Adobo Chicken

The kids generally enjoy my cooking, but the other night, when I made this chicken, I got a rare "this is AWESOME" from my stepson, complete with wide eyes and hyperbolic emphasis.  His plate, which also included broccoli and potatoes, was clean (CLEAN, I tell you!!) in approximately 5 minutes.  How cool is that??!  I'm sure it didn't hurt that the broccoli and potatoes were practically floating in the juice that this chicken dish makes.  Mmm.....

As this was my first attempt at making this magazine-obtained gem of a recipe, I was slightly nervous it wouldn't turn out properly.  All fears are now laid aside...this chicken was meltingly tender, juicy, and full of flavor.  I can't wait to share such a great find with you all!

I used a package of chicken thighs, though you could also substitute boneless chicken breasts if the thighs aren't your thing.  Because they're a bit fattier, the thighs tend to have a bit more flavor, but do what you love.  I'm sure you'll be thrilled to see that bacon makes an appearance in the very first step of our creation.  Woohoo!!  Cut three strips into bits (bacon bits, yes!) with a knife or with scissors.  Throw them into a large, deep skillet and let 'em sizzle.

Once the bits are nicely browned, remove them from the pan and place aside for now.  Do not drain the bacon fat...we're about to brown the chicken in it!   Salt and pepper your chicken thighs lightly and place them in the skillet under medium-high heat.  We'll cook them for about 8 minutes on each side, or until they're nicely browned.  I actually should have browned my pieces just a little bit longer than I did here (and will do so the next time I make this).

Before...                                                                            After....

Once you've reached brownness, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside for a few moments.  Drain all but a light coating of fat from the pan and add 6 minced garlic cloves and one onion.  For different textures and maximum onion-ness in every bite, I actually chopped half my onion into little bits and then cut the other half of it into thin slices...this method is totally optional.  I really love onion! 

While the onion/garlic mixture cooks, we'll get our sauce ingredients together.  Grab these from your fridge and pantry:

In case this photo is too vague, we've got apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, chicken broth, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper.  Things are about to get awesome.

To your slightly browned and delicious smelling onion/garlic mix, add 1/3 cup of the apple cider vinegar and let it reduce for about 5 minutes.  Make sure you scrape the pan with a spatula to loosen up any browned bits...they're pure flavor goodness!  Next, add 3 cups of chicken broth, 1 1/2 tbsp. of soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp. of fish sauce, 6 bay leaves, and a pinch of cayenne (more if you like things spicy).  Bring your soup-looking mixture to a simmer.

If I didn't know better, I'd just eat it now as is.

 

Place the bacon bits and chicken back in the pan and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.  Make sure to flip the chicken occasionally so that it cooks evenly.

 

 



               From the pan....                                   ...to the plate! 

 

In the future, I'll serve this chicken over rice so it can help absorb some of the amazing sauce that this recipe produces.  I'm not kidding when I tell you I could have easily eaten this as a soup.  The whole family loved it and I cannot wait to cook it again!

Try it.  You'll like it.

-Sam

Adobo Chicken

3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into bits
8 chicken thighs (or 4 chicken breasts)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp. fish sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
6 bay leaves
Pinch of cayenne

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, turning once, until browned all over, about 18 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
 
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the vinegar and cook until reduced by half, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, fish sauce, soy sauce, bay leaves, and cayenne and bring to a simmer.
 
Return the chicken and bacon to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, and serve over rice.