Mexican Chicken Adobo

You can make adobo with meat, seafood, tofu or even vegetables and there are countless twists on adobo. I found this easy and interesting recipe on Olive Magazine and it didn’t disappoint. The sauce is deeply fragrant, complex, wonderfully smoky, with a gentle spicy kick from chipotle chilli. I served the chicken with a smacked cucumber salad, but you can serve any salad you prefer.

Smacked Cucumbers	Chicken Adobo
1 Continental cucumber 2 tsp Sea salt 2-3 Garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped A thumb-sized piece Ginger, grated 1-2 tsp Dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp Glutenfree soya sauce 1 tbsp Erythritol or sugar 1 tbsp Rice vinegar ½-1 tsp Sesame seed oil	25 g Dried chipotle chilli flakes ©angiesrecipes 600 g Tomatoes, chopped 75 ml Apple cider vinegar 5 Garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp Erythritol or brown sugar 1 tsp Black peppercorns 1 tsp Ground cumin ½ tsp Ground cinnamon 1 tsp Sea salt 4 Chicken legs Chopped cilantro, to garnish Lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the whole cucumber on a chopping board and bash with a rolling pin so it starts to break apart. Cut each cucumber lengthways into long quarters, then into chunky pieces. Put into a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with the sea salt. Leave to salt for 1 hour in the fridge.
Mix the finely chopped garlic, grated ginger, soya sauce, erythritol, rice vinegar and sesame seed oil in a bowl.
Rinse the smashed cucumbers under cold running water, drain really well, pat dry with kitchen paper then tip into a bowl. Add in prepared dressing. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.
Put chipotle flakes, tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, erythritol, spices and salt into a blender or food processor, and blend until completely smooth.
Pour into a pan and bring to a boil. Let it reduce for 15-20 minutes, until it is the consistency of ketchup – stir every 5 minutes to stop it from sticking. Take off the heat and leave to cool, then pour into a sterilised jar. It will keep for a month in the fridge.
Put the chicken legs in a large baking tray with enough adobo sauce to coat them, then massage well and chill for at least an hour but preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Roast the chicken for 40-45 minutes until caramelised and cooked through, brushing with plenty of adobo sauce every 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve with the prepared cucumber salad.

8 comments:

DEZMOND 12/2/25 13:34: Hope it is not as cold in Deutschland as it is right now here, but I am sure you warmed up the house while roasting the lunch.
Tom 12/2/25 14:22: ...wow, what a treat this is!!!
My name is Erika. 12/2/25 15:27: This looks fabulous Angie. I think I need you to come cook in my house a few nights- grin.
Christine 12/2/25 15:32: Delicious
Evening With A Sandwich 12/2/25 15:53: Let's talk about the smacked cucumbers-YUM! Adobo is delightful for meats. I did not think about using an adobo sauce on tofu, but, I like it!
Laura. M 12/2/25 16:40: Muy rico. Me encanta el pollo. Lo guiso de varias formas.
Un abrazo.
speedy70 12/2/25 18:22: Ottima ricetta, grazie!!!
Pam 12/2/25 18:55: Yum! What a flavorful and delicious recipe.