Chicken Liver Adobo: the Filipino Recipe for Chicken Liver

Chicken Liver Adobo

It is not surprising that the most popular Filipino recipe for chicken liver is “adobo.”  Chicken adobo being the most familiar, we Filipinos use almost all meat types and vegetables with the same recipe. In this post, you will find the same adobo recipe using chicken livers this time. Locally called adobong atay ng manok, chicken liver is a traditional favorite. Relatively, chicken liver is also inexpensive and healthy.

If you find the smell of liver or chicken liver specifically, strong, off-putting, or that it has a metallic taste, then adobo should be your best choice of recipe. Wait, if you do not like the smell of a food item, why would you cook it, right? Health reasons? Nutritional blahs? Peer pressure? Whatever reason is a good reason. I want to share here that adobo will give you the best taste of this internal organ without the liver’s off-putting smell (which, of course, may be the other way around for others, including me), without sacrificing its nutritional value. Why? The vinegar in any liver adobo helps in its strong smell and the same vinegar gives the dish the distinguishing adobo aroma and flavor. That said, there is no use soaking the liver in milk during prep time.

Ingredients for the Filipino Chicken Liver Adobo

• head of garlic – (minced and divided)
• onion (optional – (I will tell you why)
• black pepper corns
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• dark soy sauce
• white or brown sugar
• patis (fish sauce)
• bay leaves (optional)
• green serrano chilis (optional)
• green onions (toppings)
• crunchy garlic bits as toppings

How to Cook Chicken Liver Adobo

I have seen and tried different ways to cook this dish through the years. Although the differences are minor, I will share with you what I have observed and give you the steps my mom used whenever she cooks her version. That would make it easy for you to decide your ingredients and the process that you prefer:

1. Wash and drain chicken liver pieces. Dry them with paper towels, if necessary. Drying them ensures that the dish does not end up watery.
2. Put the livers in a pot. Add half a cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of whole pepper; add minced garlic to the same pot and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the livers are half-cooked. Set aside.
3. Heat cooking oil in a separate pan. Add the remaining garlic and stir for no more than a minute. It is good enough when the tiny garlic pieces are limped; do not wait until they are golden brown as they tend to immediately burn – yes, in seconds!
4. Add onions, if using. Alright, my promise to tell you why it is optional. There is no need to use onions in adobo. It usually makes the dish watery. On the other hand, if you prefer a rather wet (juicy?) version, you can add onions, but use just about a tablespoon of it – diced finely. You would want to make these onions disappear from sight; their purpose is to prevent the liver from becoming too dry.
5. Add the liver pieces to the pot, leaving its juice for a while. Stir and cook until all the juices are gone. Add soy sauce and stir again.
6. Add bay leaves and chilis – if using – and stir twice. Mom and I do not use bay leaves in our adobo. No particular reason except that in our opinion, the added taste of bay leaves deviates from the authentic taste of Filipino adobo. It is, of course, a matter of preference. Chilis are also optional as the adobo taste does not depend on the heat of the chilis. Chilis here is to add some kick to the taste. Do you know that it was surprising to me that there seem to be more Filipinos who are not fond of the chili heat? I have a number of close friends who do not prefer chili at all in all, yes all, their dishes.
7. Add salt and ground black pepper. Use salt sparingly, you might find that the soy sauce and vinegar combination has given the dish enough salt.
8. Add two tablespoons of the juice from pre-boiling the chicken liver. Alternatively, ditch that juice, and add two tablespoons of vinegar and a tablespoon of fish sauce to the pot. Do not stir until it boils. Maintain on medium heat.
9. Add brown sugar and stir once. Simmer over medium-low heat until most of the juices evaporate, about five minutes. You already achieved it when the liver looked crispy on the side, and still kind of pregnant in the middle.
10. Serve with crunchy garlic slices or sliced green onions as toppings.
11. Best served over steamed rice or alongside egg-fried rice.

No Water in Adobong Atay ng Manok?

