Chicken Adobo over Rice
Why we love it:
Ingredients
- 4 Whole Chicken Legs (skin on, about 2-2.5 pounds)
- 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- 3⁄4 cup White Vinegar (distilled)
- 3⁄4 cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 5 Bay Leafs (dried)
- 1 head Garlic
- 2 Jalapeños (divided, optional)
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 cup Long Grain White Rice (uncooked)
- 2 cups Water
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 3⁄4 pound Brussels Sprouts
Cooking Instructions
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1. CHICKEN
You can leave the legs whole, which saves a step, or slice them into separate pieces.
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2. SEAR
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add chicken skin side down and cook, without touching for about 5 minutes. After that initial sear, use tongs to gently lift the pieces to let the hot oil go underneath.
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3. SAUCE
Measure out the vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, and bay leaves. Slice the head of garlic in half - right though the paper skins and all. Slice one jalapeño in half lengthwise; slice the other one into rounds and set aside. Pour all of this over the chicken in the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, stirring to dissolve sugar. Season generously with black pepper.
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4. SIMMER
Once simmering, turn to coat the chicken, and turn the heat down to low. Maintain a gentle simmer for about 30-35 minutes, occasionally flipping the chicken over. It’s done when the meat is very tender if you pull it with a fork. The sauce will thicken by evaporating but if it ever looks too thin, turn heat lower and partially cover the pan.
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5. RICE
Combine rice, water, and salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cover. Steam for 17 minutes or until water is absorbed and it’s tender. Leave on the stovetop, off the heat until ready to serve.
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6. BRUSSELS
Trim the ends of the brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Using a large sauté pan over high heat, melt the butter, then add the brussels. Sear for about 3-4 minutes, and once they’re golden brown, toss to flip them over and brown the other side. Add about 1 Tablespoon of water to the pan and let it sizzle off while shaking the pan, this will help them steam a little bit. Continue cooking for another minute or so to brown.
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7. SERVING
Serve a big scoop of rice topped with chicken and sauce. Brussels sprouts go on the side. Garnish with jalapeño rounds to taste.