Top Chef Winner Chef Paul Qui featured on May 2013 Food & Wine Magazine
Flipping through my stack of food magazines I stumbled onto this great Adobo recipe written by Top Chef Winner Chef Paul Qui. It was simple and sure will win anyone’s heart over a meal especially any of your guests. Definitely a simple and yet delicious chicken dish.
Chef Paul Qui’s Adobo
I personally like the combination of vinegar and fish sauce that creates a lovely fragrant taste and aroma. By e having its sauce to braised the protein, it can be unthinkable pleasure when indulging it. Salty with a hint of sourness yet comes with a touch of sweetness, that’s how I would describe my experience.
ADOBO CHICKEN with Bacon & Bay Leaves
Paul Qui’s Recipe
Ingredients
3 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/4-inch matchsticks
6 large chicken thighs (about 8 ounces each)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut vinegar or cider vinegar (see Note)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons shiro shoyu (white soy sauce; see Note)
6 bay leaves
Pinch of cayenne
Method
1. In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned, 3 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet. Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet, skin side up. Cook over moderately low heat, turning once, until browned all over, 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
2. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add the garlic and shallot and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until reduced by half, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, fish sauce, shiro shoyu, bay leaves and cayenne and bring to a simmer.
3. Return the chicken and bacon to the skillet and cook over moderately low heat, turning once or twice, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, spoon off the excess fat and serve.
Make Ahead
The adobo chicken can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for 2 weeks.
Notes
Shiro shoyu and coconut vinegar can be found at Asian markets or ordered from amazon.com.
Sidney Kan’s Version of Adobo
At my kitchen, I had reduced mine to 4 huge chicken tight. As for bacon, I had used bits of loose bacon. For the soy sauce I used our local Chinese soy sauce instead. As I love onion and garlic, I had them increased in my cooking. As for the rest I followed the recipe closely.
Delicious Adobo
My first try of this recipe was just brilliant. The rich and tasty sauce paired very well with rice. Definitely a must try recipe. I love it, Sidney Kan
