Vinegar-Braised Chicken with Garlic and Bay Leaves

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender chicken simmered in a tangy vinegar and soy sauce reduction with aromatic garlic and bay leaves, a comforting Filipino classic. This Filipino recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, white vinegar, soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 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.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 50 min Serves 4 Filipino cuisine 320 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat 1.5 lbs bone-in chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown, then flip and cook for 3 minutes.
  3. Step 3: Remove chicken and set aside. Add 6 minced garlic cloves to the skillet and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Step 4: Stir in 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 cup water, then bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Step 5: Return chicken to skillet, add 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp black peppercorns, cover, and simmer on low for 40 minutes, turning chicken occasionally.
  6. Step 6: Remove chicken and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from sauce, return chicken to sauce, and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until sauce thickens and coats chicken.

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