The Grand Tour Story
The Grand Tour leaves Indonesia behind and hops across the South China Sea to the Philippines, where jeepneys
rumble through colourful streets, karaoke seems to start before breakfast, and every family has an opinion on one
dish above all others.
Adobo.
Nobody argues about whether it's famous.
They argue about whose grandmother makes it best.
We arrive in Manila just as the evening meal is beginning. Every house seems to smell of garlic, soy sauce and
vinegar slowly reducing into that unmistakable glossy adobo sauce.
Our guide, Miguel, lifts the lid from a simmering pan and smiles.
"Adobo isn't complicated."
"It just refuses to be rushed."
After one plate, we knew exactly why it's considered the national dish.
You’ll Need
For the Chicken
700g boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, finely sliced, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar
2 bay leaves, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns (or 1 tsp cracked black pepper)
1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp sea salt
Potato Tray
500g baby potatoes, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper
To Finish
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Fresh coriander
Optional but dangerous
Steamed jasmine rice
Pickled cucumber
Fried egg
Cold Filipino lager
Method
Preheat your air fryer to 190°C.
In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves, black pepper,
smoked paprika and sea salt.
Add the chicken and coat thoroughly. Leave to marinate for 30–60 minutes if possible.
Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
Place the potatoes into the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
Push the potatoes to one side and add the marinated chicken in a single layer.
Air fry everything together for 16–18 minutes, turning the chicken and shaking the potatoes halfway through.
During the final 3 minutes, spoon some of the cooking juices over the chicken so the adobo glaze becomes rich,
sticky and beautifully caramelised.
Remove the bay leaves.
Scatter over the spring onions and fresh coriander before serving with rice if using.