Filipino Adobo Aromatic Chicken

This saucy chicken packs a wallop of flavor—salty, sweet, sour, slightly spicy and even a little umami. It can be made on the stove, too. Any way I make it, I think it tastes even better the next day served over warm rice.

Filipino Adobo Aromatic Chicken

Average Rating: 3

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Cook: 3 hours 20 min.
YIELD: 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 8 bacon strips, chopped
  • 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium limes
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • Minced fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds
  • Hot cooked rice
  • Lime wedges, optional

Instructions

  • 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Discard drippings, reserving 1 tablespoon in pan. Brown chicken in bacon drippings in batches. Transfer chicken to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker.
  • 2. Add onion to the same pan; cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Finely grate enough zest from limes to measure 2 teaspoons. Cut limes crosswise in half; squeeze juice from limes.
  • 3. Add the lime juice and zest, sherry, soy sauce, molasses, ginger, bay leaves, pepper and chili sauce to pan; cook and stir to loosen browned bits. Pour over chicken. Cook, covered, on high until a thermometer reads 170°, 3-4 hours.
  • 4. Remove chicken; shred meat with two forks, keep warm. If desired, slightly thicken juices by cooking in a saucepan over medium-high heat about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in bacon. Pour over chicken; sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve with rice and, if desired, lime wedges.

Nutrition Facts

6 ounces cooked chicken with 1/4 cup sauce: 474 calories, 23g fat (7g saturated fat), 164mg cholesterol, 865mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 1g fiber), 47g protein.