Instant Pot Chicken Adobo
Jennie Celestial
Cookbook Author

Ask any Filipino what they think is the quintessential Filipino dish, and more likely than not, the answer is adobo.  Some even will call it the national dish of the Philippines. 

There are many varieties of the adobo recipe, and they vary from region to region. There are purists who declare that the true adobo is just a blending of a few simple ingredients, with soy sauce and vinegar as the mainstays. 

Others don’t use soy sauce - adobong puti comes to mind. Others add coconut milk. While others will also add onions,  maybe some potatoes. 

Whatever recipe or form your adobo takes, one thing is hands down common to all -- the melding of the flavors imparts a deliciousness that will find you asking for a second, and even third serving! 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 12 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds frozen chicken thighs
• ¾ cup light sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ tablespoon patis (fish sauce)
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 4 bay leaves

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Procedure 

1. Preheat the Instant Pot on the sauté setting. When the inner pot is hot, pour in the cooking oil. When the oil is shimmering, add garlic and sauté until golden.
2. Add chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, patis, pepper, and bay leaves.
3. Turn and lock the lid into place, ensuring the steam release valve is in the sealed position. 
4. Select the manual setting and program for 17 minutes on high pressure (10 minutes if the chicken is already thawed). 
5. When cooking is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then quick
6. release remaining pressure.
7. Remove chicken from Instant Pot, place on a foil-lined sheet pan and broil (skin side up) until the skin is more crisp than tender.
8. Remove bay leaves from the sauce, combine chicken and sauce in a serving dish and serve.