This Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo is a perfect dish to add variety to your weekly dinner menu. The sauce is tangy and goes perfect over rice with steamed vegetables.
If you love tender chicken then this recipe is for you! Thighs turn out perfect in the slow cooker, just like my ranch chicken and lemon pepper chicken.
The first time I encountered chicken adobo was on a viral youtube video that popped into my feed. Of course, I had to try out chicken adobo on my site and share how good it is with all my readers. (Note that I use a few more ingredients then she does in her video).
Some will say making chicken adobo in the crockpot isn’t authentic, that’s fine, don’t make it then. If you want the EASIEST way to make chicken adobo then try my recipe, you won’t be disappointed.
What is chicken adobo?
- Chicken Adobo is a Philippine dish, the sauce for this recipe is heavy in vinegar and soy sauce.
- Chinese traders introduced soy sauce to replace the traditional salt in this dish. – Wiki
How to make Chicken Adobo in the Crockpot:
- Chicken thighs – bone-in
- Soy sauce – I use low sodium
- White vinegar – Add a tang to this recipe
- White onion – diced
- Chicken broth – helps keep the entire dish moist and evens out some of the vinegar taste.
- Seasonings – cut fresh ginger, garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns
How long do I cook?
- Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours
- Or HIGH for 4 hours.
Can I use a different cut of chicken?
Yes, pretty much any cut of chicken works though bone-in dark meat will have better results.
- Drumsticks
- Bone-in chicken breast
- Boneless skinless thighs or breasts
Can I add bok choy to this recipe?
Yes, add 3-4 cups of sliced bok choy during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time. Make a great compliment to this along with rice.
Can I make this into shredded chicken?
- If you desire shredded chicken, remove the chicken on to a plate. Remove and discard the skin.
- Shred the chicken off the bone and add the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker with the sauce.
- This shredded chicken is great over rice.
What goes good with chicken adobo?
- Steamed white rice
- Steamed green veggies such as asparagus, bok choy, sugar snap peas or broccoli
- Cauliflower rice for if you’re watching your carbs. This chicken adobo is very low in carbs!
More slow cooker chicken thigh recipes:
- Slow Cooker Hot Chicken
- Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken with Red Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper Chicken
- Slow Cooker Leek Chicken
- Slow Cooker Full Chicken Dinner
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First Published: 03/14/2016
Updated: 02/02/2019
Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker – 4 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 5 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup white onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves left whole
- 3 small slices of peeled fresh ginger root (or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger)
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 black peppercorns (or 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper)
Instructions:
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add enough of the oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Brown the chicken on both sides. Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
- In a medium sized bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth and onion. Pour this mixture over the chicken.
- Add the garlic cloves, ginger slices, bay leaves and peppercorns on top of the chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH 4 hours for without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Remove bay leaves, and garlic cloves if desired.
- Serve and enjoy!
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Drumsticks
- Bone-in chicken breast
- Boneless skinless thighs or breasts
- If you desire shredded chicken, remove the chicken on a plate. Remove and discard the skin.
- Shred the chicken off the bone and add back into the slow cooker with the sauce.
- This shredded chicken is great over rice.
- Steamed white rice
- Steamed green veggies such as asparagus, bok choy, sugar snap peas or broccoli
- Cauliflower rice for if you’re watching your carbs. This chicken adobo is very low in carbs!
Please write Filipino Dish, not Philippine dish. I’m not Philippine. I am Filipino. Also soy sauce and vinegar ratio should be 3 to 1, not 1 to 1. Definitely needs more ginger, however I recognize everyone cooks to their own palette. This was a good starting point to just see how long it takes to cook in crock pot. So I got the information I needed. Glad you took the time to post this.
bland
I added 2 tblespoons of oyster sauce! I had a Filipino friend that added that to his recipe. I can hardly wait to eat it for dinner1
The smell of the slow cooked Chicken Adobo filled up the kitchen and the dish was delightful. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I added double the recipe sauce and put rice in with it. Hope it comes out good. Smells good. Doing low for 6 to 7 hrs.
Is the onion meant to be chopped ? Use fresh onion or dried minced onion?
Diced fresh onion, thank you for letting me know.
I’ve got this in my slow cooker right now! Looks amazing. Wasn’t able to get bone-in and skin thighs so just using regular one. Would be nice with drumsticks too. Can’t wait to try it tonight! 🙂
Can I put the chicken in frozen and let it ride?
I only use raw meat in my recipes.
I am going to use frozen chicken. Hoping it turns out well
I cook mine in coconut milk, by the way, it gives a richer flavor.
Has anybody tried this in an instant pot? I broke my crockpot thanks!
Looks so yummy! Planning on cooking this week. Can I add chopped potatoes the same time as the chicken?
Yes, that should work fine.
This recipe is awesome!! If I want to make it with 10 pcs of chicken do I just double up on the ingredients? Thanks…
I Used 8 pcs and didnt add extra , still juicy and fantastic
That’s real tasty, sent the recipe to my daughter, she’ll try it Friday night. It’s a keeper.
I would love to try this recipe, but due to time constraints will not be able to sear the thighs or remove the skin (my second favourite part!). Is this absolutely necessary?
You can leave the skins on and broil the skin or remove them when you are ready to serve.
Do I have to leave the skin on? That’s a lot of bad fat.
You can take it off. I am making this on Wednesday and plan to do that. or you can remove later and degrease the sauce with paper towels.
This is the BEST Chicken Adobo recipe!!!
I’m Half Filipino and American, have never tried it in a crock pot, all I have to say is deliciousthe aroma smells so good!!
Good over Jasmine rice…
Do I have to sear the chicken?
You do not! If I don’t sear it, I usually take off the skin before serving.
I sear my chicken until skin turned light brown, it gives it more flavor…