Adobong Manok (Braised Chicken in Tangy Sauce)

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2 to 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. crushed garlic
• 2 bay leaf
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper (or 1 tsp. peppercorn)
• water
• 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a deep skillet, brown chicken in oil.
2. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tbsp. garlic, bay leaf, salt (to taste), pepper (or peppercorn) and water. Stir to blend and then add into the brown chicken.
3. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and allow simmering uncovered for about 10 minutes. If the sauce is reduced add about 1/2 cup water.
4. Cover and continue simmering until chicken is tender. Remove meat, reserving the sauce.
5. In another pan, sauté remaining garlic until it becomes fragrant. Add the chicken and fry until light brown. Add in the adobo sauce.
6. Remove from heat. Transfer into a serving dish. Serve hot.

Oven Roasted Chicken

Ingredients :

• 1 (3 to 5 pound) whole roasting chicken
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• salt and pepper
• bunch of fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 4 bay leaves, torn
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 6 new potatoes, cut in half
• 3 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and quartered
• olive oil
• small handfuls of fresh herbs (basil, parsley and marjoram), finely chopped (optional variation)
• bunch of fresh rosemary (substitution to fresh thyme, see directions for details)

Cooking Procedures :

PREHEAT the oven and a roasting pan to 425°F.

REMOVE the giblets and any excess fat from the chicken cavity.  Wash the chicken inside and out under cold running water.  Pat it dry thoroughly as possible with paper towels.  Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper the inside cavity of the chicken.  Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, crushed garlic (gently press with the side of a knife on each cloves to open slightly), bay leaves, both halves of onion and lemon (press down, roll back and forth several times to loosen the juices before cutting in half).

IN ANOTHER VARIATION, gently loosen the skin from both sides of the chicken breast without tearing the skin.  Sprinkle a little salt down the gaps that you have made, and push in some finely chopped fresh herbs (small handfuls of basil, parsley and marjoram) to further amplify the flavors (substitute sprigs of rosemary for the thyme in the cavity).  Drizzle in a little olive oil.  Pull the skin of the chicken breast forward so that none of the actual flesh is exposed.  Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and season generously with salt and pepper.  Tie up the legs firmly together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.

REMOVE the hot tray from the oven and add a little oil.  Place the chicken on one side, breast-side down (left-side view) on the roasting pan; allow cooking for 5 minutes.  Then turn the chicken over to the other side, breast-side down (right-side view) and cook for another 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a bowl toss together the potatoes, carrots and oil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Remove pan from the oven, turn over the chicken and place on its back (breast side-up).  Scatter the prepared vegetables around the chicken and return pan to the oven.  Continue roasting the chicken for another 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes more or until the skin is deep golden brown and the juices run clear when pierced between the leg and thigh.  To test this, insert a thermometer in the thickest part of the legs (into the breast, then the thigh).  The internal temperature should register at 160° for the leg, 180° for the breast and 190° for the thigh.  Be careful not to touch any bones with the thermometer.  Bones conduct heat and will give a false reading.

REMOVE the chicken from the oven to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil for about 15-20 minutes before carving so the juices settle.  Meanwhile, transfer the vegetables onto a serving platter.  Pour off excess fat drippings from the pan.  Return to heat.  Whisk in chicken stock scraping up the bits on the bottom of pan.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the gravy reduced by half or thickened.

TO CARVE: untie the chicken legs.  Remove and discard the inside stuffing of the chicken cavity.  Place chicken on a serving platter breast-side up.  Use a large fork to pull one of the chicken legs away from the body, and then use a sharp knife to sever the joint that connects the leg to the body.  Cut the thigh from the drumstick at the second joint.  To remove chicken breasts, cut straight down between them, following the contour of the rib cage, until you hit the wishbone.  Cut through the joint where it meets the breastbone, and serve.

SERVE the roasted chicken with gravy and vegetables on the side.

Oriental Chicken Stir-fry

Ingredients :

• 1 can pineapple chunks in syrup (or tidbits in syrup)
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halves
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1 tsp. minced gingerroot
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 1 cup sliced green or red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. white vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste
• sliced green onions, for garnishing
• hot fluffy rice (optional)

Cooking Procedures :

1. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup syrup.
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Stir-fry chicken for about 3 to 5 minutes until color changes.  Add garlic and gingerroot and stir for another minute.
4. Add vegetables, soy sauce and reserved pineapple syrup.  Stir until well blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover.  Cook for 2 minutes.
5. Blend cornstarch with 1 tbsp. water.  Stir into vegetables.  Cook until mixture boils and thickens.
6. Stir in vinegar.  Fold in pineapple.  Heat through.  Correct seasonings.
7. Remove from heat.  Transfer to a serving dish.  Garnish with green onion slices.  Alternatively, serve over hot rice.  Serve immediately.

