Dylan Cosgrave’s Chicken Adobo is your next family staple

Chicken Adobo is considered to be the national dish of the Philippines. This recipe is simple and tasty. The dish is uniquely prepared by stewing chicken in vinegar and soy sauce that results in flavourful, tangy and tender meat. It is usually served over a bed of fluffy rice to absorb the delicious tangy sauce.

Chicken Adobo by Dylan Cosgrave

Serves 6

Ingredients
1kg chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 pieces dried bay leaves
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp white vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
237-427ml water
60ml of cooking oil
½ tbsp brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbsp black peppercorn

Method
In a large container, combine the soy sauce and garlic and then marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour – and up to 3 hours if you can (for an even deeper flavour).

Place the cooking oil in a pan and set over a medium heat.

When the oil is hot enough, add in the marinated chicken and cook on all sides for about 5 minutes.

Pour in the remaining marinade liquid and add the water. Then add in the dried bay leaves and the whole peppercorns. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Add in the vinegar, stir and cook for 10 minutes. Then add in the sugar and salt. Stir and turn the heat off.

Serve hot with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Extracted from Star Cooks of Sandymount: A Family Cookbook, produced by the boys of St Mary’s Star of the Sea primary school in Sandymount, as a fundraising project to encourage the children to cook. You can order a copy online here starofthesea.ie/star-cooks-cookbook