Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo

Straight out of the Philippines – let the slow cooker give you melt-in-your-mouth chicken with this simple adobo recipe.

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There are a million chicken recipes in the world, but not all of them will deliver chicken that is practically ready to melt in your mouth. I promise that this recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo will make the chicken so tender that you’ll barely need to chew it. This is a dish that’s straight out of the Philippines and is sometimes called the unofficial national dish. However, the recipe doesn’t include anything that unusual, so you should have all of the ingredients in the house already. Plus, the slow cooker is doing most of the work, so it’s easy to prepare.

Other than its tenderness, what’s the appeal of this chicken recipe? It’s undoubtedly the mixture of flavors that get a chance to mix and mingle while spending a few hours in the slow cooker together. The onion, garlic, peppercorn, and ginger all contribute to the flavor of the chicken. There’s also a little tang from the white vinegar. In the end, you’ll have chicken that’s a great combination of sweet and salty with a diverse flavor profile.

Is Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo Healthy?

Since the recipe calls for skinless chicken thighs, this recipe is considered quite healthy. It contains just 6 grams of fat and 1 gram of saturated fat. While the recipe is somewhat limited in vitamins, the chicken is a great source of protein, while some of the other vegetables and spices provide potassium and iron.

Using the Lid…

With this meal prepared in a slow cooker, you won’t have to do much once everything is in the pot. For the best results, you should resist the urge to remove the lid to check on the chicken while it’s cooking. I advise you to simply trust the slow cooker to do its job. The only exception to this is if you’d prefer not to have as much liquid in the crock-pot so the sauce surrounding the chicken is thicker. If that’s the case, wait until about 30 minutes until you plan to eat. At that point, you can ladle out about half of the sauce and then leave the lid tilted so that some of the remaining liquid evaporates.

INGREDIENTS

5 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
3 slices fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 cup green onions, sliced for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

Assemble

Place chicken in slow cooker; add soy sauce mixture.

Season

Add garlic, ginger, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

Cook

Slow cook on low or high; serve with garnish.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

Since this meal is made in the slow cooker, it’s easy to prepare ahead of time. You can also keep the leftovers in an airtight container. In the fridge, they should remain good for up to 3 days – or up to 3 months if you choose to freeze them.

Should I brown the chicken before placing it in the slow cooker?

Some people choose to do this, but it’s not necessary to brown the meat first unless you’re trying to rush the process along.

Serving Suggestions

Rice is perhaps the best side dish to serve with this Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo. Specifically, I would recommend a lighter-colored rice like Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice or Cilantro Lime Instant Pot Rice. It’s also not a bad idea to incorporate both rice and vegetables into the meal. To do that, consider Vegetable Fried Rice or perhaps Vegetable Rice Pilaf.

Also, if you like chicken adobo and want to explore other chicken recipes, there are a few I’d like to share. For a little Southwest flare, I would recommend Santa Fe Chicken. I have strong feelings about this recipe for Healthy Homemade Orange Chicken too. Finally, if you’re more of a stir fry person, I know you’ll enjoy Easy Paleo Cashew Chicken Stir Fry.