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    Home » Blog » Recipes » Healthy Filipino Recipes

    Published: Feb 17, 2020 · Modified: Apr 29, 2024 by Rezel Kealoha · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk is from Sam Sifton's cookbook - See You On Sunday.  It was originally published in the New York Times in 2011. 

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    I remember when this recipe was originally published by Sam Sifton in the New York Times in 2011.  It created the great Adobo debate.  The Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk recipe, was from Romy Dortan and Amy Besa the owners of the Purple Yam restaurant in Brooklyn.  One of the pioneers of Modern Filipino Cuisine.

    In the article Sam talks about how divisive Adobo is.  There are many variations depending on how it was passed down in your family and also what ingredients they had access too.  Many Filipinos without realizing it forget that the Philippine Islands are vast and many about 7000+.  Of course there will be variations.  From just the simple soy sauce and vinegar combo to the additions of chili, brown sugar and in this case coconut milk.

    My variation

    When I received my advance copy of See You On Sunday through my Ambassadorship with Ten Speed Press the first thing I did was look through the index.  There it was under "Chicken".  Off I went to page 25 with a smile on my face.  The New York Times, specifically Sam as always been a great supporter of Filipino Cuisine.

    In the body of this blog I will talk about the ingredient modifications that I made and in the recipe card it will be the same ingredients in the book.

    What Ingredients I used for Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    The book is all about cooking big meals, so his recipe can serve up to 6 people.  We are only three in the house this week so I cut some of the ingredients by a bit, still leaving all the coconut milk and cutting the chicken by half.

    1 Cup Coconut Milk

    ¼ Cup Coconut Aminos

    1 Cup Coconut Vinegar

    12 Cloves Garlic

    3 Small Bay Leaves

    1 Teaspoon Black Peppercorns

    1 ½ Pounds Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs

    I actually cooked the adobo right away without marinating it and it still turned out bomb.  Combine the coconut milk, coconut aminos, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves and pepper in a large lidded pot.  Add in the chicken and simmer on medium to low heat for 30 minutes.  I checked on it half way and turned the chicken over so that the sauce gets soaked in on both sides.

    At the 30 minute mark my sauce was already very reduced and the coconut oil separated from the coconut milk.  So I decided to just turn up the heat and fry the chicken thighs in the pan in the reduced sauce for a minute and a half on each side.

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    I have to admit, it was my first time making Chicken adobo with coconut milk and I have to say it's damn good.  The sauce is creamy and the vinegar mellows out nicely and the chicken thighs are super garlicy and super sticky.  It's defiantly a recipe to make again.  We ate it with some rice, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    For more  Filipino inspired goodness in your life follow along on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest.  Or subscribe to get these recipes in your inbox.  And if you make this recipe.   I would love to see it.  Tag your Instagram snaps with @rezelkealoha and #rezelkealohaeats.

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

    This Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk is from Sam Sifton’s new cookbook – See You On Sunday. It was originally published in the New York Times in 2011.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 47 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 52 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Servings: 6 Servings
    Author: Rezel Kealoha

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cup Coconut Milk
    • ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
    • 12 Cloves Garlic
    • 1 ½ Cups Rice Wine Vinegar
    • 3 Whole Birds-eye Chilles or Jalapeneo
    • 3 Whole Bay Leaves
    • 1 ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    • 3-4 Pounds Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs

    Instructions

    • Combine the coconut milk, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, chiles, bay leaves and pepper in a large nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic freezer bag.  Add the chicken and turn to coat.  Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
    • Place the chicken and marinade in a large lidded pot or Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil.  Immediately reduce the heat to simmer and cook stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.
    • Heat the broiler.  Transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl, raise the heat under the pot to medium-high and reduce the sauce until it achieves almost the consistency of cream, about 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and chiles.
    • Place the chicken pieces in a roasting pan and place under the broiler for 5-7 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.  Remove the pan and turn the chicken, baste with the sauce, and return to the broiler, 3 to 5 minutes more.  Remove the chicken from the pan, return the chicken to the sauce, and cook for a few minutes more.  Place on a platter and drizzle heavily with the sauce.

    Notes

    You can replace 1 to 1 the soy sauce with coconut aminos and if you can find it or order it please try to use coconut vinegar in place of the rice wine vinegar. 
    Did you enjoy making it? I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @rezelkealoha with the #rezelkealoha!

    More Healthy Filipino Recipes

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    • Blueberry Bibingka Muffins
    • Strawberry Taho
    • Longganisa Embotido

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sandra says

      April 20, 2022 at 6:25 pm

      The garlic cloves are missing in the list of you ingredients!

      Reply
      • Rezel Kealoha says

        April 21, 2022 at 4:54 pm

        OMG!! Thank you for picking that up. So important.

        Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi! I'm Rezel and I am here to guide you on how to use those Filipino ingredients you have in a fresh new way. As a fellow home cook, the focus is easy to make recipes with lots of Filipino flavor. You will find a mix of reimagined Filipino Recipes along side traditional recipes on our site.

    More about me →

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