“Chicken tinola is a hearty and flavorful Filipino soup made with chicken, green papaya, malunggay leaves and some aromatics! Perfect comfort food during cold weather! ”

Prepare yourself for this flavorful chicken tinola recipe that is packed with healthy vegetables and bold flavors. This top-rated dish stands out from the competition thanks to its savoury flavor.

This chicken tinola recipe makes a wonderful and soothing chicken soup that is perfect when you want to wrap up under a blanket. It has tender and moist chicken, al dente green papaya (unripe papaya), fragrant ginger, and fresh malunggay leaves.

It is a classic Filipino meal that features the well-known flavors of ginger and fish sauce. A simple one-pot and tasty soup, frequently served with white rice and some fish sauce as a dipping sauce.

The ultimate comfort dish is tinolang manok! This hearty, nutritious, and delicious Filipino soup is made with chicken, green papaya, fresh spinach, and a ginger-flavored broth. Because the ginger broth and chicken can have a warming effect and help keep you warm and snug, this transparent soup meal is ideal on wet and chilly days.

In my opinion, next to adobo and sinigang, tinola is the dish that is most frequently served for lunch or dinner in every Filipino home. Like in our household, we usually prepare chicken tinola almost every week because it’s easy to prepare, healthy and requires few simple ingredients.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

• Easy to make: It is a one pot chicken dish that is beginner-friendly.
• It’s warm and comforting: Perfect comfort food during cold weather and even perfect when you have colds.
• Healthy soup for your soul: All the ingredients infused a lovely combination of nutrition and flavor. When you have a stomach ache, you can drink the broth from this comfort food and you’ll feel better.
• Filling and satisfying: You can serve as its own or with steamed rice.

WHAT IS CHICKEN TINOLA

Chicken tinola, tinolang manok or simply tinola, is a Filipino comfort dish made of chicken chunks simmered in a ginger-flavored broth. Additionally, it frequently includes, green papaya, and green leafy vegetables like malunggay (moringa) or chili leaves Rice is frequently combined with chicken tinola to create a filling meal.

Chicken tinola, however quite different from chicken adobo, is a well-liked comfort food. It is a light soup that both flavorful and warm due to the ginger and vegetables. A vital component that adds a wonderfully robust flavor is fish sauce. Similar to many chicken soups, eating this one makes you feel wonderful on the inside.

Nowadays, tinolang manok can be prepared in a variety of ways. You can include chayote (sayote), long finger peppers, taro, watercress, spinach, and more. It’s one of the simplest chicken soup recipes to prepare in the Philippines, and because it’s such a straightforward comfort food, it’s frequently a mainstay in families.

The ideal way to enjoy chicken tinola is with a bowl of steaming hot rice and a dipping sauce. You may eat it as a hearty main dish or a straightforward side soup since it is easily portioned out.

CHICKEN TINOLA INGREDIENTS

Chicken. I used a whole chicken and cut it into bite-sized pieces. The combination of meat and bones are perfect for the soup. You can use any parts you prefer.

Oil, garlic and onions. They are the perfect combination for any “ginisa” dish.

Ginger. Gives the slight warmth on the soup, it also removes any aftertaste or odor in the chicken.

Green papaya. It is the typical vegetable used in making tinola. Papaya provides sweetness and texture to the broth. This is occasionally unavailable, particularly if you reside outside of the Philippines. As a substitute to papaya, you can use chayote (“sayote”) or zucchini.

Malunggay leaves (moringa leaves). A healthy green leafy vegetable typically found in warm, tropical regions like the Philippines. Malunggay leaves contribute taste and texture as well as health benefits. It might not always be accessible everywhere. But there are also wholesome substitutes for it. For instance, you can use dahon ng sili (chili leaves), spinach, or bok choy.

Water. Itis used to cook and soften the chicken pieces. You can also use chicken broth to make a more flavorful broth especially if you are using chicken breast.

Fish sauce. Gives a savory and umami flavor to the dish.

Salt and pepper as seasoning and flavor enhancers.

HOW TO COOK TINOLANG MANOK

Making tinolang manok is easy and a straightforward process.

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the garlic, onion and ginger. Cook until fragrant and aromatic.

Add the chicken and season with fish sauce and ground black pepper. Sear chicken on both sides around 3-5 minutes.

Pour in the water, mix and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until chicken becomes tender.

Add the papaya to the soup and cook for about 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt or extra fish sauce.

Lastly, toss the malunggay leaves and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Note: if using chili leaves or spinach, you can turn off the heat and let it stand for a minute to cook on the remaining heat.

Serve with steamed rice and enjoy with the whole family.

TIPS IN MAKING CHICKEN TINOLA

• Bone-in chicken portions have the best flavor in making tinola. However, you can also utilize skinless, boneless chicken breast or thigh.

• You can remove the chicken’s skin to cut down the fat.

• To achieve even cooking, slice the chicken into equal-sized pieces.

• When sautéing the garlic, onions and ginger, don’t use too much oil so that when you add the water, the clear soup won’t be overpowered.

• Before adding the water, make sure to give the chicken pieces time to sear/ brown. This will create delicious chicken pieces.

• Season your tinola early on so it can be blended together with the chicken over a long simmering period.

• Longer simmering time for the chicken is the key in making a delicious tinola. By doing this, the chicken’s flavor is extracted. It guarantees that the chicken is cooked through evenly and is neither dry nor underdone.

• You can use semi-ripe papaya to give the broth a wonderful sweetness. It’s also important to make sure that you just cook papaya quickly so it wouldn’t become mushy.

• You can adjust your soup accordingly. If it is too bland, add extra fish sauce or salt. If it is salty, add more water to your soup to balance out the saltiness.

• Malunggay and Dahon ng Sili each have different tastes and advantages. Malunggay have nutrients such as vitamins A, B, and C that are helpful to your body. While dahon ng sili has citric acid, palmitic acid, and capsaicin. You’ll enjoy the flavor of either of these two in addition to the health advantages. Both impart a distinct flavor and aroma to the food.

HOW TO SERVE

Traditionally, tinola is served as the main course during lunch or dinner often accompanied with steamed rice.

It is ideal to serve fish sauce and chili on the side, in a small dish or saucer in case the diners prefer a stronger flavor. Before eating, the chicken slices are doused with fish sauce.

Alternatively, you can easily serve tinolang manok as a side soup for a larger meal.

HOW TO STORE

Store any leftover chicken tinola in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will be good for up to three days in the refrigerator and up to 2 months in the freezer.  

To reheat, transfer in a pan and heat on the stovetop. Cook until thoroughly warm.

You can also use a microwave and microwave for 2-3 minutes until heated through.

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