Recipe of the week: Filipino chicken adobo

Filipino adobo is a quick-cooking braise that delivers “bold, tangy” flavor, said Bryan Roof in Cook’s Illustrated. This national dish of the Philippines isn’t well-served by most available recipes, though, which often toughen the meat and render the flavors “aggressively tart.” The solution: Marinate with soy sauce, no vinegar.

Filipino chicken adobo

eight 5- to 7-oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

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1∕3 cup soy sauce

one 13½ oz can coconut milk

¾ cup cider vinegar

8 garlic cloves, peeled

4 bay leaves

2 tsp pepper

1 scallion, sliced thin

Toss chicken with soy sauce and refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove chicken from soy sauce. Transfer chicken, skin side down, to a skillet; set aside soy sauce.

Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until chicken skin is browned. Meanwhile, whisk coconut milk, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and pepper into soy sauce.

Transfer chicken to plate and discard fat in skillet. Return chicken to skillet, skin side down, add coconut milk mixture, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook, uncovered, until chicken registers 175 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.

Remove bay leaves and skim any fat off surface of sauce. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook until sauce is thickened. Pour over chicken, sprinkle with scallion, and serve.