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Instant Pot Chicken Adobo – a Filipino comfort food made with chicken thighs. Tender thighs coated in a sweet and savory glaze with a kick of heat from black peppercorns taste absolutely delicious.
This Pork Adobo recipe is one that we make often. It cooks on the stovetop with pieces of pork shoulder, but it takes awhile to get tender and delicious. The Instant Pot makes this chicken version perfect for busy weeknights.
What Is Filipino Chicken Adobo
It is a popular dish from the Philippines, that involves cooking meat in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and peppercorns. You can use pork, chicken or even seafood for this dish. The meat cooks in the sauce for a long time and becomes so tender and juicy.
This chicken adobo recipe takes a little shortcut with the pressure cooker and makes these chicken thighs tender and full of so much flavor.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Chicken Thighs – you want to use bone-in for this recipe. Chicken drumsticks would be a good alternative
- Vegetable Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
- Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- White Vinegar
- Cayenne Pepper
- Water
- Bay Leaves
- Black Peppercorns
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
- Season. Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Brown. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Once it is hot, add a little bit of oil. Add the pieces of chicken and cook until the chicken is browned. It will not be cooked through. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
- Sautee. Add the rest of the oil to the pan along with the onion, and cook for a couple minutes until they are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until you can start to smell it.
- Add Liquid. Pour in the soy sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, ground cayenne, and water. Stir well and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Cook. Return all the chicken to the pot in a single layer. Top with bay leaves and whole black pepper. Close the lid, make sure the vent is closed and turn it to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Release Pressure. Once the cook time is up, use the quick release method to unlock the lid.
- Thicken Sauce. Open the lid and turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Let the chicken and sauce simmer for 5-8 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaves and serve the chicken and sauce over rice.
How To Serve Chicken Adobo
Serving over rice is the traditional way, and it helps soak up all that delicious sauce! Then making a vegetable on the side brings it all together and makes for a healthy meal.
Storage
You can double this recipe if you want leftovers or need to serve more people. The cook times and instructions remain the same, just double the ingredients. You can store leftover chicken adobo in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator. You can also freezer for up to 3 months.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
- Salisbury Steak
- Ranch Cheddar Chicken
- Easy Baked Cod
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
Ingredients
- 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper on all sides.1 pound bone-in chicken thighs, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté. Once it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil.2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the pieces of chicken and cook until the chicken is browned. It will not be cooked through. Remove the chicken and place on a plate.
- Add the rest of the oil to the pan along with the onion, and cook for a couple minutes until they are soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until you can start to smell it.1 onion, 5 garlic cloves
- Pour in the soy sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, ground cayenne, and water. Stir well and scrape up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.½ cup soy sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ cup water
- Return all the chicken to the pot in a single layer. Top with bay leaves and black peppercorns3 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- Close the lid, make sure the vent is closed and turn it to high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the cook time is up, use the quick release method to unlock the lid.
- Open the lid and turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Let the chicken and sauce simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve the chicken and sauce over rice.
Notes
Other Pieces Of Chicken
Boneless Chicken Breasts – cook for 12 minutes Drumsticks – cook for 9 minutesNutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I can’t wait to try this. I love chicken adobo, and I love my instant pot. Everything is so much faster. Those pictures are making me hungry!
Super tender and perfect flavor. A new favorite!
This is my husband favorite dish! I am so glad t try to make it in the Instant Pot!
This has been a favorite at my house!! Perfect for busy nights!