Lilly Higgins: Chicken Adobo

Combine the garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and bay leaves in a wide dish. Bruise the chicken thighs with a rolling pin or similar. This will ensure great flavour. Place the chicken in the marinade and massage them well so each piece of meat is covered. Leave to marinade for an hour or two, overnight if possible.

Heat a splash of olive oil in a wide, heavy based pan. Sauté the onions till soft then set aside. Add another splash of oil to the pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade and sear fat side down till it browns. You may have to do this in batches. Return the onion to the pan with the marinade, 100ml water and all of the browned chicken thighs. It will look like you need more liquid at this stage but don’t add any more. Place the lid on and bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 20 minutes till the sauce is thickened and the meat is falling off the bone. Taste for seasoning. It won’t need any salt due to the soy sauce but it’s always great with a generous grind of black pepper. Serve with boiled white rice and sautéed greens or corn on the cob.