Have you wondered why there is no water in the lineup of ingredients? Water in chicken liver adobo is a matter of feel. It does not hurt to add about half a cup of water to a kilo of chicken liver to ensure that the dish does not become dry. I suggest you try this recipe without adding water and see how it comes out for you. Sometimes, it is worrisome seeing your dish becoming too dry. What can I guarantee you here? You have all the excess liquid that will come out from the first steps of cooking. This also means that you would want that juice to be more concentrated, so you can forget the water for now.

Serving Suggestions for Filipino Chicken Liver Adobo

This Filipino recipe for chicken liver can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

It can also be served with steamed white rice or any fried rice, especially egg-fried rice. It goes well with pita bread, too.  My kids loved them with white rice, while Mr. Green Eyes preferred it for breakfast with pita bread.

While this adobo does not have vegetables with it, any choice of steamed vegetables is best served with this adobo. My favorites are green beans, carrots, zucchini, and cauliflower.

Storing Suggestions for Leftover Chicken Liver Adobo

Keep leftover chicken liver adobo in any tight-fitting lids in the fridge for a week. The vinegar in this dish helps preserve it for long. Before serving, reheat in the microwave or the conventional oven for about 15 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit,

Cooking Tips for the Filipino Recipe for Chicken Livers

• In step number 4, it is best to cook the onions until they are almost brown. The undercooked onion will take away from the taste of the dish.
• You may want to add a slice or two of fresh ginger or 1 tbsp julienned ginger.
• Sugar is added for a hint of sweetness and to balance the tangy taste of vinegar. You can skip the sugar if you wish. My mom preferred it without sugar. I don’t mind a little sweetness.
• Palm vinegar is the best choice for a successful adobo followed by any white vinegar.  Apple cider vinegar does not give out the same result.
• This adobo dish can come with chicken gizzard or chicken hearts which would add a different combination altogether and a very slight deviation in the taste.
• Add crispy fried or baked garlic slices as toppings.

By the way, have you tried chicken liver with onions and tomatoes?

The Filipino Recipe for Chicken Liver Adobo

The Filipino Recipe for Chicken Liver Adobo

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• Author: Magida
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Category: Main dish
• Method: cooking
• Cuisine: Filipino

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Description

Learn how to make a delicious and hearty chicken liver adobo with this easy recipe. This dish is made with chicken livers, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and bay leaves. It’s the perfect comfort food any day.

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Ingredients

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• 1 kilo chicken liver, cleaned and washed
• 1/2 cup palm vinegar
• 1 head of garlic, minced and divided
• 1 medium onion (optional)
• 1 tbsp black pepper corns
• salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp patis (fish sauce) – optional
• 3–4 bay leaves (optional)
• 1–2 green chilis (optional)
• green onions (toppings)
• crunchy garlic bits or slices (toppings)

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Instructions

• Dry chicken liver with paper towels to help ensure that the dish does not end up watery.
• Put the livers in a pot. Add half a cup of vinegar, a tablespoon of whole pepper, and minced garlic and simmer slowly over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the livers are half-cooked. Set aside.
• Heat cooking oil in a separate pan. Add the remaining garlic and stir for no more than a minute or when the tiny garlic pieces are limped.
• Add onions, if using, and stir until the onions become translucent.
• Scoop the chicken liver from the pot, then add to the sauteed garlic and onions, and stir repeatedly until the livers are seared. Stir and cook until all the juices are gone. Add soy sauce and stir again.
• Add bay leaves and chilis – if using – and stir twice.
• Season with salt and ground black pepper. Use salt sparingly, you might find that the soy sauce and vinegar combination has given the dish enough salt.
• Add two tablespoons of the juice from pre-boiling the chicken liver. Alternatively, ditch that juice, and add two tablespoons of vinegar and a tablespoon of fish sauce to the pot. Do not stir until it boils. Maintain on medium heat.
• Add sugar and stir once. Simmer over medium-low heat until most of the juices evaporate, about five minutes.
• Serve with crunchy garlic slices or sliced green onions as toppings. Best served over steamed rice or alongside egg-fried rice and enjoy this appetizing dish.

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