Hoi Sin Chicken

Ingredients :

• 4 oz. fresh broccoli
• 1 medium yellow onions
• 1 red or green pepper
• 1 can whole button mushrooms
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. dry sherry
• 2 tbsp. cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp. hoi sin sauce
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules
• 2 lb. chicken
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tsp. grated pared fresh gingerroot

Cooking Procedures :

1. Wash broccoli and cut into 1 inch pieces. Peel and chop onions. Remove seeds from pepper and chop coarsely. Drain mushrooms.
2. In a bowl, combine water, cornstarch, sherry, cider vinegar, hoi sin sauce, soy sauce and chicken bouillon. Stir to blend well. Set aside.
3. Rinse chicken and cut into serving-size pieces. Put 1/4 cup cornstarch into chicken and coat each pieces.
4. Heat vegetable oil in a wok (or a large heavy-bottom skillet) over high heat. Add chicken pieces, one at a time, to hot oil (cook pieces only in batches to avoid heat temperature to go down). Cook until golden and completely done for about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Drain off oil from the pan and leave only about 2 tbsp. to the wok. Add ginger and stir-fry over medium heat for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and then add onion, stir-frying for another minute. Add broccoli, pepper and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
6. Pour the liquid mixture to the vegetables. Cook and stir until liquid boils and becomes translucent. Correct seasonings.
7. Return chicken to wok. Cook and stir until chicken is hot throughout for about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Remove from heat. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot the hoi sin chicken dish.

Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Ingredients :

• 1 (2 lb.) whole fresh (roasting) chicken
• 3 tbsp. tandoori curry paste
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• lettuce, onion rings, tomato and lemon, for serving

Cooking Procedures :

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Prepare a roasting rack and a baking dish.  Set aside.
2. Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.  Make deep gashes in thighs and on each side of breast.  Pin back the wings.  Place chicken in a non-reactive bowl.  Set aside.
3. Combine tandoori curry paste, yogurt, lemon juice and melted butter.  Stir to blend.  Spread mixture all over the chicken, rubbing well into the gashes.  Cover and refrigerate for 6 or more hours.
4. Place chicken on the prepared roasting rack in a baking dish.  Spoon any remaining marinade over chicken.
5. Transfer and place in the center rack of the oven.  Bake for an hour or until chicken is done, basting with pan juices every 15 minutes during cooking.  Internal temperature reads 160°F for the leg, 180°F for the breast and 190°F for the thigh.  Be careful not to touch any bones with the thermometer.  Bones conduct heat and will give a false reading.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a cutting board.  Cover with aluminum foil for about 10-15 minutes before carving so the juices settle.
7. Arrange crisp lettuce leaves on a large serving platter and cover with onion rings.  Cut chicken into portions and place on the platter.  Garnish with tomato wedges and lemon slices. 

Helpful Tips
Chicken portions (choice cuts like breasts, legs, drumsticks and wings) may be used instead of a whole chicken.  Just turn frequently while they are roasting.

Chicken and Mixed Vegetables Stir-fry

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. chicken, boned and skinned – cut into serving pieces (or any choice cuts of your liking like thighs, drumsticks or wings)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 to 1 cup water (or broth)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• dash of sesame oil
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables · vegetable oil

Cooking Procedures :

1. Prepare frozen mixed vegetables according to package directions. Set aside.
2. Combine water, cornstarch, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl; stir to blend and set aside.
3. In a pan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken until it turns slightly brown.
4. Add garlic and onion; sauté for a few minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir to blend.
5. Add prepared mixed vegetables. Stir to combine and then pour liquid mixture. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Correct seasonings.
6. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot.

Pancit Sotanghon

Ingredients :

• 1/4 lb. sotanghon noodles
• 2 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly slice
• 2 chicken breasts, deboned and sliced thinly crosswise
• 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• 1 tsp. salt
• pinch of white pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup snow peas, sliced in 2 diagonally
• 3 green onions, cut 1" long, for garnish

Cooking Procedures :

1. Cut sotanghon noodles into 3" lengths.  Set aside.
2. Sauté onion in hot oil.  Add sliced chicken breasts and sauté until the meat becomes firm and white for about 5 minutes.  Season with patis, salt and white pepper.
3. Add chicken broth.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Add sotanghon noodles, cook for 5 minutes (be sure the heat is introduced slowly and you can keep the noodles from being overcooked and becomes soggy), add vegetables and cook until snow peas are done but still crisp for about 4-5 minutes.  Taste and correct seasoning.  Remove from heat.
4. Garnish with green onions.
5. Makes 4-6 servings.

