Pan-Seared Chicken Adobo with Garlic and Bay Leaves
Tender chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant vinegar-soy sauce with aromatic garlic and bay leaves, served with steamed rice. This Filipino recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, soy sauce, white vinegar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 6 cloves, minced garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 1.5 lbs chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with a pinch of salt. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add chicken skin-side down and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden brown and skin is crisp.
- Step 2: Remove chicken from skillet. Add 6 cloves minced garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Return chicken to skillet.
- Step 3: Add 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup water, and 1 tbsp sugar to the skillet. Nestle 3 bay leaves into the liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes, turning chicken once, until tender and sauce has reduced slightly.








