Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
Chicken slowly braised in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves until fall-off-the-bone tender and DELICIOUS. This classic recipe for chicken adobo in the slow cooker can be made a day ahead and tastes even better the next day!
Love to try other Filipino adobo recipes? Check out this easy and tasty mouth-watering Classic Chicken Adobo, or how about this ultimate Chinese-style Pork adobo without vinegar shared with me in secret by a Filipino-Chinese friend who only makes her adobo this way!
Life does get in the way sometimes. 🙂 I intended to post this well-clamored recipe last week but alas my migraine headache for 3 days in a row totally prevented me from doing so.
So, I apologize to those who were normally awaiting another recipe last week. Things were certainly beyond my control.
I guess, it’s better late than never. Anyway, let me assure you dear readers that this recipe is certainly worth the wait!
As some of you may know, Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines.
It is very popular not only because it truly is tasty but because of ease of preparation and the fact that, at least by Filipino practice, it does not require refrigeration.
The vinegar acts as a preservative and not just a flavor enhancer. This was important during the olden days when refrigeration was virtually unknown.
Hence, the adobo cooking technique which uses vinegar is very popular in our country and is used in many other indigenous dishes.
To make it even easier, I have decided to finally try a slow cooker version for Chicken adobo, after all, it already requires some braising time and the crockpot is the perfect vehicle for this dish.
Some, like hubby, prefer the classic savory taste of adobo. I, on the other hand, prefer a slightly sweeter version. Not really sugary sweet but just a hint of it and, for me, it adds depth of flavor to the dish, too.
I have provided an option for either version so you can choose.
WHAT CAN WE EAT WITH CHICKEN ADOBO?
One thing you shouldn’t forget is the rice which is the perfect side dish for chicken adobo. There is no better pair than rice that can soak up all that tasty adobo sauce.
CAN THE SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ADOBO BE MADE AHEAD?
Yes, it can be made a day or 2 ahead. It would develop even more flavor as it sits in the fridge overnight.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK THE CHICKEN ADOBO IN THE SLOW COOKER?
It may take between 5-6 hours on low depending on whether the chicken pieces were previously browned ahead or not. It is cooked when the chicken is fully tender and the juices when pierced run clear.
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INGREDIENTS FOR SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ADOBO
- Chicken pieces – use bone-in thighs and drumsticks, the traditional cuts of chicken use for Chicken Adobo
- Oil – (for browning the chicken) – this will lessen the amount of grease as the chicken adobo cooks in the slow cooker.
- White Vinegar – if possible and for a more authentic taste use the sugar cane vinegar from the Philippines but in a pinch rice vinegar works, too.
- Soy Sauce – this refers to is regular seasoning or table soy sauce.
- Whole head Garlic – this is the right amount and adds a lot of flavor to the chicken adobo.
- Black Peppercorns – the use of whole black peppercorns is traditional but freshly ground black pepper may be substituted instead.
- Bay leaves – dried is what’s traditionally used but you may used fresh ones, too.
- A little Sugar – used as flavor enhancer and for those who prefer a slightly sweeter Adobo but leave out if doing low-carb or if you want a more traditional taste. I personally like it with a little sugar, not to sweeten but to balance out the flavors.
INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ADOBO
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Brown all the chicken pieces in batches. This step is highly suggested but if you are in a hurry, this may be omitted. Alternatively, you can use skinless chicken pieces to avoid the browning process. Mix together in a bowl the vinegar, soy sauce and water.
- Place the browned chicken pieces in the slow cooker. Pour the vinegar mixture all over the chicken. Evenly distribute the garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. If you don’t fancy picking out the peppercorns on your plate, feel free to replace with freshly ground pepper but adjust the amount to your taste preference (a teaspoon to begin with). Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
- NOTE: If you want a slightly sweeter adobo, add the sugar to the vinegar mixture or towards the end you can also sprinkle the sugar all over and gently stir it in. Serve with freshly cooked rice. Can be made a day or 2 ahead.
Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 5-6 hours 00 mins.
Total time: 5 hours 10 mins.
Tags: Adobo, Chicken, Filipino, Asian, Main Dish
Slow Cooker Chicken Adobo
Equipment
- Slow Cooker or Crockpot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken pieces, (like thighs and drumsticks)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil of choice
- ½ cup white vinegar, (preferably the Cane Vinegar from the Philippines)
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 1 whole garlic, cloves separated, crushed, left unpeeled or peeled
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns, (or freshly ground pepper – to taste)
- 3 pieces dried bay leaves
- 1 tbsp sugar or to taste, (for those who prefer a slightly sweeter Adobo but leave out if doing low-carb)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Brown all the chicken pieces in batches. This step is highly suggested for depth of flavor and to lessen grease accumulation over all. If in a hurry, simply place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker. Alternatively, you can use skinless chicken pieces to avoid the browning process.
- Mix together the vinegar and soy sauce. Place the browned chicken pieces in the slow cooker. Pour the vinegar mixture all over the chicken. Evenly distribute the garlic, peppercorns and bay leaves. If you don’t fancy picking out the peppercorns on your plate, feel free to replace with freshly ground pepper but adjust the amount to your taste preference (a teaspoon to begin with). Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender.
