Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Adobo
If there is a dish from my childhood that I would like to keep on recreating, it has to be adobo. I love the contrast between the saltiness and tartness of the soy sauce and lemons with the unmistakable presence of garlic. It is the national dish of the Philippines and it has every reason to be everyone's favorite because it is just good. In fact, among all the Filipino dishes that I have introduced to my family, adobo always comes out the winner. No one says no to it and however much I put on the table, it always ends up wiped out especially when I cook the rice with the sauce.
But just to give you an idea, a classic adobo used soy sauce, coconut vinegar and garlic. Then you can just recreate it on your own like replacing the vinegar with different kinds of vinegar or even lemons just like what I do. Living outside the Philippines, it is always a struggle to find coconut vinegar so finding alternatives is a must. I found mine with lemons and that is how my family and I love it. Besides, a boost of Vitamin C with kids is always good.
I normally cook my adobo the usual way, in a saucepan. When I got my slow cooker, one of the dishes I thought of making immediately was adobo. There has to be a way. I had to precook the chicken and brown them well with the garlic before adding them to the slow cooker with the uncooked rice. The result is an amazing copy of how it is done in the saucepan. Of course, cooking adobo in a saucepan is still better but if you don't have the time to stay in front of the stove to wait for it to cook, behold, the slow cooker can do it for you! I will never think twice of making adobo in slow cookers if I am tight with my schedule.
I wrote this Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Adobo recipe for Skinny Ms. so you can click on the link to get there or just scroll down for the recipe. Skinny Ms. is a site dedicated to healthy living where you can find healthy recipes, tips on exercises and healthy living.
Slow Cooker Adobo Chicken and Rice
Yields 4 servingsIngredients:
- 4 chicken thighs, optional breasts (remove skin before serving)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups uncooked long grain brown rice
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lite soy sauce, divided (optional Tamari)
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Over medium-high heat, in a medium saucepan with the olive oil, brown both sides of the chicken. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce on the chicken while doing so. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the garlic, rice, water, and remaining soy sauce, lemon, and pepper. Make sure that the rice is under the water. Cover, and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high 2 to 3 hours. The dish is ready when the chicken is done and the rice tender. The chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Be sure to discard the skin before serving. Add chopped tomatoes before removing from the slow cooker.
- On a serving plate, place the chicken and rice together. Garnish with the chives if using.
- Note: If you prefer, use skinless chicken. Or, the skin can be left on for flavor and discarded before serving.
