I can never have too many quick chicken recipes in my arsenal—especially the kind that come together in under an hour and don’t require a grocery store run. That’s why Chicken Doble, a five-ingredient recipe from Larry Godin of the Cheabeague Parents Association in Cheabeague Island, Maine, immediately caught my eye. With just a few pantry staples and minimal prep, it promises the kind of no-fuss comfort food that’s easy enough for a weeknight but satisfying enough to serve to guests.
Larry Godin’s Chicken Doble is a simplified, community cookbook take on chicken adobo—the beloved Filipino dish known for its bold, tangy flavor. His recipe is featured in “Yankee Magazine’s Church Suppers and Potluck Dinners Cookbook,” a 1996 compilation of community-submitted recipes from New England, all tested by a team of home cooks.
What Is Chicken Doble?
The recipe calls for kitchen staples for many home cooks—chicken thighs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and water—and turns them into something rich and deeply savory. The 45-minute simmering time in the vinegar-soy mixture infuses the chicken with rich, tangy flavor while keeping the meat tender and juicy. It’s the kind of no-fuss, one-pot meal that proves you don’t need a long ingredient list to achieve flavor.
“Here’s a simple dish that couldn’t be tastier,” said the recipe’s headnote. “Try red wine vinegar in place of the cider vinegar for a change of pace, and serve with rice.”
While it’s unclear whether ‘Doble’ is a play on ‘adobo’ or a community-specific name, the flavor and ingredients align closely with classic Filipino preparations. Regarded as the national dish of the Philippines, chicken adobo is traditionally made by braising chicken in a soy-vinegar-garlic mixture—often with the addition of other aromatics such as whole black peppercorns and bay leaves. It’s served with white rice and fresh sides such as cucumber and tomato salad or steamed stir-fried veggies like bok choy.
How To Make Chicken Doble
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs work especially well in this recipe—even though original Chicken Doble recipe below doesn’t specify a cut. Be sure to brown them before simmering to lock in flavor and give the meat a more tender texture.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, skinned
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients in a heavy 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer for another 15 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Serve hot.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
Patricia Kaowthumrong
- Double the liquid. Like chicken adobo, the sweet-salty sauce is key to this dish. Double the amount of soy sauce, cider vinegar, and water in the recipe to produce more for soaking into rice, noodles, or whatever you plan to serve it with.
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken. Either drumsticks or thighs will work!
- Garnish with cilantro or chopped green onions. The herbaceous notes of the greens brighten up the dish.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Mashed potatoes or crusty bread also make delicious sides.