OCTOBER 2020 35
Coconut Chicken Adobo
ACTIVE 20 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 45 MIN
SERVES 4
The addition of coconut milk, while not
part of every adobo recipe, softens the
bright vinegar in June Rodil’s version just
enough to make the dish super wine-
friendly. Patting the chicken dry before
broiling ensures deliciously crispy skin.
1 (13^1 /^2 -oz.) can coconut milk, well
shaken and stirred
1 / 2 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
1 /^2 cup distilled white vinegar
8 fresh bay leaves
5 dried chiles de árbol or other dried
small hot red chiles
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
1 tsp. black pepper
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg
quarters (about 2 lb.)
1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
Steamed rice and thinly sliced
scallions, for serving
- Whisk together coconut milk, soy
sauce, and vinegar in a high-sided non-
reactive Dutch oven. Stir in bay leaves,
chiles, garlic, and black pepper. Nestle
chicken leg quarters in mixture; add a
splash of water, if needed, to submerge
chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer over
medium. Cover and reduce heat to low to
maintain a gentle simmer; cook until
chicken is very tender, about 1 hour.
Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. - Remove chicken from Dutch oven;
arrange chicken, skin side up, on a broiler-
safe rimmed baking sheet lined with alu-
minum foil. Pour sauce through a fine
wire-mesh strainer into a bowl. Reserve
bay leaves and chiles; discard solids, and
return sauce, bay leaves, and chiles to
Dutch oven. Bring sauce to a simmer over
medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasion-
ally, until sauce is thickened and coats the
back of a spoon, 12 to 15 minutes. Season
with salt to taste. Remove from heat. - Preheat oven to broil with oven rack 6
inches from heat source. Pat chicken dry
with paper towels; sprinkle all over with^1 / 2
teaspoon salt. Broil in preheated oven
until chicken skin is sizzling and dark
brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with
steamed rice, sliced scallions, and sauce.
MAKE AHEAD Chicken can be braised 1
day ahead and broiled just before serving.
WINE Cherry-inflected Côtes du Rhône:
2018 Stéphane Ogier Le Temps est Venu
NOTE Chiles de árbol can be purchased at
Mexican groceries or online.
“Something I like to make
when the fall colors
start turning is chicken
adobo. I was born in the
Philippines, and this is
the staple there. Like, if
you can’t make it, we’re
talking disinheritance.
My favorite wine for
fall is Côtes du Rhône.
It’s a wonderful way to
discover the style and
quality of Rhône houses
famous for their
Châteauneuf-du-Papes
at an affordable price.”
—JUNE RODIL, GOOD-
NIGHT HOSPITALITY,
HOUSTON