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–+ servings
Chicken Adobo Tacos

Chicken Adobo Tacos

These incredible chicken adobo tacos blend Filipino-inspired flavors with Mexican street food tradition. The tender chicken thighs are slowly simmered in a tangy, savory sauce until they're fall-apart tender, creating a perfect filling for warm corn tortillas. Ready to elevate your taco night? This recipe is your answer!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 12 tacos
Difficulty Medium

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup soy sauce gluten-free if needed
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 10-15 whole black peppercorns
  • ½ yellow onion quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic whole
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 6-8 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup water
  • 12-16 corn tortillas preferably handmade
  • 1 small red or white onion finely chopped (for serving)
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped (for serving)
  • ½ cup sour cream for serving
  • 2 limes cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the adobo sauce: In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine vinegar, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, peppercorns, quartered onion, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and thyme sprigs.
  • Add chicken: Place the chicken thighs into the pot. Don't worry if they're not fully submerged in the liquid - this is normal.
  • Simmer: Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 60-75 minutes, occasionally checking to ensure the liquid hasn't reduced too much.
  • Check for doneness: The chicken is ready when it falls apart easily when prodded with a fork. If it's not quite tender enough, continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes.
  • Shred the chicken: Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the pot, allowing it to absorb more of the flavorful cooking liquid.
  • Remove aromatics: Fish out and discard the thyme stems, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and as many peppercorns as you can find.
  • Warm tortillas: Heat your corn tortillas in a dry skillet or directly over a gas flame until slightly charred and pliable.
  • Assemble tacos: Fill each tortilla with a generous spoonful of the shredded adobo chicken. Top with chopped cilantro, diced onion, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

  • Use chicken thighs: While you could substitute chicken breasts, thighs have more flavor and stay juicier during the long cooking process.
  • Don't rush the simmering: The magic happens during the slow cooking process when the flavors meld and the chicken becomes tender.
  • Adjust the sauce: If you prefer more sauce for your tacos, you can remove the chicken once cooked, increase the heat, and reduce the liquid to intensify the flavors.
  • Toast your spices: For even more depth of flavor, lightly toast the peppercorns and cinnamon stick in the dry pot before adding the liquids.
  • Garnish generously: The fresh toppings provide important contrast to the rich chicken - don't skip them!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!