Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

3 from 2 votes

Pressure cooker adobo is the perfect weeknight dinner! It's quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot and comes out juicy and tasty. Delicious with steamed rice!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Natural release10

Total Time50

Course: Main Entree

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: servings

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Equipment

6-qt Instant Pot

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 pounds (about 6 to 8 pieces) chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
½ cup vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 bay leaves
pinch red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon brown sugar
salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Using the SAUTE feature set on NORMAL, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened.
Cancel the SAUTE function. Add the chicken, soy sauce, vinegar, bay leaves, red chili flakes, brown sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Close the lid making sure the valve is in SEALING position and cook on HIGH pressure for 14 minutes. Do a natural release for 10 minutes and manually release the rest of the pressure. Carefully open the lid.
Remove the chicken and arrange in a single layer, skin side up, on a grill pan. Broil for about 2 to 4 minutes or until crispy and lightly browned. Watch closely as it can burn easily.
Meanwhile, turn on the SAUTE function and cook the sauce for about 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced and thickened to desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve hot.

Notes

There are two ways to give the chicken a more appetizing brown color and each method have their own advantages.

Use the IP's SAUTE feature-when the onions and garlic have softened, add the chicken in a single layer and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned. After the natural release, remove from the pot and keep warm while the sauce is reducing. This method is more convenient as the adobo cooks entirely in the pressure cooker and there's no need to dirty another pan.

Broil in the oven- this is the method we used in the recipe. Cook the chicken in the Instant Pot. Once done, remove the chicken and transfer to a grill pan. Broil skin side up for about 2 to 4 minutes or until crispy. Reduce the sauce in the Instant Pot and drizzle on the chicken when ready to serve. It requires another pan to wash but the reward is a more delicious, crispy chicken.

Nutrition