Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo

Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo is a traditional Filipino dish served with rice, made faster with the help of your modern pressure cooker. This recipe includes cooking options for using an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, stovetop, and slow cooker. 

This post was originally published on March 12, 2018. It was updated with more cooking methods, helpful cooking instructions, and new photos, and republished on January 7, 2021.

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Growing up, the scents of vinegar, fish, and eggs permeated the air of our house 24/7.

The stove and oven were constantly working to help my family produce some large feast or another. I'm sure that everywhere I went, my hair and my clothes all gave away the menu of my day's meals.

One of the fragrant dishes that I remember eating frequently is chicken adobo.

Filipino Chicken Adobo

Filipino chicken adobo has a deliciously strong, beckoning aroma, thanks to its vinegar and garlic base.

It's fantastic and AMAZING, and I am pretty sure that if your hair does NOT smell like vinegar and garlic after cooking this dish, you're doing it wrong. Trust me: smelling like this dish is TOTALLY WORTH IT. It's so good!

"I'm Filipina & my mother used to make adobo all the time when I was a kid, although she never taught me how to make it. I found this recipe and I have to say it tastes almost identical to my mom's adobo chicken and it's super simple to make and requires ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! 10/10 recommend."

-Reader maria

What's the difference between Filipino adobo and Mexican adobo?

I get this question a lot. Filipino food is heavily influenced by both Spanish and Chinese cuisines, thanks to the country's history. The word "adobo" is derived from the Spanish word "adobar," meaning marinade.

Adobo is both a cooking technique, a dish, and a sauce. In the Philippines, it refers to the cooking technique and the dish itself (it's the unofficial dish of the Philippines!). Filipino adobo takes on southeast Asian ingredients and flavors, with a vinegar-soy based sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and sometimes peppercorns.

Spanish adobo refers to an intensely flavored, richly colored sauce. It has paprika and chipotle chiles.

What you need to make Filipino Chicken Adobo

You can make this flavorful Filipino Chicken Adobo in the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, slow cooker, or in a dutch oven on the stovetop.

Ingredients include:

• extra-virgin olive oil
• chicken - use a combination of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks. You could use skinless, boneless chicken if you prefer but just know: that will NOT give you the same flavor with this dish.
• white distilled vinegar
• soy sauce - if you're gluten-free, use coconut aminos instead or your favorite gluten-free soy sauce
• granulated sugar - balances the tang of the vinegar with a little sweetness
• garlic - feel free to use more than what the recipe calls for if you are a big garlic lover like I am!
• onion - slice a small or medium yellow onion. Do not use red onion here, as that will give the dish a completely different flavor.
• paprika- I love the bigger flavor paprika brings to adobo!
• bay leaf - be sure to remember to take this out before serving! It just cooked with the dish to add to that classic Filipino adobo flavor.
• scallions - these are optional as garnish

Exact measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

Making Filipino Adobo in the Electric Pressure Cooker

Traditional Filipino chicken adobo can take hours to make. With a traditional chicken adobo recipe, you would need to marinate the meat for a few hours and up to overnight to get a flavorful adobo.

I include the traditional cooking method as well as electric pressure cooker and slow cooker methods in the recipe card below.

Thanks to the Instant Pot and Ninja Foodi, this meal can be on the table in about 45 minutes. No marinating needed! The electric pressure cooker cooks the meat from the inside out, making it flavorful, juicy, and tender in less time.

I use a combination of skinless, boneless chicken thighs and skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, but you can also use a combo of chicken thighs and drumsticks.

I use a bit of chicken stock or broth to cut the vinegar a bit in my recipe. You still get that signature garlicky, vinegar flavor, though.

What goes with chicken adobo?

This Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo is garlicky,  sweet and salty, and tangy. It's perfect served with a side of white rice.

It's also delicious with pancit - a Filipino noodle dish.

And if you're serving a full Filipino meal, don't forget the lumpia! These Filipino egg rolls are the BEST!

What wine pairs with Filipino adobo?

Pairing wine with Filipino chicken adobo can be tricky. And you'll likely find that every sommelier has their own recommendation that differs from the person next to them. I personally like to pair the tangy, salty/sweet vinegar-soy-based sauce with a light-bodied, young red wine OR a crisp, lively white wine.

