Filipino Chicken Adobo

Tangy and saucy with an intense fusion of coconut and delicate green onion flavors, this meaty chicken dish an updated version of a favorite Filipino dish, chicken adobo.  Bone-in chicken thighs are marinated in soy sauce, browned in a skillet and then simmered in a coconut milk, vinegar and herbed sauce with whole garlic cloves. The result is quick well-seasoned chicken dish that produces a flavorful brown sauce that hugs and clings to the chicken.


In addition to it being a comforting classic, the best part of this dish is that it takes very little active cooking time, making it a great candidate for those last-minute weeknight meals.


Filipino Chicken Adobo 
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated via Tomatoes on the Vine
Ingredients:

• 8 (5-7 ounce) bone in chicken thighs, trimmed 
• 1/3 cup soy sauce 
• 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can coconut milk 
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar 
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled 
• 4 bay leaves 
• 2 teaspoons pepper 
• 1 scallion, sliced thin 

Method

1. Toss chicken with soy sauce in large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Remove chicken from soy sauce, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Transfer chicken side down, to 12-inch nonstick skillet (I used a cast iron skillet); set aside soy sauce. 
2. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until chicken skin is browned, 7 to 10 minutes. While chicken is browning, whisk coconut milk, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper into soy sauce. 
3. Transfer chicken to plate and discard fat in skillet. Return chicken to skillet skin side down, add coconut milk mixture, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Flip chicken skin side up and continue to cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 175 degrees, (I just cooked it for about 15 minutes). Transfer chicken to platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. 
4. Remove bay leaves and skim any fat off surface of sauce. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook until sauce is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with scallions and serve over rice.

Serves 4