Chicken Adobo with Potatoes
Chicken Adobo with Potatoes
Staff recipe from: Marisa
My mother didn’t teach me how to cook in the traditional sense. Rather, I learned through being with her in the kitchen. Most memories I have from growing up at home are of her; small and mighty, peering over a pot with wooden spoon in hand, steam rising into her face. And just as she didn’t teach me exact measurements, I rarely saw her reference any recipes either.
Whether she was making pancit, arroz caldo, or simple jasmine rice, she seemed to follow directions from the ingredients themselves. Like a conversation between the chicken, the vegetables, the rice, and her intuition; listening, and responding – “This chicken may need to brown longer,” or “maybe we’ll use mushrooms today.” This is what I inherited: not recipes, but the instinct to listen and respond to what nourishes.
Although I don’t know for sure, I sense that this may be true of many Filipino families. Recipes not written down, but passed down through the practice of being together, observing, internalizing, and embodying. If this is so, it could explain why there are as many recipes for Chicken Adobo as there are Filipino families (and probably even more than that, since we love to share with our non-Filipino friends).
{Image of the main ingredients for chicken adobo from @jeshuamarshall}
What follows is my guide to Chicken Adobo with Potatoes, my ultimate comfort meal – hearty, savory, and just the right amount of lip-smackingly sour (an important feature of any Filipino dish). It’s similar to my mom’s but much like with oral histories, and games of telephone, some things have surely been tweaked in translation. I’m also giving you options based on what other recipes call for, but not necessarily mine. I do invite you to view this recipe as a guide, as you find what nourishes you.
Serves 6-8 (or fewer, if you’re really hungry)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 hour 30 min
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs chicken, bone in & skin on (I prefer dark meat, but to each their own)
- 1 cup soy sauce (I like using full sodium soy sauce here. If you prefer lite sodium, add salt to taste at the end.)
- ½ cup vinegar (I prefer something sharp, like cane vinegar or unseasoned rice vinegar. Coconut vinegar and apple cider vinegar can also be used and would lend sweetness to the dish.)
- 6 - 10 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 8oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 3 - 4 potatoes, chopped (amount depends on type; you may use fewer russets, or more golds or reds)
- 1 T whole black peppercorns (these are very bold when bitten into straight, which is lovely for some, and jarring for others; if you would prefer, you may simply grind in a lot of pepper)
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 T neutral oil (vegetable oil, avocado oil, or whatever you and your family prefers)
- Water, if needed
- Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
{Images from @AmandaPhotographic: kennebec potatoes and purple stripe garlic from Casad Family Farms}
Optional Ingredients:
- A knob of ginger, minced
- A pinch of chili flakes, or a sliced hot pepper
- 1 T brown sugar, honey, or other sweetener (I’ve even seen people use Sprite)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 - 3 carrots, chopped (carrots will add more sweetness to the dish)
- Sliced green onion
Process:
Prep all your veggies first and set aside.
{Images of Marisa Funk prepping garlic, onion, mushrooms and potatoes courtesy of @jeshuamarshall}
Start by browning your chicken: Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add your oil and wait for it to shimmer. Place your chicken in the pan (careful! You may want a splatter guard here). If your chicken gets crowded in the pan, you will have to use two saucepans. Let it brown on both sides, then set the chicken aside.
Add your aromatics: In the same oil, toss your onion, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. (This is also where you would add your ginger and hot peppers, if you are using them.) Stir often, so the garlic doesn’t burn. Allow the onions to cook down. Once the onions have softened, nestle the chicken back into the pan(s).
Add the mushrooms: Nestle them in between pieces of chicken where you can, with the rest sitting on top. Add your soy sauce and vinegar (also the coconut milk and sweetener, if you are using). If the chicken is not submerged in liquid, add water until it is. Give it a stir. Bring to a boil then reduce your heat so the mixture simmers. Cover and set a timer for 45 minutes (if I have time, I like to let it simmer longer. This way the chicken and mushrooms become more tender and flavorful.)
{Image courtesy of @jeshuamarshall}
When your timer has 25 minutes left, add your potatoes (and carrots or other root veggies if you're using). Try to submerge them in the liquid (you may add more water if absolutely necessary). Cover and allow to simmer for the remaining time.
Once your 45 minutes is up, uncover your pan and set the chicken aside on a clean surface. Turn the heat up to medium-high to high to reduce the sauce. Reduce until the sauce is no longer watery, but also not terribly thick (this can take a while, depending on your pan). You want it to be thin enough to be able to spoon over your rice (which is, arguably, the best part), but reduced enough to concentrate the flavors. If you are using lite sodium soy sauce, give the sauce a taste once reduced and add a little more salt if desired.
{Image courtesy of @jeshuamarshall}
Once the sauce has reduced to your liking, turn the heat back down to low, and add the chicken back to the pan. Let it rest here for a couple of minutes, until it has warmed back up.
Serve over a bed of steamed jasmine rice, with a generous spoonful of saucy goodness. Garnish with sliced green onion, if you like.
Tip: This is one of those meals that only gets better as leftovers. Save some for your future self, if you are able!