The Best Chicken Tinola Recipe

Not your ordinary chicken soup

We’re happy to share our best chicken tinola recipe. Take comfort in this chicken soup packed with warmth, zest, sweetness and bite combined. This Filipino chicken soup uses ginger and lemongrass for a bright, aromatic flavor that will invoke your senses. Turmeric and some greens makes it into an immune boosting powerhouse.

How To Make Chicken Tinola Soup

Step 1.

Sauté the onions, ginger and garlic in little bit of broth/oil until fragrant. We have talked about using the oil-free method in our Dairy-Free Bolognese recipe. This recipe will benefit from that too because the chicken will eventually release most of its fats into the broth.

Step 2.

Pushing the aromatics to the sides of the pot, lightly brown chicken pieces on each side. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric. Traditionally, turmeric is not used in this dish but we find it works great with the lemony ginger broth. It also has cancer-fighting properties, reduces chronic inflammation et cetera so why not?

Step 3.

Then, add lemongrass, boiling water and whole peppercorns if using. Again, the simpler version of this will not call for lemongrass but it will give a whole new dimension to the dish.

Step 4.

Bring it to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 20-30 mins. Add the chayote and sugar. Some people prefer green papaya so use whichever is available in your local grocer. You can use both if you’re feeling extra. Season to taste with fish sauce. Simmer for another 15 mins until chayote is fork tender.

To finish it off, add in the arugula and pepper leaves. If you can find moringa leaves, use that too. It’s nutrient packed and rich in anti-oxidants. Close the lid and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 mins.

Serve warm in bowls. Savor on its own or with rice. Here you have it, our best chicken tinola recipe revealed. For more details and the full recipe, please see below. Enjoy and let us know how you like it.

Chicken Tinola

Here's a new twist on the classic Filipino dish, Chicken Tinola. Warm up with this chicken soup cooked with ginger, chayote and chilli pepper leaves.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 2 knobs ginger sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 4 cloves garlic sliced
• 2 tbsp water sub 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 kg chicken cut into serving pieces
• 1 tbsp rock salt sub iodized
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
• 1 stalk lemongrass pounded
• 10-12 cups boiling water
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns optional
• 2-3 pcs chayote sliced into big chunks or strips, sub green papaya
• 1/4 cup fish sauce or to taste
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 handful pepper leaves
• 1 handful arugula sub moringa leaves

Instructions

 

• On medium heat, sauté onions, ginger and garlic in little bit of water until fragrant. Push to the sides of the pot.
• Lightly brown chicken pieces on each side. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric.
• Add lemongrass, boiling water and whole peppercorns if using.

  Bring to boil, then simmer on low heat for 20-30 mins.
• Add chayote and sugar. Season to taste with fish sauce. Simmer for another 15 mins until chayote is fork tender.
• Add arugula and pepper leaves. Close lid and turn off heat. Let stand for 5 mins.
• Serve in bowls. Enjoy on its own or with warm rice.

Notes

You can add a whole chicken if you wish.

Make it a veggie one with tofu and mushrooms.