Healthy Recipes 101

The Heart of The Home Beats in The Kitchen

  • Recipe Index
  • Courses
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beverages
  • Method
    • Air Frying
    • Boiling
    • Broiling
    • Frying
    • Grilling
    • Oven Baked
    • One-Pan
  • About

Hot Tags

  • Juices
  • Chicken
  • Salmon Recipes
  • Air Fryer
  • Instant Pot
  • Salads
Fact-checked
Chicken

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe

  • Chicken
  • Main Dishes
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Servings 4 servings
Calories 467 kcal
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe
Jump to Recipe
facebook pinterest twitter Print Recipe

This Instant Pot chicken adobo recipe is a convenient guide to Filipino comfort food made in the pressure cooker. Chicken drumsticks are cooked in a hearty, rich broth full of Asian flavors and are elevated by the savory, tangy, spice-infused dark sauce.

What Is Chicken Adobo?

Chicken adobo is a Filipino dish that consists of searing marinated chicken until golden, then tossing it in a thick, savory sauce.

The word “adobo” is derived from the Spanish word “adobar”, which means marinade. In Filipino, this word refers to both the cooking method and the sauce.

Filipino adobo is different from the Mexican or Caribbean dish that bears the same name. It follows the Malaysian cooking practice and is intensely flavored with Southeast Asian seasonings, including soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper.

A traditional Filipino chicken adobo usually requires several hours of marinating, sometimes overnight, to tenderize the meat. For today’s recipe, we have the pressure cooker to complete this task. 25 minutes of sautéing and pressure cooking are all it takes to make deliciously juicy tender chicken drumsticks.

What Is Chicken Adobo

Is Chicken Adobo Healthy?

Yes, it is.

Although this chicken adobo looks quite greasy and sharply-flavored with a generous amount of sauce, it sits beautifully as the main dish for a full meal. With 489 calories and 2.9 grams of saturated fat per serving of this dish, you’ll get a taste of all the complex flavors in every bite: garlicky, sweet, salty, and spicy.

Chicken drumsticks are the star of today’s Instant Pot chicken adobo as they’re a healthy protein choice with little saturated fat (they add 1.75 grams in one serving of this dish).

The restaurant recipe version of chicken adobo usually winds up the total sodium content far more than needed. However, since soy sauce takes the place of salt in this recipe, the problem of an overly seasoned dish is off the table.

With the help of the pressure cooker, you can create the same level of satisfaction as restaurant-style dishes without going heavy on flavor enhancers. We also used unsalted chicken broth to pressure cook the chicken, so it won’t end up too salty.

Is Chicken Adobo Healthy

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Ingredients

  • Chicken drumsticks: We chose skin-on, bone-in chicken drumsticks for today’s recipe as they’re more succulent and don’t dry out as quickly as chicken breasts. You can opt for a mixed combination of chicken drumsticks and thighs (or any other favorite combos) if preferred.
  • Adobo sauce: To whisk up the rich and tasty adobo sauce, all the ingredients we need are paprika, brown sugar, black pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch, sriracha, hoisin sauce, vinegar, and red pepper. The addition of brown sugar balances the tang from the vinegar, the saltiness from hoisin sauce and soy sauce, and the mild heat from peppers and sriracha. Feel free to add more or less of any of the above items to make them suited to your taste.
  • Flavoring agents for the chicken: They’re onion, garlic, bay leaf, and unsalted chicken broth. As no marinating for the chicken is required in this recipe, we developed our way to amp up the characteristic adobo flavor profile by infusing these flavoring agents to the chicken in the pressure- cooking process.
ingredients

How to Make Chicken Adobo in an Instant Pot

This Instant Pot chicken adobo recipe is an easy guide to Filipino comfort food made in the pressure cooker. Chicken drumsticks are cooked in a hearty, rich broth flavored with a savory, tangy, spice-infused dark sauce.

Step 1: Make the sauce.

Make the sauce.

Step 2: Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until golden.

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until golden.

Step 3: Add the chicken drumstick. Stir.

Add the chicken drumstick. Stir.

Step 4: Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Close the lid, seal the valve, and cook on the “Meat/Stew” setting.

Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Close the lid, seal the valve, and cook on the “Meat/Stew” setting.

Step 5: Quick-release the steam and remove the lid. Add the sauce and cook on the “Sauté” setting until it thickens.

Quick-release the steam and remove the lid. Add the sauce and cook on the “Sauté” setting until it thickens.

Step 6: Garnish and serve with cooked rice.

Garnish and serve with cooked rice.

How to Store and Reheat Chicken Adobo

This Instant Pot chicken adobo recipe can be a great make-ahead idea.

Contrary to many people’s prejudice on leftovers losing their flavor and texture, chicken adobo tastes better when it has more resting time. If the dish lasts to the next day, the chicken will have more time to absorb the savory sauce, resulting in an even richer and deeper flavor profile.

This means you can cook more servings of this chicken adobo than a meal needs and reserve some leftover portions to enjoy on the following day. This dish can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to a week, so no need to hurry!

To reheat, simply warm up the leftover portions in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, and add a splash of meat broth to the sauce to thin it out a bit if needed before serving.

How to Store and Reheat Chicken Adobo

If you love instant pot recipe like this one, we also have an Instant Pot dinner roundup that you may like.

