Classic Chicken Adobo

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
• 6-8 cloves whole garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• white rice, for serving
• stir-fry slaw
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 2 bell peppers, different colors, cut into thin strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced

Place the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large, nonreactive saute pan, and then nestle the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.

During the last 10 minutes, heat a large pan or wok over high heat. Add about a teaspoon of oil, swirl it around, then add the garlic, peppers, and onion. Cook until crisp-tender, about five minutes, stirring constantly.

Uncover the pan, and then increase the heat to high and return the sauce to a boil. While occasionally turning and basting the chicken, continue boiling the sauce, uncovered, until it is reduced by half and thickens slightly, 5-7 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice and top with the stir-fried slaw.

VARIATIONS:

• While sauce is reducing, transfer the chicken thighs, skin-side up, to a foil-lined sheet pan. Brown the chicken thighs underneath the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
• Use ground pepper
• For a drier version, reduce the sauce until it is almost completely evaporated. The chicken will then begin to fry in its own fat that is still left in the pan.