My Adobo Chicken Rice in a Rice Cooker is a simple, flavorful dish that combines the rich, tangy-sweet flavors of Filipino chicken adobo with the convenience of a one-pot meal.
This recipe uses a rice cooker to cook both the rice and the chicken simultaneously, making it perfect for busy days or for anyone looking for an easy, hands-off way to prepare a hearty meal.
To make this dish, the chicken steams gently on top, staying moist and tender while releasing its juices into the rice below. Once the rice cooker finishes its cycle, let the dish sit on the “keep warm” setting for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Fluff the rice with a fork, mixing in some of the chicken juices for extra flavor. Serve the chicken over the rice with a garnish of chopped green onions or crispy garlic chips for added texture.
This dish is not only incredibly easy to prepare but also delivers the comforting, bold flavors of adobo with minimal cleanup. Perfect for a satisfying meal at home!
Do I Need Bay Leaves?
Bay leaves play a subtle yet important role in Adobo Chicken Rice by adding depth and complexity to its flavor profile. That said, no, they are not essential, but will definitely elevate your dish! While bay leaves may not seem like the star of the dish, their aromatic, herbal quality enhances the overall flavor.
When simmered in the rice cooker, the bay leaves release their earthy, slightly floral essence into the liquid, infusing both the rice and chicken. This balances the tanginess of the vinegar and the saltiness of the soy sauce, rounding out the dish.
The bay leaves’ presence is particularly important in adobo dishes, as they provide a signature aroma that is both comforting and distinctly Filipino.
What Type of Rice to Use
Choosing the right type of rice can be confusing, especially with so many varieties available. For this dish, however, I recommend Japanese short-grain or medium-grain rice.
Short-grain rice, often labeled as sushi rice, is particularly prized for its soft and chewy texture, which pairs beautifully with traditional Japanese dishes. Medium-grain rice is a great alternative if short-grain isn’t available (I actually almost always use medium-grain myself because it’s generally cheaper where I live!). Both are ideal for recipes like this one, where the rice’s stickiness helps meld the flavors into every bite.
Recommended Rice Cookers
Do I need to have a fancy rice cooker? NO! Just like anything, generally, the higher the quality, the better. But you can make great rice in a cheap rice cooker, too!
5.5 cups or 10 cups
2 cups
Click the rice cooker photos to see my favorite rice cookers. I included a budget-friendly rice cooker I love! I use the Tiger 5.5-cup model shown. About 1/2 cup of Japanese short- or medium-grain rice makes 1 serving.
Key Features to Look For in a Rice Cooker:
- Timer and Keep Warm Function: Useful for planning meals ahead of time and keeping them warm until you’re ready to eat.
- Steaming Basket or Tray: Allows you to steam vegetables or cook other ingredients while the rice cooks.
- Multiple Cooking Functions: Ensure it has settings for steaming, slow cooking, and possibly even baking.
- Non-Stick Inner Pot: Makes cleaning easier and prevents sticking.
Adobo Chicken Rice in a Rice Cooker
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Description
A savory, one-pot meal featuring tender chicken and fragrant rice infused with the tangy, garlicky, and slightly sweet flavors of classic Filipino adobo.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice (I recommend Japanese short-grain or medium grain rice for the most authentic Japanese experience!)
- Water (reduce water by 1/2 cup from usual rice cooker measurement; more on this in the recipe instructions)
- 1/2 lb boneless/skinless chicken thighs, diced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (optional; adds extra umami)
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Optional: Chopped green onions, for garnishing
Instructions
- Rinse the rice thoroughly and place it in the rice cooker. Add water as you normally would for the rice you are using, but reduce the total amount by 1/2 cup to accommodate the soy sauce and vinegar liquids.
- On top of the rice, layer the diced chicken thighs, soy sauce, white vinegar, minced garlic, sliced onion, brown sugar, black pepper, and bay leaves.
- Gently stir the top layer to distribute the seasonings and ensure the chicken is coated without disturbing the rice layer too much.
