Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo is a comforting Filipino dish featuring tender, flavorful chicken thighs simmered in a tangy mixture of apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and spices. The slow cooking method ensures the chicken becomes juicy and infused with rich, savory flavors, making it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and/or drumsticks
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup less sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 bay leaves
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 head garlic, cut lengthwise to expose cloves
- 2 whole jalapeño or serrano chilis, thinly sliced (seeds removed for less heat if desired)
- 1 cup diced onion
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil: Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, preparing it for browning the chicken.
- Brown the chicken: Season the chicken thighs and/or drumsticks with salt and black pepper. Place them in the skillet and cook until golden brown and crispy on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Once browned, transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Prepare garlic: Cut the garlic bulb lengthwise to expose the cloves while keeping the bulb intact. Add the garlic to the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Add chilis and onion: Thinly slice the jalapeño or serrano chilis, removing seeds if you prefer less heat, and add them to the slow cooker along with the diced onions.
- Mix and pour sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar until well combined. Pour this sauce over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Top everything with bay leaves.
- Slow cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours until the chicken is tender and infused with the adobo flavors.
- Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve the chicken adobo hot, spooning the delicious sauce over a bed of white rice.
Notes
- For less spicy adobo, remove the seeds from the chilis before adding.
- Bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces are preferred for the best flavor and texture.
- Use less sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness, or adjust to taste.
- If you want a thicker sauce, remove the chicken after cooking and reduce the sauce on the stovetop for a few minutes.
- Adobo is even better the next day as flavors meld further.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (high) or 6-7 hours (low)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Filipino
Keywords: Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo, Filipino Chicken Recipe, Slow Cooker Dinner, Easy Chicken Adobo, Slow Cooked Chicken
