Easy Chicken Adobo with Coconut Milk

Chicken adobo with coconut milk combines tender, juicy chicken thighs with a zesty, slightly sweet sauce creating a weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

If you're looking for a delicious new chicken recipe, then you've found it here. I've been making this dish for a few years, and it's a big hit every time.

With its combination of creamy coconut milk, sweet and tangy flavors like soy sauce and apple cider vinegar, and crispy skin, these chicken thighs are always crowd-pleasers.

If you love flavorful chicken dishes, you're going to love these Thai curry wings recipe or homemade chicken fried rice.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

• The delicious Filipino adobo marinade infuses the chicken with so much flavor.
• The creamy richness of the coconut milk balances out the salty, sweet, and sour flavors in the dish.
• It's quick and easy chicken recipe that's perfect for any night of the week.

What is Adobo Chicken?

Adobo chicken is a traditional Filipino dish made with meat and vegetables cooked in a sweet and sour soy sauce based sauce.

The use of vinegar in cooking is essential to the cuisine in the Philippines. It started out as a way to preserve food but also gives the food a distinct flavor.

This version also contains coconut milk which adds creamy and richer flavor to the sauce that cooks up the chicken.

Ingredients

You'll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this Filipino chicken recipe. All are easy to find and available at your local grocery store.

• Chicken thighs: Use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for the best flavor.
• Soy sauce: Adds umami and salty flavor to the adobo marinade.
• Coconut milk: Gives the sauce a bit of sweetness that perfectly balances the other flavors.
• Apple cider vinegar: I like the flavors of cooking with apple cider vinegar but others work fine too.
• Garlic and green onions: Used to add more depth of flavor to the sauce.

Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of the post for exact amounts.

Substitutions and Variations

• Don't have bone-in chicken thighs? You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead.
• Prefer chicken breast: Swap the thighs for breasts but you will need to cook longer since the breasts are usually larger.
• Make it vegetarian: Swap the chicken for tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms.
• Soy sauce: The best substitute for soy sauce is coconut aminos which also is gluten-free or tamari.
• Coconut milk: The coconut milk brings a unique flavor to the dish that you won't get from these substitutes. For creaminess you can use evaporated milk. You also can use chicken or vegetable broth instead but lose all the creaminess. When making this swap you may find you need to add some sugar or honey.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Use white wine or red wine vinegar instead.

How to Make Coconut Milk Chicken Adobo

This simple chicken adobo recipe is ready in under an hour! Here's an overview of the steps involved.

The highlights are below, but you'll find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1. Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and add the soy sauce. Allow the chicken to marinate for up to an hour.

2. Cook the chicken until the skin is crisp and brown.
3. Add the coconut milk, bay leaves, garlic, and pepper to the leftover soy marinade and mix together.

PRO TIP: Cook the chicken skin side down to brown it and give it a crispier texture. Then brown the other side before adding in the other ingredients.

4. Add the sauce to the chicken and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken until cooked through.
5. Remove the bay leaves and chicken and cook the sauce until it thickens. Return the chicken to the sauce and garnish with green onions.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store for up to four days in an air-tight container.

Freezer: Store for up to three months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

Reheat: Place the chicken and sauce in a pan, cover with a lid, and cook over medium-low heat until heated through.

Tips

• Marinate the chicken overnight for a richer and more flavorful dish.
• Don’t discard the soy sauce marinade. We will be adding it in later on to make the adobo sauce.
• Stir together the adobo sauce ingredients before adding them to the skillet so that everything is evenly distributed.
• Simmer uncovered once you remove the cooked chicken so that some of the liquid evaporates and leaves you with a thicker sauce consistency
• Boil off any excess liquid after removing your cooked chicken from its bath to create an even thicker saucy coating for serving up.

FAQ

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.

This post was originally published February 2016. It's been updated with new images and content.