servings: This recipe will definitely feed a family of six. Leftovers are in doubt.

Nutritional Narrative: The chicken will provide the protein for the meal but the seasoned rice vinegar and soy sauce will contribute to a higher sodium count. It’s on course with most Filipino foods. Add a side dish that is high in potassium to help balance out the sodium or plan workouts accordingly.

Ingredients:

3 lbs Boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Avocado Oil: Similar nutritional qualities of Olive Oil but Avocado Oil can be used for high temp sautéing

3-5 (pending on your love of garlic) Cloves of Garlic: minced or sliced is fine but I like to use a wooden mortar and pestle to grind up the garlic to spread it and its oils throughout the dish

1 cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar: The difference maker

½ cup Soy Sauce: Any will do but I like using Silver Swan, “Buy Pinoy!”

2 Bay Leaves

Maybe 1 tsp (countable) Peppercorn: Since this is a kid friendly version, trust me you’re going to want to have every peppercorn accounted for before someone takes the first bite

The Adobo Experience

I love how the article A Brief History of Adobo, the Philippines National Dish, written by Esther De La Cruz, puts it, “adobo cooking is a process, not a recipe”. https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/a-brief-history-of-adobo-the-philippines-national-dish/. I urge everyone to cook with a passion and perceive it as a joy, not a hassle. Have fun, it’s an Easy, Kid Friendly Chicken Adobo.

As always, thoroughly wash your chicken and drain. I don’t go as far as giving it a vinegar or lemon bath but I want to be sure that I they go through a wash by me, before cooking. If you have a dishrack by the sink, be sure to clear it and along with any other items. Also, don’t use a full force stream of water. A slow enough stream that produces minimal splashing, within your colander, is sufficient. Allow time for your chicken to drain. Get into a good practice of staying clean while you cook. This will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. Sanitize the sink area, along with the faucet and handles. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands before continuing.

Set your stock pot on a medium-high heat and coat the bottom with oil.

Now for some cooking technique. Place the thighs on the would-be skin side down for a 3-5 minutes, just to generate some texture. As they cook, you will notice that the water content of the chicken will start to extract into the pot. This is your water source and it will add to your sauce.

Spa Time

At this point, start the vinegar bath to open the chicken up for the rest of the flavors.

Add the garlic and soy sauce. — Some Soy Sauce Love

Spread the garlic over the chicken and add the soy sauce. The amount of vinegar and soy sauce is perfect for the chicken bath, considering the love of adobo sabaw (sauce) and reduction while cooking. Stick with the 1:2 ratio if you want to decrease or increase your pool of goodness.

I Smell Victory

Add pepper corn and bay leaves.

Enjoy the mixed aroma of garlic, vinegar, soy sauce and bay leaves. The Chicken Adobo dish is almost done. — You Are Just About Done

As soon as you see the liquid contents catch up to the heat, flip you chicken pieces.

Let simmer to allow time for all of the flavors to work into the dish. If you have a thinner pot or gas stove, you can lower the heat to a medium. You want a slow simmer, not a boil. Also cover the pot to let the aromatics go to work. Every ingredient has an amazing aroma that you can fuse into each bite.

Leave on a low simmer until serving time.

I hope that you didn’t forget to press the cook button on your rice cooker.

Enjoy and feel free to send us pictures of your dish. Do something different? Let us know about your Kid Friendly Chicken Adobo recipe

Masayang Pagluluto!

Kain na tayo!