Food & Wine USA - (10)October 2020

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

1. 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.


2. 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.


3. 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