
Do a search for “taco” on this blog and you’ll find quite a few entries. It may make you wonder how many posts about tacos one skinny Americano can write on one little blog over a 10-year period. As you try to calculate the answer please factor into the equation that said Americano lives in taco-centric Los Angeles. You should also consider the fact that he’s fascinated with cross-cultural mash-ups. Which means many of his best tacos aren’t really “tacos” at all. Take today’s taco – it’s stuffed with shredded Filipino adobo chicken. So I have to ask, can an Adobo Taco be a taco after all?
Chicken Adobo Taco
Now that I’ve explained why this taco is not really a taco let me further complicate things and talk about Filipino adobo. Which as you’ll see seems the perfect partner to a taco.
Adobo is not a recipe per se, it’s a method by which anything – fish, fowl, vegetables or meat – is marinated in vinegar and spices. It’s sometimes browned in hot oil and then braised. Though some versions are finished under the broiler. However, my Adobo Taco mash-up is shredded. Soy sauce may or may not be used. The dish is often garnished with an egg, but I did not know that when I prepared the tacos you see here. However, I think a fried egg on top of my Adobo Taco might be a very good idea.
As you’ve probably guessed from the shopping list adobo is a mingling of eclectic influences. Some regional and some imported. As the locals say, “Philippine food was prepared by Malay settlers, spiced by the Chinese, stewed by the Spanish and hamburgerized by the Americans”.
I think that may be partly a joke (especially the hamburger part) but it very clearly illustrates that adobo morphed with the changing times and cultural influences that shaped the island’s history. So you can see why an Adobo Taco is probably a very good idea.
I read that adobo is a cousin to a popular Malaysian dish known as ginataan – chicken, pork and vegetables cooked in coconut milk and garnished with vinegar and garlic. But the main influences come from the Spanish who colonized and ruled the Philippines for more than three centuries. The Spanish most certainly introduced the locals to the idea of the marinade, because before that almost everything was boiled. Some food experts say that as much as 80 percent of today’s Filipino dishes are derived from Spanish recipes.
Spanish recipes. Which of course brings me back to the taco. The Chicken Adobo Taco. GREG
PS: A word about tortillas. I know I should probably do a post on this because I have strong opinions. However, when it comes to a taco you want to choose corn tortillas. There are some exceptions. Flour tortillas are often the first choice in Tex-Mex renditions. There is also a type of taco known as “Arabica” which is properly served on a flour tortilla because the intention is to replicate pita bread. But true (real good) Mexican tacos are served exclusively on corn tortillas. Corn tortillas have the tooth of corn to carry bold flavors. They just do.
However, to complicate matters a lot of folks will disagree with me because the only corn tortillas they’ve ever eaten are mass-produced (which are made with the whole ear of corn – cob and all). These tortillas are dry and brittle and can sit in your stomach like a rock. If you can, seek out corn tortillas made with just the kernels or make your own with good quality masa.

Yes to corn tortillas, your adobo recipe and this gorgeous taco. I also use a 2:1 ratio for vinegar and soy sauce. I’m going to borrow your cabbage slaw for my next taco night–that is our veggie of the moment around here.
Whatever you want to call it, I’ll call it delicious.
The Hungarians also use vinegar to marinate meat, in particular Wild Meat or Hunters Stew (Vadas Hus) but I have made it with tougher cuts of beef too. The vinegar does indeed tenderize the meat but also imparts a most surprising piquant flavour, JT absolutely loves it! I think he would love this type of chicken. I am not a fan of the corn tortillas here, they are just too heavy and dry (as you mentioned). We have a number of excellent Mexican restaurants in Toronto these days, which is a huge difference from the crappy ones we had about 20 years ago. Tacos are relatively big but I would say that burritos are bigger with several gourmet fast burrito places to choose from (not my cup of tea, but they are popular).
I enjoy homemade tortillas but I have never made them, I should! Your recipes for the adobo chicken and the salsa look great. I wonder if you could do the chicken in a slow cooker.
Good corn tortillas are a revelation. I used to be in the camp of those that preferred flour, because — until we lived in Texas in the 80s — I had never had the real deal. Once you have a GOOD corn tortilla, you’ll never look back. Anyway, never met a taco I didn’t like. Philippine-style adobo is wonderful stuff. I rarely make that sort of adobo — maybe once a decade — but always enjoy it. And yes, a fried egg is a great idea! I’ve had plenty of scrambled eggs in tacos, but don’t think I’ve ever had one with a fried egg. Really like the idea.
Gorgeous. I love the colors and all of the ingredients!
Thanks for the info!
Incredible recipe, but (don’t hate me) I must disagree on the corn only tortillas. In our region (Sonoran Mexican cuisine) flour tortillas have a long — hundreds of years — tradition because the Pimeria Alta is a wheat-growing region. Let’s just say that we are “bi” and appreciate both kinds of tortillas!
I love the mingling of eclectic influences in all cultures. As far as I am concerned you could make a grub worm taco and I would be happy. Well…almost.
It is funny how tacos have taken over the Mexican arena…at least here. I do love a good one I’m sure this would suffice. And I am with you…corn tortilla please!