Adobo is a classic Latin American and Filipino seasoning That is FANTASTIC with grilled meat.  This recipe combines the best of both styles and adds the spicy, umami flavors of my Signature Black Spice blend!

As an African American chef, and business owner, I absolutely love fusing the tastes and traditions that I grew up on, with ingredients and techniques from other cultures to creating something truly special.  That’s why I create unique recipes that are enhanced by my Signature Spice Blends

In Latin American cooking, an adobo seasoning blend is dry-rubbed on chicken before grilling. Filipino style adobo features a garlicky, soy sauce and vinegar marinade.  I fuse these two techniques by grilling juicy dry-rubbed chicken thighs with a classic Adobo blend spiked with Black seasoning, and then finishing with a glaze made by reducing the marinade to a thick, glossy syrup.

Ingredients:

Adobo seasoning
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon achiote powder
1 tablespoon Signature Black Spice Blend (the White blend also works well here)
½ tablespoon garlic powder
½ tablespoon thyme (preferable fresh)
½ tablespoon ground cumin

Adobo glaze
1 cup soy sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 lime
2 whole bay leaves

2lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup neutral cooking oil (preferably avocado oil)
Fresh cilantro for garnishing

Preparation

1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill

2. Season the chicken thighs with the Adobo blend.  Drizzle with the oil and let rest for at least half an hour to let the spices bloom.

3. Meanwhile, create the glaze by combining all the glaze ingredients in a small non-stick saucepan,.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until very thick, about 20 min.  Watch carefully to prevent the glaze from burning.  Remove the bay leaves and keep warm.Adobo grilled chicken

4. Grill the seasoned chicken, turning after 7 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

4. Brush the glaze on both sides and grill for another 2 minutes.

Plating

Remove the chicken from the grill, slice on the bias at 1-inch intervals.  Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro

Wine Pairing:

2011 Foxen Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir – Winery Explorers

The bold spice and fresh acidity of this dish pairs well with a fruit-forward Pinot Noir from California’s central coast, like the Foxen Santa Maria Pinot