- For a slightly sweeter adobo, add the sugar to the vinegar mixture or towards the end you can also sprinkle the sugar all over and gently stir it in. Serve with freshly cooked rice. Can be made a day or 2 ahead.
Notes
Last updated on October 25th, 2025 at 01:12 pm
I only used 8 cloves. Are you sure an entire head of garlic isn’t too much? Or is that how much you usually use?
No, it’s not too much. Have you heard of the dish chicken with 40 cloves of garlic? That’s just to assure you that even an entire bulb is not too much because the garlic just adds depth of flavor without being too intense. It won’t taste just of garlic but becomes more flavorful because of it. Hope that helps.
i mean garlic cloves come in different sizes how many cloves do u recommend
About 6-8 garlic cloves should be good.
first time reading your recipes today. Chopsuey. came today have only tried Mexican adobo. two thick for me could not even see the chicken. your version looks amazing . 81 year old home cook. do not know instagram and those other whatevers there just email. will give it a try thank you. Joseph !!!
Hi Joseph! This is Filipino-style adobo and very easy to make. Hope you enjoy it. Thank you!
I was craving this today and was looking for a slow cooker version and your recipe was authentic! I just got my groceries at noon so it will be late dinner. I like to marinate the chicken in the sauce for an hour. However, this will be my first time slow cooking it and excited to eat! If you have more Filipino recipes please share! I’m new to this site. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Karey! Hope you enjoy the dish! Please go to the recipe index – Asian cuisine – Filipino to get our Filipino dishes. Here’s the link if that helps – Filipino Recipes.
This sounds delicious! I’d like to double the recipe. Should I double all the ingredients?
The chicken yes (if you have a large crockpot) but adjust the amount of sauce – it might be too salty to just double it. Try 1 1/2 of the sauce because you can adjust the soy sauce at the end if needed). I haven’t doubled this because 3 lbs is sufficient for us a family of 4. Do let us know how you made the adjustments. Thank you!
This recipe is on regular rotation in our house! Easy to put together (I often skip the browning although it does look nicer and adds flavor), simple ingredients that I always have in my house, crockpot cooking means that I’m not watching the clock and best of all – delicious!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I am so delighted you enjoyed this. Such an easy and reliable recipe. Thank you for the feedback!
I’ve been looking at adobo recipes and I’m very excited to try this one as it looks delicious and is so highly rated. I have everything needed except the white vinegar and I don’t want to buy something unnecessarily. Do you know if white wine vinegar, malt vinegar or lemon/lime juice would make an okay substitute? Thanks
I’ve also come across recipes for this which include onion. I’m really unfamiliar with Filipino cuisine, is onion a good addition? I’d like to add veg in
You can use whatever vinegar you have, that’s fine and you can add onions, too. Traditionally, adobo doesn’t have any vegetables but usually eaten with rice and some veggies on the side, if you like. Hope you enjoy. Thank you!
Hi Abby,
This dish was made for me by a friend and it’s now one of my favourite meals, so flavourful
Q: I remember Tessie always saying “a lottttt of onion and garlic.”
There’s no onion in this recipe, why’s that?
Onion is not absolutely necessary for adobo. Some add them but some don’t. But you can certainly add some here, if you like. Let us know once you’ve tried this. Thank you!
I love adobo and was looking for a slow cooker recipe which is how I came across this. I was going to ask if I could do it without the sugar but you answered in the post. This is why I should read and not skim LOL Going to try this soon!!
I threw in a yellow onion chopped into quarters with the rest of the ingredients (unnecessary but tasty) and removed the chicken at the end to crisp again in a frying pan before serving. I used Filipino soy sauce and cane vinegar to be true to the traditional flavor. Brilliant, easy recipe.
Wow, this was surprisingly delicious! I’ve made Adobo before (beef and chicken) but was always underwhelmed. On this occasion, however, my entire family was truly impressed. Extremely simple to make, I largely followed the recipe, including adding some sugar to enhance/balance the flavours. As I didn’t have the cane vinegar, I used a 50/50 blend of white and apple cider, and it turned out beautifully. The Adobo was served on a bed of coconut rice and, rest assured, we were all licking our plates! A great recipe, my sincerest thanks. ❤️
You totally made my day! Thank you for letting me know.
I’m making this today, and since my slow cooker is small I converted the recipe to serve four, but even so, not all the chicken thighs are down in the sauce. I’m thinking as they cook and soften up the top two will slip down, but wondering if I will need to help that along a little, so they all get the flavor infused into them. I used to love Chicken Adobo when I could get it at a Filipino restaurant, but don’t have one nearby anymore, and this recipe sound fantastic. Can’t wait to try it in a few hours when it’s done!
Once the chicken releases its fat and gets smaller as it cooks it should get absorbed in the sauce. As you probably know, chicken adobo is even better the next day so, if that’s a worry, I’d say do it one day ahead and it would intensify in flavor. Thank you!
The chicken adobo turned out so so good! So glad I found this authentic recipe that takes me back to my favorite Filipino restaurant. Thank you for sharing this recipe and so many others on this site. I can’t wait to start trying out more!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this and thank you so much for returning to give us a feedback. Much appreciated.