Serves 6-8

• 8 chicken thighs
• ¼ cup rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 medium-size potatoes, chopped
• 4 medium-size carrots, sliced
• 2 cups white rice
• 2 pinches of salt
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1. Cut off the chicken fat. Don’t get rid of every last bit, just trim what seems excessive.
2. Stir together the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and bay leaves in a large, non-aluminum pan. Add the chicken, coating each piece. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat each piece dry with paper towels. (Don’t throw out the marinade! You’ll use it later.)
4. Pour the oil into a large pot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add enough chicken to cover the bottom. Cook until one side of the chicken is browned, just a few minutes, then flip it over and repeat. When the first batch of chicken is done, remove it from the pot and repeat.
5. After all the chicken is browned, put it back in the pot along with the marinade, potatoes, carrots, and ¾ cup of water. Turn the heat up, bring the liquid to a boil, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer until the meat is cooked through and the carrots and potatoes are soft, about 45 minutes. Cut into the meat. If it’s no longer pink, it’s done.
6. When the dish is almost ready, pour the rice into a medium-size pot with 4 cups of water and the salt .bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down and cover with a lid placed slightly askew. Cook until the water is gone, about 20 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaves from the adobo and stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Let it thicken until the chicken and vegetables are well glazed. Serve over the rice.