Filipino Adobo Chicken Legs

I had never eaten a whole peppercorn before this meal, on purpose or accident. So that was probably the most surprising thing about this recipe. The sauce was excellent, of course, and chicken legs are always a nice meaty treat, but the peppercorns! Oh the peppercorns! We tested this recipe with our favorite taste tester Courtney, who doesn't do anything spicy at all. So it was no surprise that by the time we were done with our meal that Courtney had little peppercorns lining her entire plate, in a nice little pattern. Will wasn't far behind either with his. As for myself, I got through eating all of mine peppercorns, and even almost enjoyed their weird flavor kick by the end. Anyways, this recipe is so much more than peppercorns! It gives us a delightful new glaze method to try and was fairly simple for Will to pull together for us. The only unusual part of the whole recipe (besides the peppercorns) was the fact we were eating chicken legs, but that was a really nice treat for us. I recommend this if you are looking for a new way to enjoy chicken!

Cooking Notes: Will decided to just use chicken legs for this recipe, which worked very well. Otherwise, he pretty much followed it as-is. We caution your use of the peppercorns: they are surprisingly potent! We also don't have minced garlic like the original recipe calls for, so Will used 2 cloves that he minced himself.

Filipino Adobo Chicken Legs (adapted from Budget Bytes; serves 4)
6-8 chicken legs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp veggie oil
2 tbsp honey
2 whole bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp black peppercorns

Arrange the chicken pieces in a large pot in one layer. Combine the rest of the ingredients (soy sauce, vinegar, honey, oil, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns) in a bowl and whisk until the honey is dissolved. Partially crush the peppercorns if desired (we suggest it!). Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering and refrigerating for a few hours or overnight.

Take the chicken out when you're ready to make it, adding just enough water so that the liquid comes barely to the top of the chicken (about 1/2 cup). Cover the pot with a lid, place over high heat, and bring it to a rolling boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Preheat your broiler on high. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a broiler pan or a sheet pan with wire coolings racks placed on top. Place the chicken under the broiler until it's brown and crispy (5-10 minutes), watching carefully. While the chicken is broiling, turn the pot with the mixture still in it, on high until it begins to boil. Let it boil until it is reduced in volume by one half-this may take 5-10 minutes or longer. When the sauce and chicken are ready, use a brush to baste a few layers of the sauce onto the browned chicken.  Serves with rice or noodles, spooning more of the sauce over top.

Recipe: Budget Bytes: Chicken Adobo