Chicken Adobo Is The Go To

Wow, what a dish. So simple, so distinctive, so good. You can make a whole mess of food, and feed a bunch of people or have a bunch of leftovers.

Here's how I'm currently making it (The NYT article on Chicken Adobo stresses that everyone makes it slightly differently and I've tried it a few different ways.)

Ingredients
1 can coconut milk (16 oz or so)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1.5 cup rice vinegar (scant or a little less than 1.5 cups)
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 whole bird’s-eye chilies or other fiery chili
3 bay leaves
1.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs.

Directions

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic freezer bag. I put them in a dutch oven that I use to cook everything, so it saves the dishes and is easier. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
2. Place chicken and marinade in a large lidded pot or Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender, around 30 minutes (I went for more like an hour).
3. Heat broiler. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl, raise heat under the pot to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until it achieves almost the consistency of cream, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and chilies.
4. Place chicken pieces on a roasting pan and place under broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, until they begin to caramelize. Remove, turn chicken, baste with sauce and repeat, 3 to 5 minutes more. Return chicken to sauce and cook for a few minutes more, then place on a platter and drizzle heavily with sauce. Serves four. Adapted from Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, Purple Yam restaurant, Brooklyn.

Served over rice.