For me, my version is inspired by my Grandpa Beato, who's an amazing cook in our part of the province and has been cooking from one Fiesta to the next for his entire life.
He is our family cook and has always been a great cook.
While growing up, he showed me his cooking techniques on different kinds of Filipino Dishes. Most of his dishes have Spanish Influence since he is half Spanish.
We would sometimes fuss about what ingredients should be put on a certain dish; but for me it was kind of exciting and intoxicating because I absorbed all his techniques and yet put my own spin into it.
I vividly remember when I was growing up, every time we made chicken adobo, we just grabbed one of our chicken in our backyard, slit the throat, clean the chicken, sliced and make adobo, including the insides.
Well, maybe not the intestines and so forth but my uncle happened to like those clean and fried toasted.
Lol, but anyhow we usually put the liver, gizzard, neck, feet without the claws (of course) and after all that we start the cooking.
So here is our version of Chicken Adobo
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken cut into big chunks; or if you have a picky hubby like mine get the following
1 lb. chicken thighs (important to have dark meat with bones for flavor)
1 lb. chicken tenders or breast
1/2 lb. chicken gizzards (optional, I happen to like them)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 to 3 pcs. cayenne chili or labuyo (optional, I like mine to have a bit of kick into it)
2 tbsp. soy sauce (I mix silver swan and kikkoman); Grandpa thinks bottled silver swan is the best
1 clove garlic crushed, or my technique is just grate it with your grater or zester and 1 clove pressed, and finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. magic sarap (Grandpa thinks this is not necessary but for me, it gives the dish a bit of more umph; if you don't have this, half of a chicken bouillon is fine)
2 tbsp. canola oil or any flavor less oil
1 small size Spanish onion (important)
2 bay leaves
5 to 10 peppercorns
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup vinegar ( I use Datu Puti, I think the more acidic the vinegar the better for this because it dissolves the collagen of the chicken therefore releasing more flavor)
pepper
Cover with saran wrap and let it marinate for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.
My grandpa just throw everything in a skillet and doesn't marinate it; but what I noticed is that the meat is often flavorless and colorless. This method may not grasp your instant gratification of having the dish in an hour, but I guarantee you it is worth the effort and time.
* In medium high heat with a big pan or wok, add the oil and chopped garlic, stir until golden brown.
* Add the onions and saute until translucent.
* Add the chicken pieces gizzard, thighs and breast without the juice that it had been marinating with. Let it brown for about 5 to 10 minutes.
(Brown the dark meat first, they cook longer and they release flavor to flavor the white meat)
* Lower the heat to medium heat then add the juices, peppercorn, another dash of pepper and water.
Let it simmer for 20 minutes until tender and the sauce is half to it's original volume.
* Add the vinegar (the reason that I add the vinegar last is because it sometimes makes the meat dry and rubbery). Taste and season; if not enough seasoning lower the heat to the low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
You would notice that the sauce thickens, that is because the vinegar breaks those chicken collagen.
* Serve over hot steamed rice and a side of bottled coke with a glass of ice.
This is how I eat mine.
