Description
A flavorful and easy Instant Pot Chicken Adobo recipe featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a tangy soy-vinegar sauce with garlic, onions, and spices. This classic Filipino dish is made effortlessly in the pressure cooker, delivering rich, savory flavors in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs (or boneless)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For Cooking
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- â…“ cup white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ cup water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
For Garnish
- 1 green onion, sliced
Instructions
- Season Chicken: Season the chicken thighs evenly with kosher salt and black pepper to enhance the natural flavors.
- Brown Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE mode and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides for several minutes to develop a rich flavor and lock in juices. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Sauté the sliced onion and minced garlic for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant, forming the flavor base of the sauce.
- Deglaze and Add Flavors: Pour in the soy sauce, brown sugar, white vinegar, cayenne pepper, and water. Stir well while scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze, loosening any browned bits for additional taste. Turn off the SAUTE mode.
- Add Chicken and Spices: Return the browned chicken to the pot in a single layer, then add bay leaves and whole black peppercorns to infuse flavor during cooking.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid, set the valve to SEALING, select PRESSURE COOK on HIGH PRESSURE, and cook for 9 minutes to tenderize the chicken.
- Natural Release: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually by moving the valve to VENTING.
- Simmer and Thicken Sauce: Open the lid and press CANCEL. Remove the bay leaves, then select SAUTE mode to simmer the chicken adobo for 5-8 minutes until the sauce thickens to a rich consistency. Press CANCEL again.
- Serve: Serve the chicken adobo hot with steamed rice and garnish with sliced green onions for a fresh, vibrant touch.
Notes
- For a less spicy version, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
- Using bone-in chicken thighs adds more flavor and moisture, but boneless can be used for quicker cooking.
- Adjust the balance of soy sauce and vinegar to your taste preference for saltiness and tanginess.
- The natural release step helps keep the chicken tender and juicy.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
