Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups spiced cane vinegar
• 1 ½ cups soy sauce
• ¾ cup brewed coffee
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 8 chicken leg quarters
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
• ¼ cup minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 6 bay leaves
• cheesecloth and kitchen string
• ½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
• ½ pound oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 1 ½ cups coconut cream
• 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
• 2 green onions, chopped

Step 1

Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, coffee, and brown sugar in a bowl until the sugar has completely dissolved. Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook them until the skin turns golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per side. Once browned, transfer the chicken to a plate.

Step 2

Carefully drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the pot and return it to the heat. Add the chopped garlic and fry it until it’s light brown and crisp, around 3 minutes. Remove the garlic to a small bowl, leaving the drippings in the pot. Next, add the shallots and minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring often, until the shallots become translucent and the garlic turns golden, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Tie the peppercorns and bay leaves in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a spice bundle. Add the browned chicken back to the pot along with the vinegar mixture and the spice bundle. Bring everything to a boil and let it bubble for a minute or two. Then lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes.

Step 4

After that, stir in the shiitake and oyster mushrooms, coconut cream, and turmeric. Cover the pot again and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender, which should take another 15 to 20 minutes. Once done, either cut the leg quarters in half at the joint or shred the meat off the bones. Remove the spice bundle and skim any excess fat from the sauce.

Step 5

Finally, return the chicken to the sauce, sprinkle with the fried garlic and chopped green onions, and give it a gentle stir before serving.