Gluten-Free Filipino Chicken Adobo

If there was a national dish of the Philippines, it would have to be adobo! Not to be mistaken for Latin-American or Mexican Adobo, this version from the Philippines is iconic and unique on its own. Braised in soy sauce or tamari with vinegar, garlic, peppercorns and bay leaf, this warm and savory dish is quintessential Filipino comfort food. 

Did you know there are over 100 variations of Adobo? Adobo sa Gata, made with coconut milk, Adobong Pusit made with squid and squid ink, Adobo sa Dilaw shines with turmeric and yellow ginger and even a tropical Pininyahang Adobo cooked with pineapple and pineapple juice. It doesn’t stop there – the adobo recipes continue to evolve! I’ve made adobo fried rice with leftovers and a fried egg for breakfast and even air-fried adobo party wings with a calamansi aïoli. The possibilities are endless and diverse just like our 7,000+ islands of the Philippines!

This version that I have for you is served with umami broccoli rice for a grain-free, Whole30 compatible recipe. Some people have a variety of dietary needs and I absolutely respect that. When I first started my wellness journey, it was really difficult to find recipes or meals that I grew up eating. Most “clean” recipes (I hate that word btw) or dishes deemed “healthy” always seemed to look like spa salads and sweet potato toasts. Growing up Filipina-American I felt myself straying further and further away from my culture, the deeper I got into my health journey.

Oftentimes when we eat healthy, we associate “healthy” with commercialized food gimmicks, foods that you didn’t grow up eating and marketing meals to be “clean” and void of any flavor. We’ve been taught that euro-centric BMI (body mass index) measurements are the standard and some doctors and dietitians uphold those standards. Many say that our cultural foods – like beans, rice and condiments – aren’t healthy. This is why I am so passionate about cultural preservation in regards to health and wellness. Yes there will be times when we have food allergies or GI/metabolism disorders when omitting these foods might be necessary, but with a little bit of creativity and minor modifications we can still eat and enjoy the meals we grew up eating and loved while honoring our current lifestyle needs! Including gluten-free, grain-free, Whole30, keto and more.

CHICKEN ADOBO

Serves 5-6

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Ingredients

3 – 4 lbs. Bone-in chicken, dark and breast, cut breast in half

1 1/2 cups tamari (for gluten-free, otherwise soy sauce is ok)

1/2 cup Coconut aminos

1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Rice vinegar

2 tbsp. Avocado oil

Palm full of pepper corns

Whole head of cracked garlic cloves

4 Bay leaves

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Method

1. PLACE chicken in a pot. Add all ingredients.
2. MARINATE chicken all day or overnight.
3. REMOVE chicken from the fridge when ready to eat, about 30 min – 1 hour before.
4. SEAR marinated chicken (and garlic cloves) in a large wok or shallow pot with 2 tbsp. avocado oil – just BROWN each piece.
5. REMOVE from the pot as each piece is seared then set aside.
6. ADD the seared chicken, garlic and/or onions and marinade back into the wok and bring up to a light boil/heavy simmer.
7. DO NOT stir for at least 15 min to cook off the vinegar and let the sauce reduce slightly.
8. COVER and braise chicken on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes.
9. TURN chicken halfway through to cook evenly letting the meat get nice and tender.
10. SIMMER (uncovered) until the chicken is tender, almost falling off the bone, for an additional 20 minutes.
11. ADJUST cooking time, if needed, until chicken is tender. Turn chicken pieces again to cook evenly and continue to simmer until ready.

* You can do this in a slow cooker on HIGH for 4 hours | Instant Pot – 1-2 hours, but hte sauce won’t reduce or be as thick as it would on the stovetop.

** BONUS – Crispy Umami Broccoli Rice

Ingredients:

1 bag of pearled broccoli/broccoli rice

1 tbsp of umami-mushroom powder

Enough olive oil to lightly coat evently

Instructions:

• Toss ingredients together on a sheet pan and roast 425^o for 20-30 minutes or until airy, light and crispy. Serve with adobo.