Filipino Chicken Adobo

A dish with rice and delicious, crispy skin, garliky Chicken Adobo made with Magnifique Combo Air Fryer.

Adapted by Kyle Libramonte

Prep Time: 10 mins • Marinating Time: 1 Hr • Cook Time: 1 hr 30-40 mins
Total Time: Approximately 2 hrs 40 mins

Serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken Adobo

2 lbs (900 g) bone-in chicken pieces, preferably thighs and drumsticks
4 tbsp soy sauce
4½ tbsp white vinegar
10 cloves garlic, crushed
3 dried bay leaves
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1½ cups (355 ml) water
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp cooking oil, divided
Salt to taste

To Serve

Steamed white rice or garlic fried rice
Extra adobo sauce for drizzling

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken, soy sauce, and crushed garlic. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Reserve the marinade and garlic for cooking.
Prepare the Combo Air Fryer: Place the glass pot into the Magnifique Combo Air Fryer multi-cooker base. Arrange the chicken inside the pot and pour in the reserved marinade and garlic. Add the water, bay leaves, and whole black peppercorns. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and gently mix to distribute the ingredients.
Braise Until Tender: Select Braise mode and cook for approximately 1 hour, keeping the lid on during cooking. The chicken should become tender as it slowly cooks in the savory garlic-soy mixture. Check that the thickest pieces are cooked through before moving to the next step.
Add the Vinegar: Pour the white vinegar over the chicken and allow the mixture to simmer briefly before gently stirring. Add the sugar and mix to combine. The vinegar brings the signature tangy flavor of Filipino adobo, while the sugar balances the saltiness and acidity.
Reduce the Adobo Sauce: Switch to Steam mode and cook for another 20–30 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce. Keep an eye on the liquid level and the tenderness of the chicken. The sauce should become more concentrated, with a deeper color and a rich, savory aroma. Reserve some sauce for glazing the chicken during the final crisping stage.
Prepare for MaxCrisp: Carefully remove the chicken from the sauce and set it aside briefly. Transfer the reduced sauce to a heat-safe container if needed, leaving enough for glazing. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the glass pot, with space between the pieces for the hot air to circulate. Lightly brush the chicken with some of the reserved adobo sauce and a little of the remaining oil.
Crisp and Glaze the Chicken: Replace the multi-cooker setup with the AirCrisper lid. Select MaxCrisp and cook for approximately 10 minutes, checking the chicken as it crisps. The skin should become golden and crisp, while the reduced adobo sauce caramelizes into a glossy glaze. If desired, carefully brush on a little more sauce partway through cooking, taking care not to apply too much, which can prevent the skin from crisping properly.
Plate and Serve: Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and spoon the remaining adobo sauce over or alongside it. Serve immediately with steamed white rice or garlic fried rice, allowing the rice to soak up the tangy, garlicky sauce.

Chef's Tips

Choose bone-in, skin-on chicken. Thighs and drumsticks hold up well during the long braise and stay juicy. Keeping the skin on also gives you a better surface for crisping with the AirCrisper lid.
Give the marinade time to work. An hour is a good starting point, but marinating for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator can deepen the garlic and soy sauce flavor.
Let the vinegar simmer before stirring. Allowing the vinegar to heat briefly before mixing it into the sauce helps soften its sharp aroma while preserving the characteristic tang of adobo.
Reduce the sauce before crisping. The Steam stage concentrates the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and chicken juices. A thicker sauce adheres to the chicken more effectively and creates a flavorful glaze.
Use the glaze sparingly. Too much liquid on the chicken can prevent the skin from becoming crisp. Brush on a thin layer before MaxCrisp and add more only if needed.
Watch the final crisping stage. MaxCrisp cooks at high heat, and a sauce containing soy sauce and sugar can darken quickly. Check the chicken before the full 10 minutes have elapsed and stop when the skin is crisp and the glaze is glossy.
Make extra sauce for rice. Filipino chicken adobo is especially good with plenty of sauce to spoon over warm rice. Reserve some before crisping so you can serve it separately without softening the chicken's crispy exterior.
Store leftovers properly. Refrigerate the chicken and sauce in airtight containers within 2 hours of cooking and enjoy within 3–4 days. Reheat the chicken until it reaches 165°F (74°C); use MaxCrisp briefly to restore the skin's texture, if desired.