Chicken adobo with garlic rice and cucumber salad

 Adding three recipes here for the whole dinner.  We've never had the real deal but I trust my sources.  This is tasty, easy on the budget, pantry friendly, allllll the buzz words.  The only thing you have to do that's a little tricky - make it the night before.  Easy for our house though, just simmer the chicken and cook the rice as you get kids to bed and then all you have to do it warm up the next day.  

Chicken adobo, garlic rice, cucumber salad

2 1/2 lbs skin on, bone in chicken legs separated into thighs and drumsticks

8 cloves of garlic, sliced

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar (update from 10/2021)

Pat chicken dry and then season the chicken with salt

In a large dutch oven (for cooks in our house, use the oval red Dutch oven), heat 1 tbs of neutral oil over medium high heat and cook the chicken pieces until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side and remove to a platter,  Work in batches if necessary.

Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces

Add peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds 

Add water and use a spoon to scrape up the browned bits

Add soy sauce, and vinegar and the chicken pieces back to the pot

Increase the heat to high, bring to a simmer, cover and reduce to low

Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes, making sure to turn halfway through

Cool and then refrigerate overnight

The next day, bring everything to a simmer 

Remove the chicken to a rack over a cookie sheet and broil for 5 or so minutes to get a crispy skin (we skip this sometimes just to save on two more dirty pans)

Serve with rice and more warmed sauce

For the rice

Cook your favorite rice the night before, trying medium grain this time,  about 4 cups cooked rice (2 or 2 1/2 "cups" dry rice for your rice maker)

Crush then slice 8 garlic cloves and add them to 1/4 cup of neutral oil, cooking over medium heat until the garlic is golden but not burned

Strain the oil through a fine mesh strainer and save the oil, adding the oil back into your cooking pan

Heat the garlic oil over medium heat and add the cooked rice and break up any clumps until it's warmed through

New for 10/2021 (Add in a can of drained water chestnuts and make a well in the middle of your rice, pour in 2 whisked eggs and let sit a minute or two

Stir up the eggs a little  and then mix into the rice, cooking until all the egg is set

Add in a little soy sauce and a bunch of black pepper )

Add the cooked garlic off heat and then serve

For the cucumber

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tbs fish sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil 

1/2 tbs sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Asian chili paste, to taste

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced into half rounds

1 small shallot or 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Add the vinegar through chili paste to a large bowl, mixing to combine

Add the cucumber slices and shallot or onion and then toss to coat

Let sit in the fridge at least a few hours