Adobong Na Manok Recipe

Heat the oil in a large clay or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, vinegar, soy sauce, scallions, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1/4 cup water, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is fork-tender and the juices have reduced by half, about an hour. You can serve the chicken over rice with a sautéed vegetable on the side now, or refrigerate it overnight.

Take the adobong out of the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Place the pot, uncovered, over medium heat and, stirring occasionally, reheat the stew until a little more of the juices have evaporated. The more the juices evaporate, the more the fat surfaces and crisps the chicken pieces, making them very delicious.

Variation: You can make this with a whole 2 1/2 pound chicken. This is what I call “family style” adobong . Remove the legs from the chicken, and split them at the joint. Chop the drumsticks and thighs in half through the bone. (Use a cleaver to do this, but if you are uncomfortable using a cleaver for chopping, slice the pieces in half lengthwise so some of the halves retain the bone, while the others are bone-free.) Separate the back from the breast side of the chicken. Use kitchen shears or a cleaver. Quarter the backbone. Separate the wings from the breast at the joint, and discard the tips. Halve the breast through the bone, then quarter each half through the bone crosswise. Enjoy, but be very careful of the small bones.

Beverage pairing: Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat , USA . The fact that the chicken is cooked in vinegar makes the dish a challenge with wine, since acetic acid (vinegar) is something winemakers stringently avoid. The hint of acetic, however, tastes great with a spicy, bright, citric wheat beer such as this one from Wisconsin.

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