Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in and skin on
• 120ml cane vinegar or white vinegar
• 120ml soy sauce
• 180ml water
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• steamed rice, to serve
• 2 spring onions, sliced, to serve

Before you cook

• Combine the soy sauce, half the crushed garlic, the peppercorns and the bay leaves in a bowl.
• Turn the chicken pieces through this mixture and leave them to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Lift the chicken out and pat the skin dry, keeping the marinade.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a wide heavy pan over medium-high heat.
2. Lay the chicken pieces in skin side down and sear them for 5 minutes without moving them until the skin is deep gold.
3. Turn the pieces and sear the other side for 3 minutes.
4. Add the remaining crushed garlic to the pan and fry it for 1 minute until it smells sweet.
5. Pour in the reserved marinade, the vinegar and the water.
6. Bring the pan to a boil and let it bubble hard for 2 minutes without stirring, which cooks off the raw edge of the vinegar.
7. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 25 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway.
8. Uncover the pan and stir in the sugar.
9. Raise the heat and reduce the sauce for 10 to 12 minutes, spooning it over the chicken every couple of minutes, until it is glossy and just coats the pieces.
10. Taste the sauce and add a splash more vinegar if it needs sharpening.
11. Scatter over the sliced spring onions and serve straight from the pan with plenty of steamed rice.