Entrée: Sri Lanka – चिकन अडोबो ▶ Chikan Adobo (Chicken Adobo)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 50 min

Additional 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Ingredients

3–4 lb / 1.5 kg bone-in chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, skin on
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or coconut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, minced
2 fresh green chilies, slit (adjust to taste)
10–12 fresh curry leaves or 1 tsp dried curry leaves
1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches)
3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 whole cloves
1 tsp freshly crushed black pepper
3 tbsp (45 ml) light soy sauce
1 / 4 cup (60 ml) coconut vinegar or white vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) coconut water
1 tbsp (15 ml) tamarind paste or 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice
1 tsp Sri Lankan roasted curry powder (optional)
1 tbsp (15 ml) palm sugar or brown sugar or 1 tsp jaggery
1 / 2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk (optional)
1 cup (240 ml) water, more as needed
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh cilantro or sliced spring onion, to garnish
Steamed white rice or string hoppers, to serve

Instructions

Marinate: In a large bowl combine chicken, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp coconut vinegar, minced garlic, minced ginger, and 1/2 tsp crushed black pepper. Toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).
Prepare spices: Lightly crush the cardamom pods and cloves so they release flavor. Measure out curry leaves, cinnamon stick and roasted curry powder if using.
Heat oil: In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Sear chicken: Remove chicken from marinade (reserve the marinade). Working in batches if necessary, sear chicken skin-side down until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the pan and cook until soft and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add green chilies, curry leaves, crushed cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and remaining crushed black pepper; sauté 1–2 minutes until aromatic.
Add reserved marinade and soy/vinegar: Pour the reserved marinade into the pan along with remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp coconut vinegar. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add tamarind and curry powder: Stir in the tamarind paste (or lime juice), 1 tsp roasted curry powder (if using) and palm/brown sugar. Taste and adjust balance of salty/sour/sweet — adobo should be boldly seasoned and slightly tangy.
Return chicken and simmer: Nestle the seared chicken pieces back into the pan. Pour in about 1 cup water (enough to come partway up the chicken). Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, turning once, until chicken is cooked through and tender.
Reduce and finish sauce: Remove the lid and increase heat to medium-high to reduce the sauce slightly, about 5–7 minutes. If using coconut milk, stir it in now and simmer 2–3 minutes more to meld flavors; do not boil vigorously after adding coconut milk to prevent separation.
Adjust seasoning: Taste the sauce and add salt, more vinegar or a pinch more sugar as needed to achieve a balanced sweet-sour-salty profile. If sauce is too thin, simmer a little longer uncovered; if too thick, add a splash of water.
Finish: Turn off heat and squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the chicken. Garnish with chopped cilantro or sliced spring onion and a few extra curry leaves for aroma.
Serve: Serve hot with steamed white rice, string hoppers or roti, and a side of pol sambol or fresh sambol for a Sri Lankan touch.