Spicy Chipotle Chicken Adobo

This Spicy Chipotle Chicken Adobo is a bold, smoky twist on the Filipino classic, made with tender chicken drumsticks simmered in a savory, tangy marinade packed with chipotle peppers, garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar. Cooking it on the BBQ adds an irresistible smoky char, but you can easily make it using your preferred cooking method. It’s spicy, savory, slightly sweet, and incredibly flavorful.

What Is Chicken Adobo?

Chicken adobo is a classic Filipino dish traditionally made by simmering chicken in a flavorful combination of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and seasonings. This recipe is inspired by those traditional Filipino adobo flavors, but the cooking method is adjusted to work especially well for the grill, oven, or air fryer. Instead of simmering the chicken in the sauce, the chicken is marinated in a bold chipotle adobo mixture and then cooked until the skin becomes crispy and beautifully browned. The result is juicy, flavorful chicken on the inside with a deliciously crisp, smoky exterior.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Chicken (Bone-in Skin-on)
• Soy sauce
• White vinegar
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Garlic
• Green onion
• Smoked paprika
• Black pepper
• White pepper

Cooking the Chicken on the BBQ

The BBQ is my favorite way to cook this chicken because the high heat gives the drumsticks a beautiful smoky char. Preheat your BBQ and cook the chicken over medium heat, turning it regularly for even browning. Because the marinade contains hoisin sauce and chipotle peppers, it can caramelize quickly, so keep an eye on the chicken as it cooks. Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill if it starts browning too quickly, and cook until it reaches a safe internal temperature.

Can You Make Chicken Adobo Without a BBQ?

Absolutely! While I love the smoky flavor you get from cooking this chicken on the BBQ, it doesn’t have to be prepared that way. You can cook the chicken in the oven or air fryer for a crispy, browned exterior while keeping the inside juicy and flavorful. The cooking method may change the amount of char you get, but the bold chipotle adobo marinade will still shine.

Tips for the Best Chicken Adobo

• Marinate ahead: Give the chicken enough time to absorb all those bold adobo flavors.
• Watch the heat: The hoisin sauce and chipotle peppers can caramelize quickly.
• Turn the chicken regularly: This helps prevent the outside from burning while the inside cooks through.
• Use a thermometer: Check the thickest part of the chicken to make sure it’s fully cooked.
• Let it rest: Rest the chicken for a few minutes after cooking to help keep it juicy.
• Garnish with green onion: The fresh green onion adds a bright contrast to the smoky, spicy chicken.

How Spicy Is This Chicken Adobo?

The chipotle peppers give this chicken a noticeable kick, but the heat is balanced by the savory soy sauce, tangy vinegar, and slightly sweet hoisin sauce. The amount of heat will depend on how many chipotle peppers and how much adobo sauce you use. If you prefer a milder chicken adobo, reduce the chipotle peppers or use less of the adobo sauce. For extra heat, add another pepper or a little more adobo sauce.

What to Serve with Chicken Adobo

Serve this chicken with plenty of steamed white rice to soak up all those bold, savory flavors. A simple slaw or pasta salad would also make a great side. If you’re serving it at a BBQ, add some grilled corn or your favourite summer sides to round out the meal.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a few days. To reheat, warm the chicken gently in the oven, air fryer, or on the stovetop until heated through. If the chicken seems dry, add a small splash of water or some of the leftover juices before reheating.

Spicy Chipotle Chicken Adobo

This Spicy Chipotle Chicken Adobo is a smoky, spicy twist on the Filipino classic, made with tender chicken drumsticks and a bold marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, chipotle peppers, garlic, and hoisin sauce. Cooking the chicken on the BBQ adds an irresistible char while bringing out the smoky flavors of the marinade. It’s savory, tangy, slightly sweet, and packed with flavour in every bite.

Recipe Keys: C Chicken

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 25 mins Total Time 35 mins

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 1-2 lbs. Chicken drumsticks (Bone-in/Skin-on)
• ¹⁄₂ cup Soy sauce
• ¹⁄₂ cup White vinegar
• 1 can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• 1 Garlic bulb (10-14 cloves)
• 1 bunch Green onion
• 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• ¹⁄₂ tsp White pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Cut a bunch of green onions in half, making sure to reserve the upper dark green half for garnish. Use the lower light green part for the marinade. Using either a knife, food processor, or mini chopper, mince the green onion (light green part) and garlic cloves.
2. Combine the minced green onion and garlic mixture with soy sauce, white vinegar, a can of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, hoisin sauce, smoked paprika, and black and white pepper. Stir to combine the ingredients, then add the bone-in chicken and massage the chicken with the marinade. Leave to marinate for at least 15–20 minutes at room temperature.
   For reduced spice, add half the can of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
3. To cook on the BBQ, preheat your grill on maximum heat for 10 minutes. Then add the chicken to the grill, reduce the heat to medium, lightly sprinkle salt all over the chicken pieces, and close the grill cover. Cook for about 10–14 minutes per side, or until fully cooked.
4. To cook in the oven: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on a lined baking sheet or in a baking dish, leaving some space between each piece. Lightly sprinkle salt over the chicken. Bake for approximately 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until fully cooked.
5. To cook in the air fryer, arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Lightly sprinkle salt over the chicken. Air fry at 375°F for approximately 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until fully cooked. Temperature may vary depending on the air fryer.
6. Optionally, make a sauce by pouring the excess marinade into a saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat for a couple of minutes, until slightly reduced. If the reduced sauce is too salty, add a small splash of water to dilute.
7. Garnish with the reserved dark green onion and optionally serve with lime wedges on the side.