It took four hours in the slow cooker to tenderize the lean and intensively flavorful meat, but the long wait was worth it.
Cook’s notes
What is native chicken?
It refers to indigenous free-range poultry that forage for food, grow slowly and produce less eggs. “Native” is the term used to distinguish them from commercial breeds that are fed a strict diet in a highly controlled environment to allow them to grow faster and produce more eggs.What’s so special about native chicken?
The intensely rich flavor and the texture of the meat. More gamey than plain (bordering on bland), the meat is dense with very little fat. Native chicken requires long and slow cooking time which makes it ideal for stews and soups.Is native chicken less expensive than commercial chicken?
No, because native chicken takes longer to reach maturity. They are also smaller and leaner.What are immature eggs?
They are yolks of unlaid eggs taken from culled older hens. Uncooked, the yolks are thick with umami richness that is difficult to describe and best experienced. They are a delicacy in the Philippine where they are often sold with native chicken. They are also sold by weight, minus the chicken, with the eggs sacs, liver and gizzard.Native chicken adobo with immature eggs
Ingredients
- 1 whole native chicken (1.2 to 1.3 kilograms / 2.4 to 2.6 pounds) cut into serving pieces
- 1 whole garlic cloves separated
- 2 to 3 bay leaves (laurel)
- 1 generous teaspoon oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- ½ cup vinegar
- ½ cup dark soy sauce
- 1 cup immature eggs with the sacs and liver
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken well to remove impurities.
- Place the chicken pieces in the pot of the slow cooker (include the gizzard, feet, neck and head).
- Add the garlic, bay leaves, oregano and peppercorns.
- Pour in the vinegar, soy sauce and half a cup of water.
- Set the cooker on HIGH and cook for four hours.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Drop in the immature eggs, sacs and liver. Stir and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve the chickan adobo and immature eggs with rice.
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