Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

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Instant Pot Chicken Adobo is a tangy and garlicky Filipino chicken dish made easy in the pressure cooker! The chicken is marinated and cooked until juicy and tender and served in a sweet and savory sauce over steamed rice. So good!

You guys, this chicken adobo will make your taste buds tingle! It has everything to love in a sauce. It’s not only the perfect combination of sweet and savory, but it has a hint of spicy and a little tang from the vinegar with lots of garlic flavor!

Instant Pot chicken adobo served on a bed of rice and garnished with chopped green onion.

Oh, and the chicken drumsticks are fall-off-the bone tender! It doesn’t get much better than this!

Traditional chicken adobo is usually braised for hours, but the Instant Pot only takes 12 minutes on high pressure!

We usually serve chicken adobo over white rice or this coconut jasmine rice but these creamy garlic mashed potatoes could be amazing too!

If you’re looking for other time saving Instant Pot chicken recipes, be sure to check out this Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe or this Instant Pot chicken curry soup!

Check out the Instant Pot chicken adobo story!

What is chicken adobo?

Chicken adobo is a popular Filipino dish made with chicken legs that are marinated and braised in a savory, sweet and garlicky sauce including soy sauce, vinegar and garlic.

While this recipe is made with chicken drumsticks, it can also be made with the whole leg or just the thighs.

Chicken adobo is normally simmered for hours until tender and flavorful, but the Instant Pot speeds up this process.

Side view of chicken adobo made with drumsticks and served on a bed of white rice.

Why this recipe works

The Instant Pot saves time and yields the same tender and juicy chicken legs as if they were braised for hours.
Chicken drumsticks are not an expensive cut of chicken, so you get a lot of bang for your buck with this recipe.
The marinade (which also becomes the sauce) is easy to make and requires mostly pantry staples!
Love crispy, brown skin? No problem! The chicken drumsticks are broiled for a few minutes after they come out of the Instant Pot, so the skin gets browned and crispy.
It’s a great recipe for meal prep. The chicken is marinated overnight, and then it’s almost a dump and go recipe in the Instant Pot. You can also cook it a day or two in advance. The sauce is more flavorful the next day!

Ingredients

The full list of ingredients and quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

You’ll need 2 pounds of chicken legs for the recipe. We’re using drumsticks, not the whole leg, which also includes the thigh.

Chicken adobo has a distinct garlic flavor, so we’re using 6 cloves of garlic (minced). For the best flavor, I don’t recommend substituting with garlic powder.

For the savory and tangy marinade/sauce, you’ll need a ¼ cup of soy sauce and a ½ cup of white vinegar.

If you can find cane vinegar, which is common in Filipino cooking, you can use that instead of white vinegar.

You’ll also add a ¼ cup of chicken stock to the marinade/sauce. You can use store-bought or homemade like this crockpot chicken broth. If using store-bought, try to use low sodium so you have better control over the salt content in the sauce.

To thicken the sauce, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water to make a cornstarch slurry. You can also use flour to make a slurry, but I find cornstarch works best.

Step by step instructions

Place all the ingredients (except the cornstarch slurry, rice and green onion) in a ziplock bag and shake to mix and coat everything.

Marinated chicken drumsticks in a ziplock bag.

Place the bag in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight (up to 12 hours).

Pour the contents of the bag in the Instant Pot.

Marinated chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot insert.

Pressure cook on high for 12 minutes and allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining pressure.

Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a rack over a baking sheet.

Place under the broiler until the skin has brown and crisped, about 2-4 minutes each side. **Watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't burn or overcook.

While the chicken is broiling, turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting and simmer the liquid.

Slowly stir in half the cornstarch slurry and stir for about 1 minute. If it's still too thin, add in the remaining slurry.

Simmer until the chicken is browned, about 3 minutes.

Serve over steamed white rice with green onions.

Expert tips

Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before doing a quick release. The chicken will continue cooking as the pressure releases.
Keep an eye on the drumsticks as they broil. They will brown and overcook quickly.
Instead of broiling, you can also sear the chicken with a little oil in a hot skillet on the stovetop.
You can use a mix of chicken drumsticks and thighs if you wish. I would avoid using chicken breast, as they aren’t as fatty or juicy and will dry out in this recipe.
Fully cooked chicken should have an internal temperature of 165F degrees. I suggest using a digital thermometer to check for doneness.
While the cook time is 12 minutes on high in the Instant Pot, you’ll need to factor in time for pressure to build and release in the Instant Pot.

Close up of a chicken drumstick with white rice on a white plate.

Common questions

Do you need to marinate the chicken?

For the best flavor, I suggest marinating the chicken overnight for at least 8 hours. However, if you’re in a rush, you can skip the marinating time and just add everything to the Instant Pot and cook right away.

Can you freeze the chicken in the marinade?

For easy meal prep, you can make the marinade in advance and freeze it, or you can even freeze the raw chicken in the marinade. It should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to cook, defrost the chicken in the fridge. It will marinate as it defrosts. Then, cook the chicken in the Instant Pot according to the recipe instructions.

What’s the best cut of chicken for chicken adobo?

This recipe calls for chicken drumsticks, which results in tender and juicy chicken adobo. You can substitute bone-in chicken thighs, or include a mix of drumsticks and thighs. I would avoid using chicken breast as it won’t turn out as juicy and may even end up a bit dry in this recipe.

How do you thicken chicken adobo sauce?

The chicken adobo sauce is thickened with a cornstarch slurry, which is one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of water. If the sauce is still too thin, you can just mix up and add more slurry.

Do you need to broil the chicken before serving?

If you love crispy, browned chicken skin, I highly recommend broiling the chicken after it comes out of the Instant Pot. If you don’t like the skin, just remove it after it comes out of the Instant Pot and skip the broiling step.

How do you serve chicken adobo?

Chicken adobo is delicious served over steamed white rice or even this Instant Pot jasmine rice. For an ultra comforting dish, serve it with sous vide mashed potatoes.

If you love a side of veggies, roasted vegetables are great with chicken adobo. Try this roasted frozen broccoli or roasted parmesan cauliflower.

Overhead close up view of chicken adobo drumsticks.

Storing leftovers

You can store leftover chicken adobo in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat it, just warm the leftovers in the oven or in the microwave.

You can also freeze leftover chicken adobo. Just let it cool completely, then portion it out into individually sized freezer-safe containers. It should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Other chicken recipes

Air Fryer Whole Chicken
Instant Pot chicken fajitas
Sous Vide Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Sesame Chicken
Southern Stewed Chicken
Pan Roasted Grapefruit Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Orange Chicken

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it turned out!