Pancit Guisado (Sautéed Rice Sticks)

Ingredients :

• 2 lbs. chicken fryer (whole chicken)
• 1/4 lb. pork
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• 1/4 lb. shrimps, shelled, deveined and halved
• 1 medium carrot, cut into strips
• 1-1/2 cups cabbage, shredded
• 1 lb. bihon (rice vermicelli or rice sticks), soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and drained
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 2 hard cooked eggs, shelled and quartered
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 cup patis, for sawsawan

Cooking Procedures :

1. Cover chicken and pork with water in a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Save 4 cups of broth.
2. Remove meat from chicken and slice into thin strips.  Cut pork about the same size as chicken meat.
3. In a large skillet, sauté garlic and onion in hot oil.  Add meats and patis and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Add 2 cups of broth, simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in shrimps and vegetables, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and add bihon, salt and pepper.  Cook stirring until bihon is tender.  Add more broth (a little at a time, so it will not become soggy) if mixture becomes too dry before noodles are done.
5. Remove from heat and serve.  Garnish with wedges of eggs, green onions and lemon wedges.  For extra seasoning, mix 1 tbsp. lemon juice with 1/4 cup patis in a small bowl.
6. Makes 6-8 servings.

Chicken Curry Recipe (Filipino Style)

Ingredients :

• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 3 potatoes, peeled, quartered and fried
• 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• 3 tbsp. curry powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into big squares
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into big squares
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-1/2” long
• 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk

Cooking Procedures :

1. Pan fry potatoes. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, fry chicken pieces and brown a little.
3. Add garlic and onion. Sauté for a few minutes until soft.
4. Pour in patis and season with curry powder, salt and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes.
5. Add water. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add celery, bell peppers and fried potatoes. Simmer for 3 minutes or until half done.
6. Add milk and stir occasionally. Cook for another 7 minutes (or lesser when using evaporated milk because the liquids will curled).
7. Remove from heat. Serve hot.

Tinolang Manok (Chicken Ginger Stew with Vegetables)

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces (or any choice cuts of your liking like thighs, drumsticks or wings)
• 1 thumb-sized fresh ginger root, cut into strips
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp. patis (fish sauce)
• salt, to taste
• 4 to 5 cups water (or rice water – 2nd washing)
• 2 to 3 sayote (chayote squash), quartered (or green, unripe papaya or potatoes)
• 1 cup sili (chili) leaves or malunggay or substitute 1/2 lb. spinach
• vegetable oil

Cooking Procedures :

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté ginger and garlic until fragrant. Add onions, stir-fry until softened and translucent.
2. Add chicken cuts. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until chicken colors slightly. Season with patis and salt.
3. Pour in water (or rice water, if using). Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer until chicken is half-done. Add in chayote (or papaya or potatoes, if using). Continue simmering until chicken and vegetable are tender. Correct seasonings and then addsili leaves or malunggay or substitute. Stir to combine until well blended. Remove from heat.
4. Let stand for a few minutes to cook the green vegetables. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Fried Chicken

Ingredients :

• 1 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces (or choice cuts of thighs, drumsticks or wings), skins removed – preferred
• 1 cup buttermilk (optional)
• 1 to 2 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• salt and pepper
• 2 to 3 eggs
• hot sauce (optional)
• oil, for frying

Cooking Procedures :

1. Combine buttermilk (if using), salt and pepper in a bowl or in a large airtight container.  Place the chicken pieces, turning to coat in the liquid.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or two, or overnight.
2. In a large shallow platter, mix the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and sugar until well blended.  Season generously with salt and pepper.  In another bowl, beat eggs with hot sauce (if using) and season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and one at a time, dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, turning to coat and then dredge the pieces into the seasoned flour and coat it well.  Shake off the excess flour.  Repeat the coating process with the remaining chicken pieces.  Place coated chicken on a clean plate or tray, or on a large wire rack set over a sheet pan and let rest until ready to fry, at least 20 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a fryer (or a medium Dutch oven, or in a heavy pot).  Using a frying thermometer to measure temperature, bring oil to 350°F.  It should be at medium, not a rolling boil.  (NOTE: An even oil temperature is the key to success.  A clip-on candy or a deep-fry thermometer should be kept in the pot.  The temperature should remain between 300°F and 350°F at all times).  Make sure that your oil does not get too hot, otherwise the color of the coat will turn dark before the chicken is actually done.
5. Use tongs to place chickens in hot oil, in batches if necessary in able not to drop the temperature.  Fry until the coating is golden brown and crisp.  Remember that dark meat requires a longer cooking time about 13 to 14 minutes, compared to 8 to 10 minutes for white meat.  An instant-read thermometer inserted should register 170°F internal temperature.  Drain fried chickens on a cooling rack (or on several layered paper towels).  Using a slotted spoon, remove any bits of coating left in the fryer and discard.  Repeat the frying process with the remaining chicken pieces.
6. Allow the chicken to rest at least 5 minutes before serving.  Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

VARIATIONS:

Chili Fried Chicken
Prepare as directed, adding 1 tablespoon chili powder to seasoned flour.

Curry Fried Chicken
Prepare as directed, adding 2 to 3 teaspoons curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon ginger to seasoned flour.

Cheesy Fried Chicken
Prepare as directed, reducing flour in seasoned flour to 1 cup and adding 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon oregano or marjoram.