Serves: 4
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
Chicken & Jackfruit
1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cups (about 300 g) young green jackfruit, drained and shredded into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup (120 ml) rice vinegar
1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Garlic Rice
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut them into approximately 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and brown for 3–4 minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be completely cooked yet. Transfer it to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook for 4 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the jackfruit and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Return the chicken to the pan.
Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, chicken broth, brown sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, paprika and red pepper flakes.
Bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove the lid and simmer another 5–8 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and coats the chicken and jackfruit.
Remove the bay leaves.
For the rice, heat butter or olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30–45 seconds.
Add the cooked rice and salt. Toss for 2–3 minutes.
Serve the adobo over the garlic rice and garnish with cilantro.

Jackfruit’s role: It absorbs the salty-tangy adobo sauce while retaining enough texture to remain a major component of the dish.