Filipino adobo fried rice is an easy way to turn leftover chicken or pork adobo into a quick meal. It's savory, garlicky, and ready in about 30 minutes-perfect with fried egg for breakfast, lunch, or a fast dinner.
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What is Adobo Fried Rice?
Adobo fried rice is a simple way to use leftover adobo and rice to make another meal. It uses chopped adobo meat (chicken, pork, or both) cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and black pepper.
Everything is fried together, then topped with green onions or fried garlic. You can also add a fried egg on top if you like.
Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Leftover adobo: You'll need about 1½ cups pork adobo leftovers with its sauce.
- Cooked white rice: Use medium- or long-grain rice like jasmine. Cold leftover rice works best, but freshly cooked rice is fine as long as it's not wet or mushy. You'll need about 3 cups.
- Optional ingredients: Add small-cut veggies that aren't watery, like carrots, corn, peas, broccolini, or Chinese broccoli.
How to Make Filipino Adobo Fried Rice
Step 1: Slice scallions thinly.
Step 2: Break up the rice grains with a fork. For fresh-cooked rice, spread it on a plate and fluff the rice grains. Let it cool.
Step 3: Cut up 1½ cups leftover adobo into small pieces. Remove the fat layer that has solidified.
Step 4: Save about 3 tablespoons of the sauce.
Step 5: Set a wok over medium-high heat and add oil once it's very hot. Fry the egg and season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Lower to medium heat and cover to trap the steam and cook the egg.
Step 7: The edges should be crisp and the whites set, but the yolk just starting to cook. It will take 1½ to 2 minutes.
To get firm yolks, cook a little longer. Release the egg from the pan with a thin spatula.
PRO TIP: Covering the egg while frying cooks the top with steam, just like basting with hot oil-without using extra oil or making a mess from splatters.
Step 8: Over medium-high heat, fry adobo meat for about 3 minutes until slightly crisp. Lower to medium heat and add the sauce.
Step 9: Add 3 cups of leftover rice and spread it out to break up any clumps.
PRO TIP: Brown the adobo meat well and spread it evenly through the rice so every bite has good flavor.
Step 10: Keep tossing until heated through for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, or soy sauce as needed.
Add scallions, saving some for garnish. Mix them together and turn off the heat.
Garnish with more scallions and fried garlic or shallots. You can also use spring onions, parsley, or cilantro.
Serve your adobo rice with a fried egg and tomatoes for freshness and color. Store lefovers in the fridge and enjoy within a day or two.
Cooking Tips
- Use cold, leftover rice for best texture.
- Break up rice before adding so it doesn't clump.
- Brown the adobo meat well for more flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Cold, leftover jasmine or any medium- to long-grain white rice works best. Fresh rice is okay if it's not wet or mushy.
Cook ground pork or chicken in oil until lightly browned. Season with salt, pepper, and a little sugar. Add garlic and onion, then pour in a sauce made with 2 parts vinegar and 1 part soy sauce. Add the rice, toss everything together, and garnish as you like.
Use cold, leftover rice, cook over high heat, and don't crowd the pan. This keeps the rice from getting mushy and helps everything brown for better flavor.
This usually means the rice was too wet, too fresh, or stirred too much. Fried rice works best with cold, leftover rice. If using fresh rice, spread it out and let it cool first so the grains dry a bit.
What to Serve with Adobo Fried Rice
- Lechon kawali: Crispy fried pork belly with crunchy skin and tender meat.
- Tortang talong: Grilled eggplant dipped in egg and pan-fried.
- Chicken inasal: Grilled chicken marinated in vinegar, calamansi, lemongrass, ginger, and annatto.
- Tortang sayote: Simple omelet made with shredded chayote.
- Lumpia: Crispy spring rolls filled with veggies, meat, or shrimp.
- Ukoy: Crunchy shrimp fritters, great with vinegar dip.
- Fried fish: Seasoned fish fried until crisp, served with soy sauce or vinegar.
- Inihaw na liempo: Grilled marinated pork belly with a slightly tangy taste.
- Filipino bbq skewers: Sweet and savory pork skewers grilled over charcoal.
More About Adobo Fried Rice
The secret to great adobo fried rice is the adobo itself. Good, well-seasoned pork adobo makes all the difference.
If you want to learn more, check out my Filipino Pork Adobo FAQs for extra tips, fixes, and common questions.
Other Rice Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Filipino Adobo Fried Rice
Equipment
- Wok or a large pan
Ingredients
- 1½ cups leftover adobo chopped (see note)
- 3 cups cooked white rice cold (see note)
- 2 stalks scallions or green onions thinly sliced; sub:spring onions
- salt and pepper to taste
- neutral-flavored oil (canola or vegetable oil) for frying
Optional
- Eggs
- Fried garlic or shallots
- Tomatoes
Instructions
- Optional: Heat oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high. Fry eggs, season with salt and pepper, then remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, fry the chopped adobo for about 3 minutes until lightly crisp. Lower heat and add the reserved sauce.
- Add rice and spread it out to break clumps. Toss for about 5 minutes until hot.
- Season with salt, pepper, or soy sauce as needed. Stir in scallions (save some for garnish), then turn off heat.
- Serve with fried egg and top with more scallions and fried garlic or shallots.
Notes
- Leftover adobo: You'll need about 1½ cups with some sauce.
- Cooked white rice: Medium- or long-grain rice (like jasmine). Cold leftover rice is best, but fresh rice is fine if it's not wet or mushy.
- Optional ingredients: You can add veggies as long as they are not watery and are cut small. Some examples are carrots, corn, peas, broccolini, or Chinese broccoli.
- Use cold, leftover rice for best texture.
- Break up rice before adding so it doesn't clump.
- Brown the adobo meat well for more flavor.
Sam says
I've made adobo fried rice before, but never like this. Absolutely delicious!
Nora Reyes says
That is amazing! Thank you!
Jomelyn Mauermann says
We love this fried rice at home too. I add lots of garlic! 😉
Nora Rey says
Garlic is the secret ingredient to take fried rice to the next level! 🧄😄 It's great to know that we share the same love for this delicious dish.
Theresa says
This is the most delicious adobo fried rice - amazing!! Thank you for the recipe.
Nora Rey says
Hello Theresa, I am so happy to hear that. Thank you for your message!