Pollo adobo – chicken braised in chili and vinegar sauce Recipe
Pollo adobo is chicken marinated and braised in an aromatic sauce made from dried chili peppers, garlic and vinegar. In Mexico it’s an everyday home dish, a bit like our chicken in sauce, only with a more pronounced, slightly tangy and smoky note. It tastes great with rice or potatoes, and the sauce just begs to be wiped up with a piece of tortilla.
Pollo adobo is the essence of Mexican home cooking: simple chicken, but immersed in a thick, smoky sauce made from dried chilies, vinegar and spices. The acidity of the vinegar cuts through the richness of the meat, while ancho and chipotle chilies give a deep, slightly chocolatey aroma without needing cream or butter. This dish has character – after one bite you know it’s not just another forgettable “chicken in sauce.”
Chef's tips
Soak the dried chilies until they are really soft – if they’re still tough near the stems, the sauce will turn out lumpy and slightly bitter. Brown the chicken well at the start, even if it takes a few minutes longer; the golden skin adds extra flavor to the sauce. Towards the end of braising, taste the sauce before adding more salt – as it reduces, it becomes more intense and it’s easy to oversalt it.
How to serve
The simplest way to serve pollo adobo is with white rice, which soaks up the sauce like a sponge, plus a quick red onion and lime salad. For a more “weekend” style dinner, add roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes and a bowl of guacamole for dipping pieces of chicken. To drink, lightly chilled red wine with soft tannins or a lager‑style beer works well, refreshing the palate between spicier bites.
Ingredients
- chicken bone-in pieces (e.g. thighs, drumsticks) - 1 kg
- dried ancho chili pepper - 3 piece
- dried chipotle chili pepper - 1 piece
- garlic - 4 clove
- vinegar white wine or apple cider vinegar - 60 ml
- onion - 1 piece
- bay leaf - 2 piece
- allspice berry - 3 piece
- cumin ground - 0.5 teaspoon
- oregano dried - 1 teaspoon
- chicken stock - 250 ml
- oil neutral-tasting vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
- salt - 1.5 teaspoon
Preparation
- Clean the dried ancho chilies by removing the stems and seeds. Place them in a bowl and cover with hot water so they are submerged. Leave for 15 minutes until softened.
- Peel the onion and slice into thin wedges. Peel the garlic.
- Put the soaked ancho chilies (drained), the chipotle chili, garlic, vinegar, cumin, oregano, half a teaspoon of salt and about 50 ml of the chili soaking water into a blender. Blend for 1–2 minutes until you get a smooth, thick sauce.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle the remaining salt on both sides. Heat the oil in a large pot or deep pan over medium‑high heat.
- Place the chicken pieces skin‑side down in the pot and fry for 5–7 minutes, until the skin is well browned and golden. Turn over and fry for another 3–4 minutes on the other side. If the pot is crowded, brown the chicken in batches.
- Add the sliced onion to the pot and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened.
- Pour the adobo sauce from the blender into the pot, add the bay leaves, allspice berries and stock. Gently stir so the sauce coats the chicken.
- Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until the meat is tender and starting to pull away from the bone. Stir the sauce gently every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Uncover the pot and cook for another 5–10 minutes over medium heat to let the sauce thicken slightly. Taste and, if needed, season with more salt or a splash of vinegar if you like a tangier flavor.
- Serve the chicken generously topped with the adobo sauce.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened too much.
