Chicken Tinola
This beloved Filipino soup is everything a comfort dish should be: deeply aromatic, nourishing, and surprisingly simple to pull together on any given weeknight. The magic starts with generous slices of ginger that perfume the entire broth with a warm, peppery fragrance.
Equipment
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (6-quart capacity)
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Ladle
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Vegetable peeler
- Fine mesh skimmer or slotted spoon - for removing scum from the broth
- Large serving bowl or individual deep soup bowls
- Instant-read thermometer - (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix) - 900g
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable or canola)
- 1 medium onion - sliced
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 inches fresh ginger - 5cm piece, peeled and sliced into thin coins
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce (patis) - plus more to taste
- 6 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth - 1.4 liters
- 1 medium chayote squash - about 1 lb or 450g, peeled, seeded, and cut into wedges (or substitute 1/2 small green papaya)
- 2 cups fresh malunggay (moringa) leaves - 60g, stems removed (or substitute fresh baby spinach or bok choy leaves)
- 1 cup chili leaves or hot pepper leaves - 30g, optional (or substitute more spinach)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- salt - to taste
For Serving
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Fish sauce - for serving, optional
- Lemon wedges or calamansi - for serving, optional
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Slice ginger into thin coins, slice onion, mince garlic, peel and cut chayote into wedges, and rinse greens.
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and brown undisturbed for 3-4 minutes per side until golden. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, sauté sliced ginger for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour fish sauce into the pot and stir well. Return browned chicken to the pot and coat with the aromatics. Cook for 2 minutes, turning pieces to pick up flavor.
- Add water or chicken broth and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 25-30 minutes.
- Add chayote or green papaya wedges to the pot and simmer for another 8-12 minutes until fork-tender but still holding shape.
- Adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce or salt and add black pepper to taste.
- Turn off heat and add malunggay (moringa) leaves and chili leaves if using. Stir gently and let wilt in residual heat for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately with steamed rice and optional fish sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
Notes
- Chicken: Always use bone-in chicken for the richest, most flavorful broth. Boneless works in a pinch but the soup won't have as much depth.
- Simmering: Don't rush the simmer. A gentle simmer with only a few lazy bubbles is key for tender chicken and a clear broth. A rapid boil makes the chicken tough and the broth cloudy.
- Skimming: Skim the scum that rises to the surface after the broth comes to a boil to keep the broth clear and clean-tasting.
- Greens: Add leafy greens off the heat. Moringa and chili leaves need only 1-2 minutes to wilt. Adding them too early or over high heat will dull their color and cook away nutrients.
- Substitutions: If you can't find chayote or green papaya, zucchini works well as a substitute. For greens, baby spinach or bok choy are excellent alternatives.
- Fish sauce: Fish sauce can vary in saltiness between brands. Always taste and adjust gradually rather than adding all at once.
- Make ahead: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen overnight. Store without the greens for best results.
- Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Freeze without greens for up to 2 months. Add fresh greens when reheating.
- For a richer broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth instead of water for a deeper, more savory soup.
- Ginger boost: If you love bold ginger flavor or are making this as a cold remedy, double the amount of ginger in the recipe.