- Turn on the rice cooker and cook as you normally would for rice. The rice will absorb all the flavors as it cooks alongside the chicken.
- Once the rice cooker switches to the “keep warm” setting (if your rice cooker does not have that, just let it rest for an additional 10 minutes with the lid on), let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves, fluff the rice, and serve warm. Garnish with chopped green onions before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
Love these recipes. Easy and delicious
So glad to hear! Thanks for sharing, Judi!
Just made this & it’s yummy! I added grated ginger to mine because I love ginger. I did let it steam a little longer as suggested – fantastic easy dinner recipe!
Yum! That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing Keiko!
Do you think this will fit in a 3 cup rice cooker?
For sure! Best of luck!
So easy to do but full of flavour. My husband & I both really enjoyed this.
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for sharing, Claire!
perfect recipe! not too salty, perfect amount of seasoning and nicely peppery. i made 3x the recipe and the portion sizes worked out just like i needed. will definitely check out other recipes, thanks so much!
That’s great to hear! Thanks for your review! 🙂
Filipino Adobo beats Mexican adobo in my opinion. Love the vinegar in there!!
So many good adobos! Glad you loved this one 🙂
Well, I would’ve given this five stars, my family felt that the pepper was just too much. We made two times the recipe and it was 2 teaspoons of pepper, which is really a large amount, but I happen to love pepper so it worked well for me. I will make it again for them with decreased pepper in the recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Donna! Glad you still enjoyed the pepper amount – hopefully your family can enjoy it more next time!
Do you happen to have the macro numbers? This would be great for my meal prep.
I’m sorry, I don’t! I don’t count macros myself, but it would be great for meal prep for sure 🙂
Is it 1 rice cooker cup or 1 standard cup?
Always rice cooker cup 🙂
The rice soaked up all that vinegary adobo flavor. Will be making again!
Thank you for your review, Hailey! 🙂
I just made this recipe for my partner and I and it was really good! I’d didn’t have a rice cooking so I just cooked it all in a big pot and I think it worked out just fine. The rice was super flavourful but also dry, that could have just been because of the difference in cooking it in a pot vs rice cooker. I love how easy the whole meal came together and how after the fact I only had one pot to clean up.
Hi Landon, thanks for sharing! Yes, I definitely recommend cooking in a rice cooker for the best moisture in your rice. I’m glad you were able to make this and enjoy! 🙂
OH MY WORD!! I haven’t made the chicken yet, but have read almost every word your husband has written about gardening and lactofermenting!! Please tell him how much knowledge he’s given us! Great easy to comprehend explanations!tu Guys!!
Awww that is so awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know, Susan I will definitely share your kind words with him 🙂
Great recipe, thank you! I have a new Nutri pot and needed guidance on how to use rice cooker function for a quick 1 pot meal. I increased spiciness and added veggies but overall it was great help, especially understanding how to manage the liquid volume. It turned out gooey and moorish, total comfort food! Have saved and will now try more of your recipes! Thank you!!
Hi Cora! That’s so great to hear! I love that you adapted it 🙂
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! I’ve made it many times and it’s just perfection. It’s a staple in our house now that both the adults and kids love ❤️
Aww thanks Taryn! I’m so happy you guys love it 🙂
Hey Kyrié. I really would like to try your recipe (even more so reading the comments 🤤), but could you pls be so kind to give me the weight (estimated is ok for me). American chickens are huge compared to European, at least that’s what it looks like for me when I see the YT foodies 😉 …. Thanks a lot! 🙏
Hi there! Yes, I just updated the recipe so it shows weight. That’s a good point 🙂
Frikkin amazing dish!!! I’ve made this like 4 days in a row lol thank you for sharing this delicious recipe
I’m so glad you’ve made it so much! It’s seriously so awesome 🙂 thanks for your review, Abbey!
One of my dinner favorites!
Hi Elijah, I’m so glad you love this one!
Just tried this last night! I added a bit more vinegar and soy sauce and it turned out perfect
Hi Trisha – I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!