What to Serve With Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

Our Instant Pot chicken adobo already serves great as-is on a bed of hot cooked rice. To incorporate diverse sources of nutrients, we decided to enjoy it alongside two more sides:

1. Greek Salad

Fresh mixes of greens are always great compliments to protein-rich mains, and Greek salad is no exception. Pairing with today’s intensely flavored chicken adobo, Greek salad completes a cuisine-fusion meal while offering heaps of fresh veggies and an extra source of healthy fats from feta cheese.

2. Orange Pineapple Juice

This five-ingredient orange pineapple juice will be a perfect choice to complete this meal, reset your appetite, and soothe the stomach. On other occasions, this versatile juice also works great as a meal starter or a cold, thirst-quenching fizzy beverage.

Recipes Course Calories Saturated fat Sodium
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Main Dish 467 3.6 g 544 mg
Greek Salad Side Dish 173 3.0 g 275 mg
Orange Pineapple Juice Beverage 112 0.0 g 6 mg
Total 752 6.6 g 825 mg
Nutritional values in this table vary somewhat to those below due to different app calculations. Read more...
What to Serve With This Chicken Adobo

Trying to include more chicken in your meal plan? Save these delicious and easy Instant Pot chicken recipes into your list:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Wings Recipe
  • Instant Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe
  • Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
  • Instant Pot Chicken Legs Recipe
Is Chicken Adobo Healthy

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe

PRINT RATE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest
This Instant Pot chicken adobo recipe is a convenient guide to Filipino comfort food made in the pressure cooker. Chicken drumsticks are cooked in a hearty, rich broth full of Asian flavors and are elevated by the savory, tangy, spice-infused dark sauce.
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4 servings
Calories 467kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 14 oz chicken drumstick yields 4 drumsticks with bone
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes divided
  • 2 oz onion sliced
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 1/2 cup cooked medium-grain white rice
  • 2 tbsp scallions chopped
  • 0.5 oz jalapeño sliced

Instructions
 

  • Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 1/2 tsp sriracha, 1 tsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Whisk.
    Step 1: Make the sauce.
  • On the “Sauté” setting, sauté 2 oz onion and 1 tbsp garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil for a minute until golden.
    Step 2: Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until golden.
  • Add 14 oz chicken drumsticks and 1 bay leaf. Stir for 2 minutes.
    Step 3: Add the chicken drumstick. Stir.
  • Add 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth. Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Cook on “Meat/Stew” setting for 7 minutes.
    Step 4: Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Close the lid, seal the valve, and cook on the “Meat/Stew” setting.
  • Quick-release the steam and remove the lid. Add the sauce and cook for 10 minutes on the “Sauté” setting until it thickens.
    Step 5: Quick-release the steam and remove the lid. Add the sauce and cook on the “Sauté” setting until it thickens.
  • Transfer chicken adobo to serving plates with cooked rice. Scatter 2 tbsp scallions, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, and 0.5 oz jalapeño on top. Enjoy.
    Step 6: Garnish and serve with cooked rice.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 467 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 91mg30%
Sodium 544mg24%
Potassium 328mg9%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 328IU7%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Homemade Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe
Chicken Tagine Recipe
Previous Recipe
Chicken Tagine Recipe
Chicken Flautas Recipe
Next Recipe
Chicken Flautas Recipe
Luna Regina

Luna Regina

facebook instagram pinterest youtube twitter linkedin
Luna is the founder and chief recipe developer of Healthy Recipes 101. Apart from cooking, she also loves reading, programming, exploring the outdoors, and collecting useless facts about everything.

Comments/ Reviews

Cancel reply
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe
Recipe Rating




Emily Rogers, MPH, RDN
Recipe developed by Luna Regina on January 20, 2022 Nutritionally reviewed by Emily Rogers, MPH, RDN

Latest Recipes

Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Blackened Chicken Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Recipe

Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Orange Chicken Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Satay Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Chicken Satay Recipe

Air Fryer Mongolian Chicken Recipe

Chicken
Air Fryer Mongolian Chicken Recipe

Top Pinterest

Banana Papaya Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Banana Papaya Smoothie Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie Recipe

Strawberry Papaya Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Strawberry Papaya Smoothie Recipe

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie Recipe

Pineapple Carrot Juice Recipe

Carrot Juice
Pineapple Carrot Juice Recipe

Strawberry Carrot Juice Recipe

Carrot Juice
Strawberry Carrot Juice Recipe

AS SEEN ON
eatthis
parade
bustle
insider
buzzfeed
forbes
cnn
msn
Healthy Recipes 101
We do not offer medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice. Please seek consultation from a qualified health care professional prior to any decision to alter your current diet. Learn more See additional information.
  • Recipe Index
  • Course
  • Method
  • About
  • Cooking Challenge
  • Nutrition Guidelines
  • Recipe Development
  • Cooking Tips
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

facebook instagram pinterest youtube twitter linkedin

Get our latest healthy recipes

Stay up-to-date with our latest RDN-approved recipes, kitchen tips, and healthy eating challenges.

Opt-out at any time by clicking the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of our email.

Visit our other Healthy101 sites:

Healthykitchen101
© 2021 Healthy Kitchen 101, LLC - All Rights Reserved
Return to Top