Baked Chicken A la Pobre

As soon as the chilly days of autumn set in, I start baking dishes like Baked Chicken a la Pobre. The tempting aromas of garlic with soy sauce seeped from the warm oven and enticed our household. It didn’t take long to cook and this fuss-free, effortless meal was ready.

I have to give credit to my good friend, Manila-based food blogger Joey de Larrazabal- Blanco, also known as @80Breakfasts to her Twitter followers. When Joey posted her Instagram photos of this chicken dish a few months ago, I asked for the recipe and right away she responded. Joey is a prolific blogger and her social media presence is filled with meals she cooks for her family, market finds of fresh produce, or her fun travels around the Philippines. I trust her recipes on her blog 80Breakfasts.com which have helped me a lot, too.

You can prep the chicken quickly and bake the dish on busy weeknights or a weekend family meal. When the chicken was ready, I brought the Pyrex straight to the table. I spooned some of the thick soy sauce with garlic gravy over the tender chicken legs. On our plates, we poured more of the dark garlicky sauce over steaming rice, nestled next to the succulent chicken. Sometimes, the most basic ingredients can make a baked meal as magical as this one.

Print Recipe

Baked Chicken A la Pobre

Baked Chicken A La Pobre uses the most basic ingredients of soy sauce, calamansi juice and plenty of garlic to make a divine meal. The chicken cutlets are marinated for a few minutes then popped in the oven till they are done. Serve this entree with rice. This was inspired by a recipe from food blogger Joey L. Blanco of 80Breakfasts.com. Serves 2 to 4.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino

Keyword: Baked Chicken

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 532.37kcal

Author: Asian in America

Equipment

• Oven-proof baking pan: square (11 x 11 inches) or rectangle (9 x 11 inches)

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds chicken drumsticks or use other chicken cutlets; about 5 pieces
• 6 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 Tablespoons calamansi juice (or lemon)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic peeled, smashed
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 whole head garlic about 8 cloves; peeled, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish
• steamed rice for serving

Instructions

Marinate the chicken:

• In a non-reactive bowl, combine the soy sauce, calamansi (or lemon) juice, Worcestershire sauce and blend well. Pour liquid over the chicken cutlets. Sprinkle the ground black pepper powder over the chicken.

  Cover and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

To bake the chicken:

• Preheat oven to 375 F.

  Grease an oven-proof baking pan with cooking spray to avoid meat from sticking.

  Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in the baking pan. Make sure the meats do not overlap with each other. Pour the marinade on the chicken.

  Tuck the 4 garlic cloves around the chicken pieces.

  Cover the entire baking pan with foil.

  Bake chicken at 375 F, covered in foil for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered for 15 minutes more till chicken turns golden brown on top. Pierce the thick parts of the chicken cutlets with a fork. If no red liquid seeps out, the chicken is cooked completely.

To make the fried garlic topping:

• In a small sauce pan, add the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot enough in 1 to 2 minutes, add the chopped garlic. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes till garlic is crisp and brown (do not burn the garlic or it affects the outcome of the dish).

  Drain the crisp garlic on parchment paper or paper towels to remove excess grease. Set aside.

To assemble baked chicken:

• When the chicken is done, remove from the oven.

  Sprinkle the fried, crisp garlic over the baked chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley.

  Serve warm with rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 532.37kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.22g | Protein: 46.28g | Fat: 35.3g | Saturated Fat: 17.02g | Cholesterol: 209.69mg | Sodium: 3313.6mg | Potassium: 694.82mg | Fiber: 0.81g | Sugar: 1.59g | Vitamin A: 104.85IU | Vitamin C: 2.65mg | Calcium: 50.88mg | Iron: 3.23mg

Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.

Did you like this recipe?I have more Filipino Instant Pot recipes in my newest cookbook Instant Filipino Recipes: My Mother’s Traditional Philippine Cooking in A Multicooker Pot by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino. I also have more classic recipes inspired by my mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.

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