Hawaiian-Style Pineapple Chicken Adobo
Adobong Manok sa Pinya·(ah-doh-bong mah-nok sah peen-yah)
Two Scoop Rice: The Daily Plate Lunch Rhythms
Adobo is a brilliant, brutally pragmatic survival mechanism from the old country—a way to preserve meat in tropical heat using vinegar and salt. But when Filipino plantation workers arrived in Hawaii, their beloved adobo met Japanese shoyu and the island's endless fields of pineapple. The secret to making it taste exactly like it did at the plate lunch counter comes down to three unshakable rules: sear the chicken until golden, use whole peppercorns, and never, ever stir the pot right after you pour in the vinegar. You let it boil untouched so the harsh acid cooks off, leaving behind a sticky, savory, sweet-and-sour glaze that demands to be eaten over a massive scoop of hot white rice.
Before you start
Marinate the chicken to infuse the flavor.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, smashed garlic, ginger, whole peppercorns, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Toss to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours, but no longer, or the pineapple enzymes will turn the meat to mush.
Ingredients
- bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks3 lb
- Aloha Shoyu or low-sodium soy sauce1/2 cup
- apple cider vinegar1/2 cup
- canned pineapple chunks in juice20 oz
- garlic1 med head
- fresh ginger1 small piece
- whole black peppercorns1 tsp
- dried bay leaves4 med
- brown sugar2 tbsp
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- water1/2 cup
- green onions2 med
Method
- 01
Sear the chicken skin-side down to build the foundation.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving all the liquid and aromatics, and pat the skin relatively dry. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sear the chicken in batches for 4 to 6 minutes until deeply golden-brown, then flip for 2 minutes and transfer to a plate.
- 02
Boil the reserved marinade without stirring to mellow the vinegar.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of rendered chicken fat from the pot, then pour in the reserved marinade along with all the garlic, ginger, and spices. Bring to a rapid boil and let it boil completely untouched for 3 to 4 minutes to cook the raw edge off the acetic acid.
- 03
Simmer the chicken gently until incredibly tender.
Stir the bubbling liquid, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, and nestle the chicken back in skin-side up. Add the water, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- 04
Fold in the reserved pineapple chunks and reduce the sauce.
Remove the lid and, if the sauce is watery, boil it over medium-high heat for a few minutes to concentrate the flavors. Stir in the pineapple chunks and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to heat them through without turning them to mush.
- 05
Serve immediately over massive scoops of hot white rice.
Discard the bay leaves and ginger slices, spoon the dark, sticky adobo glaze generously over the chicken and rice, and garnish with sliced green onions.
Notes
Don't skimp on the whole peppercorns.
Biting into a softened whole peppercorn is a nostalgic hallmark of an authentic adobo; do not substitute with ground black pepper.
Leftovers are even better.
Adobo functions chemically as a preservation method, meaning the flavors meld and deepen beautifully in the fridge for up to 4 days.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.