RoastsFilipinoEasy

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo with Vinegar-Soy Marinade

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Adobo with Vinegar-Soy Marinade
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 thighs, patted dry, excess fat trimmed; ½ cup (120 ml) cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar; ½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce, regular (not low-sodium works too; do not use extra-salty dark soy); 8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 3 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 tsp (3 g) whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed; 1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar, packed; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil; 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; optional for a thicker sauce (optional); 2 stalks (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced; 4 cups (740 g) cooked white rice, hot, steamed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bone-in chicken thighs soak in a sharp, garlicky vinegar-soy marinade, then pressure cook until tender in the Instant Pot. The braising liquid is reduced to a glossy, tangy-salty sauce that begs for steamed rice.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 35 min
Makes: 8 chicken thighs with sauce (4 servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

3 lb (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 thighs, patted dry, excess fat trimmed
For the marinade and sauce
½ cup (120 ml) cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar
½ cup (120 ml) soy sauce, regular (not low-sodium works too; do not use extra-salty dark soy)
8 cloves (40 g) garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
3 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 tsp (3 g) whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar, packed
½ cup (120 ml) water
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil
To finish
1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch, mixed with 1 tbsp (15 ml) cold water; optional for a thicker sauce (optional)
2 stalks (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced
To serve
4 cups (740 g) cooked white rice, hot, steamed

Equipment (5)

6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker
Large bowl or zip-top bag for marinating
Tongs
Instant read thermometer
Small bowl for skimming fat (or a fat separator)

Steps

Before you start

Marinate the chicken at least 30 minutes, or up to 12 hours in the fridge, for deeper flavor.
Start steamed rice before pressure cooking so it's ready when the chicken is.
Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) Instant Pot or larger; don't fill past the two-thirds line.
Use plain Filipino-style cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar; avoid sweetened or seasoned rice vinegar.

1
Mix the marinade
- In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, soy sauce, smashed garlic, bay leaves, crushed peppercorns, brown sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved and the liquid looks uniformly dark.
Tip: Don't use sweetened or seasoned rice vinegar; it will make the sauce cloying.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Add the dry chicken thighs to the marinade and turn to coat, tucking the garlic and bay leaves around them.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 12 hours), turning once if you can.
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Tip: Over 12 hours the vinegar can make the meat texture mushy.
3
Sear the thighs
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté on High and heat the oil for 2 minutes until it shimmers.
- Lift the chicken from the marinade (reserve all the marinade) and shake off excess.
- Sear skin-side down in 2 batches, about 4 minutes per batch, until the skin is deep golden.
- Flip briefly for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Skin is deep golden and releases easily from the pot.
Tip: Pat any wet spots dry first to avoid splattering oil.
4
Deglaze the pot
- Press Cancel.
- Pour the reserved marinade, including garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns, into the pot and scrape up all browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- This prevents a 'Burn' warning.
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Ready when: Bottom of the pot is smooth with no stuck-on bits.
5
Pressure cook
- Return the chicken to the pot, skin-side up, with the skin above the liquid as much as possible.
- Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- The pot takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
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Ready when: Pot displays timer countdown and finishes with a beep.
6
Natural release
- Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then move the valve to Venting to release the rest.
- Open the lid carefully, tilting it away from you.
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Ready when: Float valve has dropped.
Tip: Quick release right away can toughen the meat and spray hot sauce.
7
Check the chickenOven 175°F / 80°C
- Use tongs to move the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet or plate.
- Insert a thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone; it should read at least 175°F (80°C) for tender thigh meat, and the meat should be tender near the bone.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 175°F (80°C) or higher and meat pulls easily from the bone.
Tip: Safe minimum is 165°F (74°C), but thighs are most tender at 175°F or above.
8
Reduce the sauce
- Skim off surface fat with a spoon.
- Remove the bay leaves.
- Set the pot to Sauté on High and simmer the sauce 8–10 minutes, until reduced by about one-third and glossy enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- For a thicker sauce, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 minute.
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Ready when: Sauce coats the back of a spoon and a finger drawn through it leaves a clear line.
Tip: Taste before reducing too far; it concentrates the salt quickly.
9
Glaze and serve
- Return the chicken to the sauce and turn to coat for 1 minute, or broil for 3 minutes (optional) to crisp the skin.
- Serve over hot rice, spooning sauce on top and sprinkling with scallions.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly glossy and hot throughout.

Good to know

Tips

Don't stir the vinegar once it's heating without a lid for the first minute if the smell is sharp; it mellows during cooking.
Pat the chicken dry before searing so it browns instead of steams.
Skimming the fat before reducing gives a cleaner, glossier sauce.
Add a halved hard-boiled egg or two to the sauce while reducing for a classic addition.

Make ahead

"Marinate the chicken up to 12 hours ahead. The finished adobo tastes even better the next day; reheat gently."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container with sauce. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat covered in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding a splash of water if the sauce is thick."

Substitutions

cane vinegar or distilled white vinegar → apple cider vinegar. Slightly fruitier and milder; use the same amount.
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes with 5-minute natural release.
light brown sugar → white sugar or coconut sugar. Same amount; omit for a traditional sharper adobo.
soy sauce → tamari. Makes the dish gluten-free; use the same amount.