Every Filipino has one staple food on their tables at least once a month. The Chicken Adobo is probably one of the Philippines’ most famous dish. There’s nothing that can beat the combination of garlic, soy sauce and chicken. Here’s a simple recipe for the Chicken Adobo (but don’t forget to check my own notes below for more cooking tips):

Ingredients: (serves 2 to 3)

6 skin-on bone in chicken thighs or 4 legs
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 whole head garlic
2 bay leaves

Procedure:

1. Separate the cloves of garlic from each other and smash them lightly with the flat side of a knife to easily remove the skins. Add them with the rest of the ingredients—the chicken should be half-submerged—to a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the chicken is tender, turning the pieces occasionally.

2. If desired, remove the chicken pieces and reduce the sauce to a thicker consistency, adding the chicken pieces back in near the end to reheat. Remove the bay leaves and serve with rice.

In addition to this simple procedure, here’s a couple of more from someone who has made this a million times before. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes, and fry the garlic until its crispy brown. Also, put a lot of garlic on your marinating sauce (that will taste better later on). And please don’t stir the dish when you have just put in the vinegar or else, it will taste raw. Try also frying the chicken a little with the crispy brown garlic so to release a more aromatic and flavorful dish.