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Chicken and Pork Adobo A La Pobre - Instant Pot + Stove-top

This Chicken and Pork Adobo A La Pobre is a basic Filipino national dish, with additional ingredients to make it more special. The sauce base has the familiar garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, pepper, and bay leaves. This makes a good flavor contrast to the addition of tomatoes, eggplants, plantains and calamansi to the mix. Serve this festive dish for family meals, Christmas or the holidays. And don't forget the rice. This recipe was inspired by the cookbook "Slow Food Adobo" (Anvil Publishing, Philippines), edited by Lyn Besa Gamboa and Mara Pardo de Tavera. Serves 4.
*I share how to cook this dish in alternative ways: On the stove top or the Instant Pot. Cooking time below is for the Instant Pot.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time52 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Filipino Chicken Adobo
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 125kcal
Author: Elizabeth Ann Quirino

Equipment

  • Large saucepan or wok: 12 inches diameter or larger
  • Large baking sheet: 9 x 13 inches or larger
  • Instant Pot multicooker - 6 quarts or 8 quarts.

Ingredients

  • 6 whole pieces Asian eggplants, roasted and sliced or use 1 large aubergine
  • 1 teaspoon salt for eggplants
  • 4 pieces ripe, fresh saging saba (plantains)
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 whole bulb garlic about 6 to 8 cloves; peeled, chopped
  • 1 whole white or yellow onion chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes sliced
  • 1/2 pound pork belly or shoulder cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 to 5 pieces chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on or use any parts of chicken
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon calamansi juice (or lemon)
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 whole red or green bell pepper sliced, seeded, white membrane removed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 pieces bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • steamed rice for serving

Instructions

To cook eggplants:

  • Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Place the sliced eggplants on the baking sheet. Sprinkle salt all over the slices.
    Roast the eggplants on 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and set aside.

To boil plantains:

  • Peel the fresh, fully ripe plantains. Place in a medium-sized stockpot. Cover the bananas with enough water. Add 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.
    Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes till soft. When soft enough (not mushy), turn off heat. Remove from stove top and set aside.

To cook the Chicken and Pork Adobo A La Pobre:

  • In a large saucepan or wok, add the oil. Over medium-high heat, when the oil is hot enough, saute the garlic. onions and tomatoes.
    Add the pork belly and chicken to the saucepan. Brown the meats for 5 minutes.
  • Pour the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, calamansi, and chicken broth.
    Add the bell pepper slices, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt.
    Cover and continue cooking over medium heat till the meats are tender and cooked completely. This should take about 45 to 50 minutes.

To plate:

  • Arrange the roasted eggplant slices and boiled plantains around a a large, rimmed platter. Place the chicken and pork adobo in the middle. Pour the adobo gravy on the meat.
    Serve warm with rice.

To cook the Plantains in the Instant Pot:

  • Place the peeled, ripe plantains in the inside pot. Add 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Pour 3 cups of water on the bananas. It should be enough to cover the fruit.
    Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing.
    Click Manual + High Pressure + 5 minutes.
    When buzzer sounds to announce cooking is done, do a Quick Release with the valve. Click Cancel to turn off.
    Carefully unlock and open the lid. Set the lid on a safe place on the counter.
    Using a ladle, or slotted spoon, remove the plantains and set aside.
    When temperature of the inside pot has cooled down, discard the water.

To cook the Chicken and Pork Adobo in the Instant Pot:

  • Open the lid and set aside on the counter.
    Click Saute function on keypad.
    Add the oil. When oil heats up in 1 to 2 minutes, saute the garlic, onions and tomatoes.
    Add the pork and chicken pieces. Brown the meats for 5 minutes, turning around occasionally for even browning.
    Click Cancel to turn off Saute function.
    To the inside pot, pour the soy sauce, vinegar, broth, brown sugar, calamansi. Add the bell pepper slices, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt.
    Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Sealing.
    Click Manual + High Pressure + and cook for 35 minutes.
    When the buzzer sounds, do a Quick Release.
    Click Cancel to turn off.
    Carefully unlock and open the lid. Put the lid on a safe place on the counter.
    Using a ladle, remove the adobo from the inside pot.
    Plate according to directions above with the roasted eggplants and boiled plantains.
    Serve warm with rice.

Notes on the Instant Pot:

  • After the initial saute, it takes about 15 to 17 minutes for the Instant Pot or multicooker to preheat to High Pressure and for cooking time to begin. For other brands of multicookers, check the product manual.
    Safety: Use accessories recommended for the Instant Pot or multicooker like silicone or metal. Do NOT use glassware. Read the manual for complete information.

Quick Release for the Instant Pot

  • This is when you release the pressure instantly. Press Cancel on the keypad and turn the Steam release handle on the lid to a Venting position. Allow steam to release about 3 minute.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 2823mg | Potassium: 470mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1168IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 2mg