Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 6 (995 g) or 2 poundschicken thighs or chicken meat
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml)peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 (150 g) mediumonion, sliced
• 12 cloves (34 g)garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon (4 g)whole black peppercorns
• 1dried red chilli
• 4dried bay leaves
• 1 stalkspring onion, thinly sliced, for garnish
• 1/4 cup (63 ml)Filipino soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (83 ml)regular soy sauce
• 1/3 cup (83 ml)Filipino vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml)fish sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon (12.5 g)sugar
• 1 cup (235 g)jasmine rice, rinsed and well drained
• 1 cup (250 ml)cold water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 g)cornflour
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml)cold water

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the pot

   Select “Sauté More” on the Instant Pot and wait for it to display “HOT”, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the sauce

   In a medium glass measuring jug, combine the sugar, fish sauce, Filipino soy sauce, regular soy sauce and Filipino vinegar.

3. 3

   Sauté aromatics

   Add the oil to the pot and sauté the onion for 2 minutes. Add the crushed garlic, peppercorns, dried chilli and bay leaves, then sauté for a further 45 seconds.

4. 4

   Deglaze the pot

   Pour in the adobo sauce mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned, flavourful bits from the bottom of the pot.

5. 5

   Cook chicken and rice

   Dip the skin side of each chicken piece into the sauce to coat it, then arrange the chicken skin side up in the pot. Set a steamer rack inside and place a stainless-steel bowl containing the rice and 1 cup (250 ml) cold water on top. With the vent set to Venting, close the lid, then turn the vent to Sealing. Pressure cook on High for 6 minutes, followed by a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat and carefully open the lid.

6. 6

   Thicken the sauce

   Remove the rice bowl and steamer rack, then set the chicken aside in a serving bowl. Press Cancel, then Sauté to heat the sauce. Mix the cornflour with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cold water in a small bowl, then stir the mixture into the sauce a third at a time until it reaches your preferred thickness. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, sugar or soy sauce as needed. Return the chicken to the pot and coat it with the sauce.

7. 7

   Crisp the skin

   This step is optional. Arrange the chicken, coated with a thin layer of sauce, on a baking tray and place it under the grill for 5 to 10 minutes to crisp the skin.

8. 8

   Serve with rice

   Serve the chicken with the rice, drizzle lightly with adobo sauce and garnish with sliced spring onion.

What is chicken adobo?

Adobo is a much-loved Filipino way of cooking, commonly built around vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and seasonings. The chicken simmers in this savoury, tangy mixture, which reduces to a glossy sauce.

This Instant Pot version keeps the familiar flavour combination and cooks the rice alongside the chicken. Pressure cooking means there is no need to marinate the meat beforehand.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 661 calories, 43g protein, 20g carbs, 45g fat.

The rice supplies most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken contributes protein and much of the fat, particularly if the thighs have their skin. Soy sauce and fish sauce are the main sources of sodium. Pair a serving with a green vegetable, or add one to the plate for more variety.

The sauce ingredients

Soy sauce: Filipino and regular soy sauces are combined for the savoury base. Fish sauce is optional, so you can leave it out if you prefer.

Vinegar: Filipino vinegar provides the sharp counterpoint to the soy sauce. The recipe also allows you to adjust the finished sauce with more vinegar, sugar or soy sauce to taste.

Aromatics: Onion, plenty of crushed garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves build the flavour in the pot before pressure cooking. The dried chilli adds another note; keep it whole for a gentler result.

Sauté before pressure cooking

Wait until the Instant Pot reads “HOT” before adding the oil and onion. Sautéing the aromatics first gives them time to release their flavour into the cooking base.

After adding the sauce, scrape the bottom thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Clearing the browned bits helps deglaze the pot and leaves them in the sauce rather than stuck to the base.

Cook the rice above the chicken

Pot-in-pot cooking keeps the rice in a separate bowl while it cooks on a steamer rack above the chicken. Rinse and drain the jasmine rice well before adding the measured cold water.

Set the vent to Sealing for pressure cooking, then allow the full 10-minute Natural Release before opening the lid carefully. Keep the rice bowl hot and handle it cautiously when removing it.

Check the sauce texture

Cornflour: Mix it with cold water before adding it to the hot sauce to make a smooth slurry. Stir it in gradually, a third at a time, and stop when the sauce is as thick as you like.

Seasoning: Taste after thickening, then adjust with vinegar, sugar or soy sauce if needed. A little sauce should cling to the chicken when you return it to the pot.

Optional crisp skin

The chicken is ready without this extra step, but a short spell under the grill can crisp the skin. Coat it with only a thin layer of sauce first, then grill for 5 to 10 minutes.

Keep an eye on the tray while it is under the grill. Serve the remaining sauce with the chicken and rice rather than putting a thick layer on the skin before grilling.

How to serve it

Serve the chicken with the rice cooked in the pot, a light drizzle of adobo sauce and sliced spring onion. The rice is a simple match for the bold, tangy sauce.

For a fuller plate, add a green vegetable alongside. Keep extra sauce available at the table so everyone can add as much as they like.

Recipe notes & tips

• Rinse and drain the jasmine rice well before putting it in its bowl.
• Wait for the Instant Pot to display “HOT” before adding the oil and onion.
• Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot when you add the sauce.
• Add the cornflour slurry in stages so you can control the sauce thickness.
• Use the optional grill step for crisp skin, and watch the chicken closely.
• Taste the sauce before serving and adjust it with vinegar, sugar or soy sauce.

Variations

• Skip the fish sauce: Leave out the optional tablespoon if you do not have it.
• Adjust the chilli: Omit the dried chilli for a milder sauce.
• Use vegetable oil: Choose it instead of peanut oil if that suits your pantry.
• Add greens: Serve with steamed green vegetables alongside the chicken and rice.
• Prefer softer skin: Skip the optional grilling step and serve the chicken straight from the pot.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the hot-pot cue: Wait for “HOT” before sautéing so the onion cooks in a properly heated pot.
• Leaving browned bits behind: Scrape the base thoroughly while deglazing to clear it.
• Opening the lid too soon: Allow the full 10-minute Natural Release before opening.
• Adding dry cornflour: First mix it with the cold water to form a slurry, then stir it into the sauce.
• Pouring in all the slurry at once: Add it a third at a time and stop when the sauce is thick enough.
• Over-saucing before grilling: Coat the chicken with a thin layer so the skin can crisp under the grill.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken, rice and sauce in covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a little water to the sauce if it has thickened; reheat the rice until steaming throughout.

Frequently asked questions