For reds, try this yummy chicken dish with a glass of Pinot Noir, Gamay, or Carignan.

For whites, try pairing this Filipino recipe with a South African Chenin Blanc. Like the one pictured above. The Chenin Blancs from this region tend to offer more tropical fruit flavors compared to those from the Loire valley. Their high acidity matches the intensity of the adobo quite nicely.

Filipino Chicken Adobo: Ninja Foodi, Slow Cooker, and Stovetop Cooking Instructions

Make Filipino Chicken Adobo in the Ninja Foodi

This is how I have been making chicken adobo lately. I LOVE my 8-quart XL Deluxe Ninja Foodi and use it every single day!

• Select Sear/Sauté, set the temperature to HI, and select Start/Stop to begin. Preheat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika evenly on both sides.
• Add the oil to the pot and then sauté the chicken pieces, browning them on all sides. This takes 4 to 5 minutes, and depending on the size of your Foodi, you may need to work in batches. When the chicken is browned on all sides, select Start/Stop to end sauté function.
• Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock or broth, garlic, bay leaves, onions, and ½ teaspoon pepper into the pot. Stir ingredients together. 
• Assemble the pressure lid, ensuring the pressure release valve is in the Seal position. Set to Pressure Cook on HI for 9 minutes. Select start/stop to begin. At the end of the cook time, quick release by carefully moving the pressure release valve into the Vent position. I use tongs or a wooden spoon to do this. Once all of the pressure has been released and the pressure release valve is safely down, carefully twist the lid to open. The adobo is done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165°F. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.  

Make Filipino Chicken Adobo in the Slow Cooker

If you don't have an electric pressure cooker, then slow cooking is a great method. It infuses the rich adobo flavors and spices throughout the chicken. It does take much longer to cook, but the chicken still comes out juicy. You could also sauté and brown the chicken on the stovetop first, before using the slow cooker.

• Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
• Place chicken along with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock or broth, garlic, bay leaves, onions, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir ingredients together. 
• Slow cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 2 to 3 hours. The adobo is done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165°F.

Make Filipino Chicken Adobo on the stovetop

This is the cooking method my mom and Lolas all used to make chicken adobo. It does take longer than using an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi, but it gets the job done. Filipino Chicken Adobo is so rich and flavorful when cooked this way too!

• Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat a dutch oven with the olive oil. Sauté and brown the chicken on all sides.
• Once all chicken pieces are browned evenly on both sides, add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, chicken stock or broth, garlic, bay leaves, onions, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir ingredients together. Bring the ingredients to a low boil, and then lower the heat to low-medium. Allow the chicken adobo to cook in the dutch oven for 2 to 3 hours. The adobo is done when an instant read thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165°F.

Exact measurements and detailed instructions can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post!

"Don’t make any other recipe! This is the B E S T! Sooooo yummy!!!"

- Reader Ashley

How to cook adobo with frozen chicken thighs

A few readers have asked about using frozen chicken thighs, so I thought I would add the note here. You can absolutely start with frozen in the Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi! You'll just need to adjust cooking times.

Skip the browning section of the instructions, and simply allow them to pressure cook longer. A general rule of thumb for frozen thighs: cook on high pressure for 20 minutes for boneless, and 25 for bone in. Always check the chicken with a meat thermometer to make sure it's at 165 and completely cooked.

What to do with chicken adobo leftovers

Chicken adobo was a meal my family would make as a child at least once a week, if not a few times each week. It's a great recipe to double and reserve some leftovers to enjoy the following day. Try leftover chicken adobo with some noodles or even with a salad the next day!

This Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe brings back such happy memories from my childhood, and now I love cooking it for my family, too. I hope it brings you and your family as much joy!

More easy dinner recipes

• Filipino Lumpia
• Filipino Fried Rice
• Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce
• Air Fryer Paprika Chicken

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Have you ever had Filipino chicken adobo? 

This post was originally published on March 12, 2018. It was updated with more cooking methods and helpful information and republished on January 7, 2021.