Philippine adobo is a popular Filipino dish and cooking process in Philippine cuisine that involves meat, seafood, or vegetables marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black peppercorns, which is browned in oil, and simmered in the marinade. It has occasionally been considered the unofficial national dish in the Philippines.
Combine soy sauce, vinegar and black pepper in a casserole dish or a zip-top bag.
Trim off excess fat from the chicken, then add the chicken to the marinade. Let marinade for at least 20 minutes.
In a medium sized pot or skillet just wide enough to fit all the chicken in one layer, add a little vegetable oil and onions. Cook the onions, stirring frequently, over medium low heat until the caramelized, soft and sweet. If you notice that the pan has a lot of browned bits stuck to the bottom, deglaze with a bit of water. When the onions are almost done, add garlic and bay leaves and cook for a few more minutes until the onions are done.
Push the onions to one side of the pan then add a little oil to the empty space. Turn the heat up to medium high and wait for the pan to get hot. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down and let sear for a minute or two to brown the skin.
Once browned, flip the chicken and add the marinade. Add a little more water so that the sauce comes up right under the chicken skin (about ¾ submerged). Cover and turn the heat to low so the liquid is gently bubbling. Braise for 30 minutes or until the chicken is fork tender. If you want you can flip the chicken at about halfway through.
When the chicken is done braising, if you wish to concentrate the sauce further, you can open the lid and reduce the sauce over high heat for another few minutes. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning as needed.
Garnish with chopped green onion and/or cilantro and serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!
*Pro-Tip: Adobo tastes even better the day after, so make sure to store some leftovers!