Vegan Filipino Chicken Adobo … AKA your new favorite dish. Seriously, this isn’t considered  the National Dish of the Philippines for no reason. Tender vegan chicken, slow-cooked savory sauce, and pops of heat from whole peppercorns are served over rice the most effortless, yet delicious meal!

 vegan filipino chicken adobo : a vegan spin on a classic filipino favorite

We all have those few meals that will always have a lasting impression on us. You know – those meals that transport us right back to a certain place and time as soon as we taste them – and Chicken Adobo, a meal my mom would make religiously for my sisters and I, is one of those dishes for me.

Being born in the Philippines, Adobo was a dish that was made often by my Lola (grandmother), who then passed on the recipe to my mom and aunt, who later passed on the recipe to me. I remember the house filling with the distinct smell if vinegar, soy sauce, and peppercorns when my mom would make adobo … and I would be so happy. It was the first dish I remember I truly craved. There is something so magical about the way the bold and intense flavors of this Vegan Chick’n Adobo harmonize together. This Vegan Chick’n Adobo is a great excuse to step out of your comfort zone and:

A. Try a vegan dish that’s not traditionally vegan

B. Step out of you comfort zone and try adobo if you haven’t already … it is SO DAMN GOOD!

Grab a drink and let’s get to cookin’ the best Vegan Chick’n Adobo!

what is filipino chicken adobo?

In Filipino cuisine, adobo refers to a common cooking process indigenous to the Philippines. When the Spanish first explored the Philippines in the late 16th century, they encountered a cooking process that involved stewing with vinegar. The Spanish referred to it as adobo due to its similarity to the Spanish adobo. The Filipino adobo is an entirely separate method of preparing food and is distinct from the Spanish marinade. The main ingredients in Filipino adobo are vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, and bay leaves. It’s salty, savory, and slightly sweet. I like to slightly caramelize onions and jalapeño, which add  more depth and nice little pops of heat.

what you need to make vegan filipino chicken adobo

Aside from being absolutely delicious, Vegan Chick’n Adobo requires minimal ingredients – most of which you probably already have! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Vegan Chick’n Strips – or sub for soy curls for a gluten free version. Traditionally, Filipino Adobo is made with pot or chicken, and I personally think the faux meat in this dish makes it more reminiscent of the adobo I grew up eating.
• Vegetable Oil – or another neutral oil. Again, traditional versions of this dish are made with pork or dark chicken meat. The fattiness adds a nice balance. If you must make this dish oil-free, you can, but it won’t be the same.
• Vegan Chicken stock – because we aren’t using real meat in this dish, we need a highly concentrated chicken flavor that we can’t get from just the vegan chick’n strips. My favorite brands for vegan chicken flavored stocks are Edward and Sons, Better Than Bouillon, and Imagine. If you’re unable to find any of these brands, a highly concentrated vegetable stock will work as well.
• Soy Sauce – or Tamari for gluten free version.
• White vinegar – your basic, every day, plain white vinegar.
• White onion – yellow onion works, too.
• Garlic – fresh, whole cloves! And LOTS of it!
• Peppercorns – if you must, you can sub out for freshly cracked pepper, but the whole peppercorns are traditional, and the little pops throughout each bite provide a beautiful and intense flavor.
• Hoisin sauce – while this ingredient isn’y traditional, it’s something my Lola and Mom have added to their adobo for years. It adds a subtle sweetness, which balances out all the zingy flavors of vinegar and soy sauce. It also creates a thicker sauce, which I personally prefer.

how to make vegan filipino chicken adobo

Vegan Filipino Chick’n Adobo is basically effortless, requiring just a few simple steps. Here’s how to make it:

1. Cook onion, jalapeño, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes in oil until the onions and jalapeño are slightly caramelized. Toss is smashed garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
2. Add broth, vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves. Increase heat. Once the sauce reaches a light boil, simmer covered for about 25 minutes. This allows all those flavors to marry.
3. Cook the vegan chicken in a separate pan or air fry while the sauce is simmering. I like to do this to create a crunchy exterior on the chicken so it doesn’t getting soggy while its in the sauce.
4. Combine the vegan chick’n with the sauce and simmer another 15 minutes uncovered. This second simmering allows the vegan chick’n to absorb the flavors of the adobo sauce while it reduced and thickens.
5. Serve over white rice with green onions, and enjoy immediately! The rice is essential here. It soaks up all the delicious, glaz-y adobo sauce. Plus, Filipinos don’t eat a single meal without rice!

do you love Filipino Adobo?

This dish was a long time coming … and it truly has a special place in my heart. I’m hoping you love it as much as I do! If you enjoy my Vegan Filipino Chick’n Adobo as much as I do, I wanna hear about it! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!

Til next time, friends!

XOXO

Vegan Chick'n Adobo

Ashley

Vegan Filipino Chick'n Adobo ... AKA your new favorite dish. Seriously, this isn't considered the National Dish of the Philippines for no reason. Tender vegan chicken, slow-cooked savory sauce, and pops of heat from whole peppercorns are served over rice the most effortless, yet delicious meal!

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Vegan

Cuisine Filipino

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 TBS vegetable oil divided
• 1 large white onion thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño thinly sliced
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 15 cloves garlic smashed
• 1 cup prepared vegan chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce or Tamari
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 6 bay leaves
• 10 oz vegan chicken strips
• Cooked rice for serving
• Chopped green onion for serving

Instructions

 

• In a pot on medium heat add 4 tablespoons oil
• Once the oil is hot and shimmering at the bottom of the pot, add onions, jalapeño, peppercorns, and red pepper flakes. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions and jalapeños have cooked down, about 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often.
• Add broth, vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and bay leaves. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Once at a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
• While the broth is simmering, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add chick'n and cook until warmed through and slightly crisp around the edges, about 10 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, break the chick'n up into bite-sized pieces. Remove from heat and set aside.
• After 25 minutes of simmering, add vegan chick'n to the broth and simmer, this time uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Serve chick'n adobo immediately over cooked white rice. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!

Keyword chicken adobo, filipino adobo, filipino food, vegan chicken adobo, vegan filipino adobo, vegan filipino food

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