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1
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, crushed garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a wide, heavy braising pot. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer, skin side down. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cover and braise until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to yield at the bone — the flesh will have lost all pink at the joint.
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2
Remove the lid. Continue to cook over medium heat, turning the thighs once, until the braising liquid reduces to a tight, dark glaze that clings to the meat and barely pools on the base of the pot. This is where the dish lives or dies: a sauce that remains soupy is not adobo; a glaze that scorches is lost. Watch the pot; the transition from liquid to glaze is swift.
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3
Turn the thighs skin side down for the final minute of reduction to lacquer the skin. The sauce should be dark, glossy, and coat a spoon. The aroma is sharp with vinegar and soy, softened by sweet garlic. Remove the bay leaves and serve immediately over steamed white rice.