Slow-Cooker Filipino Chicken

You know I have a vested interest in good slow-cooker recipes.  Mostly for ease.  But they have to taste good, which is not a guarantee.  And I recently bought a second crockpot at UNIQUE ($9!) in order to more easily slow cook for the Dinner Swap, so I've been rearing and ready for new recipes.

My friend Heather gave this one to me and it is easy as can possibly be, with amazingly good results.  Browning the chicken is optional; I like it but it adds an extra step.  If you do it, seriously no one will ever guess you cooked them in the crock pot. Sorry I don't have a picture but they are all golden-brown, fall-off-the-bone flavorful.  The sauce ends up with a lot of fat from the chicken, but if you separate or skim it, it is delicious over the chicken and some rice.  The recipe Heather had was slightly too sour for me so I added the brown sugar, and my family, and dinner group, loved it!

Filipino Chicken Adobo (print recipe)
9 to 18 chicken drumsticks (or drumsticks and thighs)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup cider vinegar
8 cloves garlic, minced
3 to 4 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced or diced
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup brown sugar, divided
Salt and pepper

1.  To brown the chicken, heat a few teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on one side in the hot pan until skin is golden and a little crisp, then turn and brown on the other side, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken to slow-cooker bowl.  Continue browning chicken in batches. 

2.  In a large bowl combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and bay leaf.  You can add some ground ginger if you want.  Pour sauce over chicken in bowl.  Sprinkle 1/3 cup brown sugar over the top of chicken.  Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours (use the lower time for less chicken, higher time for more.)

3.  When chicken is done, carefully remove it to a platter with tongs.  Some of the meat might fall off the bones (which is delicious but not as pretty)!  Cover platter with foil to keep warm.  Strain the sauce to remove ginger and garlic pieces, and skim the fat off the top or use a fat separator.  Pour the de-fatted sauce into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup more brown sugar to taste, and reduce slightly.  Serve sauce with chicken and hot cooked white or brown rice.

Recipe adapted from my friend Heather Martinez