Chicken Adobo

We set out for the Kipsak Peninsula in Washington State early Thursday morning. The Valley of the Rogue State Park, located just off Exit 45B in Southern Oregon on I-5, broke the 18-hour trip into two manageable segments. The park is a family favorite with its expansive areas of grass and park-like trees.

I wanted to prepare an easy dinner before it got dark. This easy chicken adobo recipe, reminiscent of the Philippine national dish, fit the bill. Dinner was ready in an hour with steamed rice and a quick salad.

CHICKEN ADOBO

When doubling this recipe, you'll need a larger skillet to make sure the sauce properly reduces. Use a heavy 12- or 14-inch skillet for large batches. The larger surface area of skillet will give the sauce the breathing room it needs to properly reduce.

You may need to thicken the sauce with cornstarch when preparing more than 12 pieces of chicken.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 chicken thighs without skin
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then turn over and cook an additional 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of pan drippings and return pan to low heat. Add garlic and saute until soft, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate. Return chicken to pan and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

Uncover, increase heat to medium-low and cook 15 to 20 minutes more, occasionally spooning sauce over chicken, until sauce thickens a bit and chicken is tender and nicely glazed with sauce. Remove bay leaf before eating.

This recipe is adapted from the March 2007 issue of Sunset Magazine.