Smoked Chicken Adobo

A soy-garlic marinade and a rich sauce featuring bay leaves and black peppercorns pair up for this Philippines-inspired Smoked Chicken Adobo.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Marinating Time30

Total Time2 45

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Filipino

Keyword: Smoked Chicken Adobo

Servings: people

Author: Susie Bulloch

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken quarters or legs and thighs

Adobo Marinade

½ cup soy sauce
6 cloves garlic minced

Adobo Chicken Sauce

1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon fresh peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup cane vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons palm sugar or raw cane sugar

Instructions

Marinate the chicken. Add the soy sauce and minced garlic to a gallon zip-top bag, then add the chicken. Seal the bag, while carefully releasing any excess air. Gently massage the bag to work the marinade into the chicken. Place the bag in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
3 pounds chicken quarters, ½ cup soy sauce, 6 cloves garlic
Preheat the smoker. While the chicken marinates, set your favorite smoker to 275 degrees F. I recommend a mild wood like maple, alder, or a fruit wood like apple or cherry.
Smoke the chicken. Remove the chicken from the bag, then pat it with a paper towel, removing any excess marinade. Reserve the marinade, then place the chicken directly on the grill grates for around 1 hour.
Make the adobo sauce. Preheat the canola oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peppercorns and bay leaves and cook for 2-4 minutes, until fragrant. Add in the chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, and reserved marinade, then stir everything together gently.
1 Tablespoon canola oil, 1 Tablespoon fresh peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, 1 cup chicken stock, ¼ cup cane vinegar, 3 Tablespoons palm sugar
Add chicken and finish smoking. Carefully transfer the chicken from the smoker to the sauce. Scoop spoonfuls of the sauce over the chicken until everything is evenly coated. Place the skillet on the smoker grates, close the lid, and continue smoking for approximately 1 hour.
Brown the chicken. Once your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, crank the temperature on your smoker to high (425-450 degrees F). Allow everything to cook for 10-15 minutes so the chicken develops a nice, brown exterior. When your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees F using an instant-read meat thermometer, remove the skillet to cool for a few minutes.
Serve and enjoy! Wait 5-10 minutes so that juicy goodness settles in the chicken and the sauce sets a little. Serve as-is with a side or bed or rice, and enjoy!

Nutrition