Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

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Thanks to this Instant Pot Chicken Adobo recipe, you can make a restaurant-quality meal in just 30 minutes! This authentic Filipino dish of chicken thighs covered with a flavorful sweet and tangy adobo sauce is an ideal weeknight dinner.

You’ll also love Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken and Instant Pot Ropa Vieja.

Suitable for gluten free and low carb diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points.

instant pot adobo chicken served in a ceramic dish

Do you visit your favorite local Filipino restaurant and always order the Chicken Adobo? If you’re anything like me, there’s just something about that perfect combination of tangy, sweet, and spicy delicious sauce that keeps you coming back again and again.

Seriously, I find it so deliciously addicting that I have to refrain from licking the plate clean.

Instant Pot Adobo Chicken

Well folks, what if I told you it’s super easy to make this restaurant-quality dish at home? It’s true….thanks to the Instant Pot, it’s entirely possible to whip up delicious authentic Filipino adobo in less than 30 minutes.

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo is one of the easiest dishes to make. You get all of that amazing slow-braised flavor without all the work. Yep, this dish is quick, fuss-free, and affordable since it’s made with ingredients you already have in your pantry. #instantpotforthewin

Instant pot quick start guide image
top down view of adobo chicken served in a ceramic bowl with a silver spoon

What is Adobo Chicken?

Traditional Filipino Chicken Adobo is made by slow braising chicken in a sauce made of vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, onions, and spices. The sauce is sweet and tangy with a hint of spice and loads of flavor. Cooking this dish in your pressure cooker gives you all the flavor and tenderness of slow cooking in a fraction of the time. 

To give the chicken thighs that crispiness you’re used to when you order this in a restaurant I’ve added a reverse searing process at the end. AKA, quickly crisping the chicken under the broiler at the end. #somuchyum

close up of instant pot adobo chicken served over rice

Why Make This Recipe

  • Easy and fast – Everything is cooked right in the instant pot in about 30 minutes.
  • Authentic flavor – This tastes just like a dish you would order at your local Filipino restaurant. 
  • Pantry staples – Budget-friendly since it’s made with affordable, everyday pantry staples.
the ingredients needed for making adobo chicken in Instant Pot

Ingredient Notes

  • Chicken – This recipe calls for chicken thighs, but you can use chicken drumsticks or chicken breasts although you would need to adjust cook time.
  • Onions – Feel free to use white onions or red onions.
  • Flavoring – garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper and ground coriander make this recipe
  • Vinegar – I used white wine vinegar but you can use apple cider vinegar, white vinegar or rice vinegar.
  • Soy sauce – I used gluten free soy sauce, but feel free to use regular soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you want use a low sodium soy sauce tor educe the salt content.
  • Sugar – brown sugar is great in this to balance the tang but you can use coconut aminos.
  • Oil – use olive oil or vegetable oil to your preference.

Ready to make this pressure cooker chicken adobo? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Instant Pot Adobo Chicken

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  1. Sauté the onion in the insert of your Instant Pot with some olive oil. When they have softened, mix in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  2. Add in the vinegar and soy sauce and deglaze the bottom of the insert with a wooden spoon before adding the remaining ingredients. 
  3. Cover the Instant Pot, seal, and set to manual pressure/ high pressure for 13 minutes.
  4. Pressure cook till done, then allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release, then quick release the remaining pressure.
  5. Open the lid, remove and transfer chicken pieces, skin side up in an oven-proof dish. Broil the chicken for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is crispy. 
  6. While the chicken broils, select sauté on the Instant Pot and cook until the sauce thickens. 
  7. Serve the chicken with rice and top with the adobo sauce and green onions if you can. 
image collage showing the steps for making instant pot adobo chicken

Pro Recipe Cooking Tips 

  • Use bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on for the best flavor and maximum crispness.
  • Alternatively, you can use skinless thighs to reduce the calories in this chicken adobo instant pot recipe. 
  • Pat the chicken dry before pressure cooking to reduce any excess moisture and to not dilute the adobo sauce
  • If the thickened sauce is too sharp for your liking, add a bit of sugar or honey.
  • To keep this dish low carb, serve with steamed cauliflower rice instead of rice. remaining sauce

Delicious Variations

  • Use Rice Wine Vinegar – Rice wine vinegar will be a little less tangy than white wine vinegar. 
  • Add Coconut Milk – make the sauce creamy and add a hint of coconut flavor. 
  • Add heat – use some red pepper flakes, chipotle or cayenne.
the finished adobo chicken inside the Instant Pot

Storage 

  • Store – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  • Freeze – For up to 2 months.

FAQs

Do I Have to Use Chicken Thighs?

Chicken drumsticks with the skin on are also excellent in this recipe. You could use a mix of thighs and drumsticks. Chicken breast tends to dry out so we don’t recommend it. 

Best Way To Reduce The Sauce?

Remove chicken from the sauce before reducing it using the saute function on the Pressure Cooker. Removing the chicken during the sauteing reduces the risk of it it over cooking.

Also this way you can cook for as long as you want to the thickness that you require.

chicken adobo served with rice in a ceramic bowl

More Recipes You May Like

Serving Suggestions

Weight Watchers Points

There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Tools You Need 

Thank you for reading my chicken adobo Instant Pot recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog. 

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instant pot adobo chicken served in a ceramic dish
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Adobo Chicken

Make this authentic Filipino dish in under 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Broil time5 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Filipino, Western
Servings: 6
Calories: 173kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs bone-in and skin on
  • 2 teaspoons oil
  • 1 onion peeled and diced
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled and minced
  • cup (79ml) tamari soy sauce or regular soy sauce if not gluten free
  • cup (157ml) white wine vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander optional
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar optional

Instructions

  • Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Once heated, add diced onion, sauté until softened. Then add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the soy sauce and vinegar and deglaze the bottom of the insert. Then add the remaining ingredients.
  • Cover the Instant Pot, seal, and set to manual pressure/ high pressure for 13 minutes.
  • Once done, allow for a 10-minute natural pressure release, then perform a quick pressure release.
  • Open the lid, remove the chicken, and place it skin side up in an oven-proof dish. Broil for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is crispy.
  • While the chicken broils, select sauté on the Instant Pot and cook the sauce until it thickens.
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Notes

  • Use bone-in chicken thighs with the skin on for the best flavor and maximum crispness.
  • Alternatively, you can use skinless thighs to reduce the calories in this chicken adobo instant pot recipe. 
  • If the sauce is too sharp for your liking, add a bit of sugar or honey.
  • To keep this dish low carb, serve with steamed riced cauliflower instead of rice.
  • There are 3 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving of this.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve been loving instant pot recipes so this instant pot chicken is perfect for me! It looks so simple, yet so delicious! I can’t wait to make this chicken this week, my husband will love it!