Invisible Keto

Making real food for real people.

Cuisines → Filipino →

Chicken Adobo

Filipino comfort food that's incredibly rich, tasty and easy to make.

A soy-vinegar braised Filipino chicken dish with simple ingredients that produce surprising results.

As part of the Invisible Keto System I always have a batch of these in the freezer. They reheat perfectly from frozen, especially convenient with sous vide.

Ingredients

  • 2–3 lbs chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on preferred)

Marinade

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce (preferably light)
  • 1/3 cup cane vinegar (or rice vinegar or white vinegar)
  • 6–8 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)

Braising Liquid

  • Reserved marinade
  • 1/2–1 cup water (to dilute before reduction)
  • 1 tsp allulose

Aromatics

  • 1 onion, thinly sliced

Coconut Finish

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk, to add creaminess and cut the richness of the sauce

Method

Marinate

  1. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper.
  2. Add chicken and coat well.
  3. Refrigerate for ~30 minutes. With a soy-based marinade, don't go too long; definitely not an overnight marinade.

Sear

  1. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry. Reserve marinade.
  2. Heat a pot over medium heat and sear chicken skin-side down until lightly browned and fat begins rendering.
  3. Flip and briefly sear the other side.
  4. Set chicken aside.

Build the Base

  1. Remove excess fat, leaving a thin layer in the pot.
  2. Add onions and cook until softened.
  3. Combine reserved marinade with water and allulose.
  4. Return chicken to the pot, skin-side down.
  5. Add the marinade mixture.

Braise

  1. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Cook partially covered with lid for ~20 minutes.

Reduce

  1. Remove lid and flip chicken skin-side up.
  2. Simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces significantly and begins to coat the chicken.

Rest

  1. Turn off heat.
  2. Let the chicken sit in the liquid for ~20 minutes, allowing it to cool and absorb flavor.

Refine the Sauce

  1. Remove chicken.
  2. Continue reducing the liquid until it reaches a glossy, lightly syrupy consistency.
  3. Stir in coconut milk and simmer briefly to combine.

Crisp

  • Broil chicken briefly to re-crisp the skin. Keep an eye on this to keep the skin from burning.

Finish

  • Return chicken to the sauce and simmer to coat.

Serve immediately or store.

Storage

  • Portion chicken and sauce together into containers or Souper Cubes.
  • Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
  • Reheat gently (stovetop or sous vide) to avoid breaking the sauce.
  • If reheating from frozen, sous vide works well for even thawing without overcooking, 140°F / 60°C, 90 minutes.

Inspirations