black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce (use more to your taste)
1/3 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk
¼ cup honey
6 cloves garlic, minced or grated
4 dried bay leaves
green onions and limes, for serving
Season the chicken all over with black pepper. In a large glass measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, coconut milk, honey, and 1/4 cup of water. In a large skillet with sides, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken, working in batches if needed. Sear on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Add the garlic, cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the soy sauce mixture. Add the bay leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, uncover and cook another 10-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickening slightly. If the sauce is thickening too fast, add ¼ cup of additional water. If the sauce is not thicken, simmer an additional 10 minutes. It's better to have more sauce than less sauce. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Serve the adobo over rice and top with green onions and squeeze of lime juice, if desired.