Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe (Gluten-Free, Keto)

This easy Filipino chicken adobo recipe is a gluten-free and keto-friendly version of a childhood dish I grew up on. Chicken adobo is basically the national dish of the Philippines and once you try a bite, you'll understand why.

Tender chicken thighs simmered in a salty, tangy marinade flavored with peppercorns and bay leaves- that's essentially the entire recipe. The chicken is finished off with a quick pan fry while the marinade is reduced to a rich, savory drizzling sauce.

Is there anything more flavorful and juicy and delicious? I think not.

As much as I love braised pork adobo, this quick and easy chicken adobo recipe was the original muse for the pork version. And it's the BEST.

what is Filipino chicken adobo?

Filipino chicken adobo is chicken that is simmered in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black peppercorn and bay leaves until it becomes tender, then served over a bed of rice (often the sauce is drizzled over it).

In the Philippines, it's basically the national dish and there are many iterations of it. Some call for coconut milk or other proteins of choice, but my very favorite is the original chicken adobo recipe I grew up on- my mom's.

It always appeared at potlucks or when guests came over for dinner or when she needed to get a quick, homemade dinner on the table. Needless to say, we enjoyed it often. And with zero complaints.

Years ago over the phone, she walked me through how to make chicken adobo and I realized that- like some of the best dishes- her method was loose and carefree and so were her instructions. Pour "just a little bit" of this or that, boil the chicken "until it's done."

And that's the great thing about this Filipino chicken adobo recipe. It's low-maintenance, no-fuss, and you can make a few small changes to create your own recipe and still get the best results.

why this chicken adobo recipe works

Fortunately, my mom's authentic Filipino chicken adobo recipe is easy to make gluten-free and keto friendly!

Instead of regular soy sauce, use a gluten-free tamari. Combine it with apple cider vinegar and you have the base of your entire marinade.

I like to sauté garlic green beans to serve as a yummy adobo side dish, but you can also go with fried cauliflower rice, cauliflower mash, low-carb Filipino pancit, or this gluten-free chicken fried rice.

This low-carb and keto chicken adobo recipe (with garlic green beans) is:

• easy to prepare with a five-ingredient marinade/sauce
• packed with tangy, savory, garlic-y flavor
• quick to make

Overall, Filipino chicken adobo with garlic green beans is quite the treat treat if you're on a low-carb diet and are craving a comforting, Asian-inspired dish.

the ingredients

Just handful of ingredients are all you need to make authentic, Filipino-style chicken adobo!

Everyday ingredients like tamari, vinegar and garlic are the secret to creating flavorful Filipino cuisine you'll want to make on repeat.

What you'll need:

• boneless and skinless chicken thighs- Do not substitute chicken breasts! Chicken thighs cook down and tenderize really well for this recipe and breast meat may turn out dry. You can trim off any excess fat with kitchen shears if you'd like.

• apple cider vinegar- I prefer ACV but rice vinegar is also just fine as long as it's gluten-free and not seasoned rice vinegar (which may have some non-gluten-free ingredients)

• tamari- Compared to your everyday soy sauce, tamari has a deeper, richer flavor and is similar to a dark soy sauce. I add a bit of water (or chicken stock) to the marinade to mellow out the flavor. If

• flavor add-ins-Minced garlic, black peppercorns and dried bay leaves are all you need.

• avocado oil - I like to use avocado oil because it's neutral, but I've also pan-fried the chicken in coconut oil and ghee with great results.

how to make Filipino chicken adobo

I've tinkered with this recipe a lot over the years, testing out different methods or versions of other adobo recipes I've found online.

In fact, chicken adobo recipe was one of my earliest posts and I've since changed up how I prepare it, staying more true to my mom's cooking process.

Here's how to make chicken adobo:

1. Mix the marinade. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a small dish and set aside.
2. Simmer the chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the chicken thighs and the marinade and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
3. Reduce the sauce. Remove the chicken thighs from the pan and increase the stovetop to medium-high heat. Stir the sauce as it boils and reduces. This should take about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce into a small dish and set aside.
4. Pan-fry the chicken adobo. In the same skillet, add the avocado oil and pan-fry each side of the chicken for about 1-2 minutes, just until the chicken pieces are browned. Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the sauce back in with the chicken. Serve immediately, garnished with sliced green onion and/or sesame seeds.

recipe tips and substitutions

• There is no marinating required for this recipe! You certainly can pre-marinate the chicken if you'd like but I find it to be an unnecessary, extra step.
• Chicken breasts or tenderloins are not a great substitute for the chicken thighs. They don't tenderize as well during the simmer and may turn out kind of tough. Chicken legs or bone-in thighs will work but increase the simmer time to at least 30 minutes to make sure the chicken is cooked through.
• If you don't have apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar is another great option (and what many adobo recipes call for). Make sure you're using a low-carb rice vinegar. Distilled white vinegar can also work in a pinch.
• When pan-frying the chicken pieces, be careful of hot oil splatter.
• During the last five minutes of simmer time, I like to prepare sautéed garlic green beans. I'm including the instructions in the recipe notes below as it makes a great side dish for chicken adobo!
• Some recipes call for brown sugar but not this keto and low-carb version! However, if you want more of a sweeter sauce, you can mix a brown monk fruit sweetener into the marinade.
• If you don't have whole peppercorns, substitute ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.

frequently asked questions

what to serve with chicken adobo

If you're looking for a quick and easy side dish for chicken adobo, I'm including a simple recipe for garlic green beans in the recipe card below! The green beans cook over a medium-high heat (with a little bit of the adobo sauce) for a few minutes, just until they're slightly browned on the outside.

Looking for more low-carb chicken adobo side dishes? Try out these delicious recipes:

• sautéed cauliflower rice
• crispy air fryer broccoli with lemon
• low-carb avocado mango salsa
• crispy roasted sriracha Brussels sprouts
• cauliflower fried "rice"
• air fryer cauliflower
• low-carb Filipino pancit

Filipino adobo is so easy to make and might just become your new favorite Asian dish! Save this easy Filipino chicken adobo recipe for the next time you're looking for a quick chicken dinner with bold flavor to the max.

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