Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

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This Instant Pot chicken adobo brings bold, savory flavors to the table with minimal effort. It’s a perfect option for busy weeknights. Inspired by the classic Filipino dish, this recipe features tender, juicy chicken thighs simmered in a rich, tangy sauce made with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic. The Instant Pot cooks it and intensifies the flavors in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods while also keeping the chicken incredibly moist.

The combination of soy sauce and vinegar creates a perfect balance of salty and sour, while a touch of sugar rounds out the dish. Aromatic garlic and onions infuse the sauce with deep umami notes, and a finishing sauté step thickens the sauce to a glossy perfection. Served over fluffy white rice and garnished with fresh green onions, the dish is both comforting and flavorful.

This recipe is also highly adaptable, with plenty of ways to make it your own. Best of all, it comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an excellent option for a quick yet satisfying meal.

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• Deep, complex flavor with minimal effort. The Instant Pot extracts and intensifies the classic adobo balance of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves, giving you a savory-tangy sauce that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.
• Perfectly tender chicken. Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicy under pressure and absorb the bold sauce beautifully. The chicken becomes so tender that it almost falls from the bone.
• One-pot convenience. Searing, pressure cooking, and reducing all happen in the same pot, reducing cleanup while layering flavor efficiently.
• Adaptable and customizable. You can adjust the vinegar-to-soy ratio, add spice, or finish with coconut milk—adobo is famously personal, and this recipe adapts well to your preferences.
• Even better as leftovers. Like many braised dishes, adobo tastes richer and more developed the next day, making it excellent for meal prep.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs deliver the best flavor and texture. You can use boneless thighs, but reduce the pressure cook time slightly.
• Vinegar: Cane vinegar is traditional, but white vinegar works just fine. For a milder tang, try rice vinegar.
• Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce adds salt and umami. Use low-sodium if preferred.
• Garlic and onion: Use plenty of garlic—it’s essential to the flavor base. Sliced onion adds sweetness.
• Bay leaves: Optional but traditional, they lend depth and aroma.
• Cayenne: Just a dash adds gentle heat; increase for a spicier version.

Steps to Make Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear them in batches in the Instant Pot on sauté mode until the skin is browned. Set aside.
2. Deglaze the pot with the vinegar, soy sauce, water, sugar, and seasonings, scraping up browned bits. Return the chicken to the pot and top with sliced onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
3. Lock the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Do a quick release when done.
4. Cancel the pressure cook mode and switch back to sauté. Let the sauce simmer and reduce for about 15 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy.
5. Serve hot over rice, garnished with sliced green onions.

Pro Tips

• Dry the chicken well: Even a little moisture can prevent browning, so pat thoroughly before searing.
• Don’t skip searing: This step builds the foundation of the sauce and greatly improves flavor.
• Use cane vinegar if available: It offers a cleaner, smoother acidity compared to standard white vinegar.
• Reduce the sauce to your liking: Some prefer a syrupy glaze; others like a looser, spoonable sauce. Adjust the simmer time as needed.
• Rest the chicken in the sauce: Letting the chicken sit for a few minutes off the heat deepens flavor and improves juiciness.

Recipe Variations

• Spicy Version – Add a sliced hot chile pepper for an extra kick.
• Sweeter Version – Increase the sugar to 1 tablespoon or use 1 tablespoon of honey.
• Pork Version – Substitute pork shoulder or country-style ribs and increase the pressure cook time to 20 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve over steamed jasmine rice to soak up the sauce.
• Add a side of sautéed greens like bok choy or spinach for freshness.
• Pair with pickled vegetables to balance the richness.
• Choose a squeeze of lime (or calamansi) for a bright finishing touch.

How to Store

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors continue to develop and deepen over time.
• Freeze: Freeze cooled adobo (with sauce) for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Diana Rattray

Try this Instant Pot chicken adobo recipe for a quick, flavorful meal that captures the essence of Filipino cuisine.

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Servings 4 to 6 servings

Calories 734

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Other TimePressure Build/Release Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 57 minutes minutes

Recipe Resources

• Electric pressure cooker

Ingredients

  

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• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on, about 6 to 8
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup vinegar, white or cane
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• Dash cayenne pepper
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

• Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode on high and add the vegetable oil to the Instant Pot. Add half the chicken thighs to the pan, skin-side down when the oil is hot. Cook for 4 minutes or until the skin is browned. Flip the chicken and sear the other side for 2 more minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Combine the sauce ingredients. Combine the vinegar, soy sauce, water, sugar, coarsely ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and add the mixture to the pot. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add the chicken back to the pot.
  
• Add the aromatics. and pressure cook Top the chicken with the onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Lock the lid in place. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Manual) on High for 10 minutes. When the time is up, perform a quick pressure release.
  
• Simmer to reduce. Carefully remove the lid, then cancel the pressure-cook function. Set the Instant Pot back to sauté mode and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and slightly thickened. Remove the bay leaves.
  
• Serve. Serve the chicken over rice with a garnish of green onions. Enjoy!
  

Notes

Notes:

If using boneless thighs, reduce the pressure cook time to 8 minutes.

 

For a thicker sauce, make a cornstarch slurry. Combine 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and mix until smooth. Add the slurry to the sauce mixture and cook for 1 minute longer.

Nutrition

Calories: 734kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 50gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 278mgSodium: 1843mgPotassium: 719mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 3mg

Disclaimer:

Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.

Keyword chicken adobo, Filipino chicken adobo, instant pot

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