Grilled Adobo Chicken

Smart & Final has some phenomenal pricing on chicken and beef lately, so I've been taking full advantage by stocking up and making some creative barbecue recipes. Adobo chicken simmered on the stovetop is a family favorite year-round, but taking it out to the grill when the weather's nice kicks it up a notch with real flavor depth.

This Filipino dish is super-easy with a mixture of soy sauce, honey and bay leaves. The chicken is simmered in the adobo mixture prior to grilling for a serious punch that pleases any crowd.

Grilled Adobo Chicken

Yield: 6 servings

Grilled Adobo Chicken

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Adobo chicken simmered on the stovetop is a family favorite year-round. Taking it out to the grill when the weather's nice kicks it up a notch with real flavor depth.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken leg quarters
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp minced garlic
• 4 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp fresh ground pepper
• 5 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Combine the water, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, pepper and bay leaves in a very large pot. Add the chicken, skin-side down and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover and simmer on low 35 minutes.
2. Move the chicken to a platter and remove the bay leaves. Return the mixture to a boil and cook over medium approximately 30 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
3. Grill chicken on an oiled barbecue over high heat for 5 minutes per side. Serve with rice and remaining sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 619Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 384mgSodium: 2053mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 76g

Bay leaves are the secret ingredient to really good grilled adobo chicken. They add so much flavor with just a little effort. You can see I doubled the recipe since we had company coming over. Honestly, I always double it because this makes awesome leftovers.

Try to submerge the chicken as much as possible so the mixture really soaks in.

Most of the time involved in this dish is just waiting around while the chicken gets to a boil and then simmers. It's a good chance to tidy up the kitchen and get ready for guests.

By the time the chicken's done simmering, the meat is starting to literally fall off the bone. This just shows how awesomely tender it is! That's why we always pre-cook our meat before barbecuing it.

Don't forget to take the bay leaves out before you finish simmering the sauce down, otherwise the flavor can become overpowering. And remember to stir it occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom. I got distracted this time around and mine ended up slightly charred. I told Nate I did it on purpose to enhance the barbecue flavor. Hah. Cooking is all about confidence, you guys!

I love grilled adobo chicken because it gets us out of that barbecue sauce rut that so many families find themselves entrenched in during the busy summer months. This dish is easy to adjust based on personal preferences. I often make it Paleo-friendly with Tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos and organic coconut sugar or honey in place of the brown sugar. You can even swap beef out in place of the chicken for an incredibly tender steak. I bet this would even work really well with pork!

What are you grilling up this season?