Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Ingredients

• 6 (995g) chicken thighs or 2 pounds chicken meat
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 (150g) medium onion (, sliced)
• 12 cloves (34g) garlic (, crushed)
• 1 teaspoon (4g) whole black peppercorn
• 1 dried red chili
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 1 stalk green onions (, thinly sliced for garnish)
• ¼ cup (63ml) Filipino soy sauce
• ⅓ cup (83ml) regular soy sauce
• ⅓ cup (83ml) Filipino vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce ((optional))
• 1 tablespoon (12.5g) sugar
• 1 cup (235g) Jasmine rice (, rinsed and drained well)
• 1 cup (250ml) cold water
• 2½ tablespoons (22.5g) cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) cold water

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare Instant Pot: Heat up Instant Pot using “Sauté More” function. Wait until Instant Pot says “HOT” (roughly 8 minutes).

2. 2

   Make Adobo Sauce: In a medium glass measuring cup, mix and combine 1 tbsp (12.5g) sugar, 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce, ¼ cup (63ml) Filipino soy sauce, ⅓ cup (83ml) regular soy sauce, and ⅓ cup (83ml) Filipino vinegar.

3. 3

   Sauté Onions and Spices: Add 1 tbsp (15ml) oil in Instant Pot. Sauté onions for 2 minutes. Add 12 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp (4g) whole black peppercorn, dried red chili, and 4 dried bay leaves, then sauté for another 45 seconds.

4. 4

   Deglaze Instant Pot: Add adobo sauce mixture (from Step 2) in Instant Pot. Deglaze by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

5. 5

   Pressure Cook Chicken Adobo and Pot in Pot Rice: Coat the chicken with adobo sauce by dipping the skin side into the adobo sauce. Then flip to place the chicken skin side up in Instant Pot. Place a steamer rack in Instant Pot. Layer a stainless steel bowl of 1 cup (235g) Jasmine rice and 1 cup (250ml) cold water on top of the rack. With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 6 minutes, then Natural Release for 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Open lid carefully.

6. 6

   Thicken Chicken Adobo Sauce: Remove stainless steel bowl & steamer rack. Set aside chicken in a serving bowl. Press Cancel button, then Sauté button to heat up the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, mix 2.5 tbsp (22.5g) cornstarch with 3 tbsp (45ml) cold water. Mix it into the adobo sauce one third at a time until desired thickness. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more vinegar, sugar, or soy sauce accordingly. Coat chicken with adobo sauce by placing them back in the pot.

7. 7

   Optional Step - Crisp Skin: Place chicken adobo (coated with a thin layer of sauce) on a baking tray. Put it under a broiler for 5 to 10 minutes to maximize the flavor and crisp up the skin.

8. 8

   Serve: Serve chicken adobo with rice. Lightly drizzle the adobo sauce and garnish with green onions. Enjoy~