Chicken Tinola (Tinolang Manok)

Chicken Tinola is a classic Filipino vegetable soup dish made with chicken, lots of ginger and onion. It is one of the most popular Filipino chicken vegetable soup so good for the cold and rainy days. Tinola can be made using Bangus fish, Clams, Mussels or with coconut milk, known as Halang Halang.

Chicken Tinola is so easy to make and a simple dish that uses basic Filipino ingredients yet so comforting specially when feeling ill. A nice, warm bowl of chicken tinola so delicious even the next day. Tinola is also a great dish for busy weekdays.

With this recipe, you can use green papaya or upo instead of chayote (sayote) and pepper leaves (dahon sili) instead of malunggay or both. Chicken Tinola is light in taste and so refreshing that you have to go back for second serving.

Growing up in Iloilo City, cooking a Tinola dish with lemon grass is a must. Ilonggos like me uses lemon grass even on Chicken Barbecue and Beef Nilaga. It must be the smell and the added flavor when cooking with lemon grass. Chicken Tinola has that balance flavor and the aroma even my little boys (who is not fond of Filipino food) favorite who always ask for chicken papaya (he does not know the difference between papaya and chayote) soup. Give this simple recipe a try and share with family and friends. Check related recipes below by clicking on the name link to see complete recipe.

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken parts, cut into pieces
2 large chayote, cut into 4
1 small red bell pepper, sliced thin
2 stalk lemon grass
1 cup malunggay leaves
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 thumb size ginger, sliced
2 stalk green onion, cut into 2
2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 to 1 tsp ground pepper
salt to taste
2 tbsp olive oil or any cooking oil
5 cups water

Instructions

In a big and deep pot, heat over medium and add oil.
Add ginger, garlic and onion. Keep stirring and cook for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
Add chicken and lemon grass. Stir and cook for few minutes.
Season with fish sauce and ground pepper. Stir and cook for few minutes.
Add water and bring to a boil skimming scum that floats on top. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
Add more water if needed and taste to see if more salt or fish sauce is needed.
Add chayote and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add bell peppers and malunggay leaves. Cook for 2 minutes.
Transfer in a serving bowl and serve hot with steam rice. Enjoy!