Chicken Tinola is a popular Philippine chicken soup dish typically made with green papaya, chili pepper leaves, aromatics like ginger and onion and flavored with fish sauce.
We will make some adjustments using readily available ingredients so you can make this healthy comfort food at home. It's tasty, healthy, delicious and very simple to make.
Table of contents
🥰 Why We Love This Dish
- I love it because it's such a delicious comfort food that is so easy to make
- The ingredients in this recipe are medicinal in nature so you know you will feel great once you've had it
- It's also a one-pot meal
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Chicken - white or dark meat is fine
- Potatoes - red, Yukon or gold works.
- Spinach - this replaces the chili leaves.
- Chicken Broth - any of your favorite brand works, I prefer my Homemade Chicken Stock.
- Red Pepper Flakes and/or Chili Pepper - If you don't like spicy, omit this.
- Ginger - one of the main ingredients in making this Chicken Soup dish. After all, isn't Chicken Soup synonymous to "make me feel better now soup?" And trust me when you sauté ginger, with garlic and onions, the smell alone will surely cure any ailments. It cleared my sinuses that's for sure.
- Garlic - another ingredient that has health and medicinal properties is garlic. Garlic is a plant in the Allium (onion) family.
- Onion - makes this the trifecta of "healthy and medicinal" ingredient in making Chicken Tinola.
🍐 Key Ingredients Notes
Chayote or Sayote - I found Sayote at Woodman's which inspired me to make this dish. Sayote or Chayote has a very clean and fresh taste much like a cucumber. Omitting this ingredient will not affect the flavor of the dish at all. However, not only does it add color and texture to the dish, Chayote offers many health benefits that it's worth considering.
🔪 How To Make This Dish
- Step 1: Sauté onions, garlic and ginger
- Step 2: Sear the chicken and season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
- Step 3: Add chicken broth, then potatoes
- Step 4: Add the sayote, spinach and chili pepper (if using)
👩🏻🍳 Nutritional Expert Tips
- Red Pepper Flakes - if you're making Chicken Tinola to cure a cold or a sore throat, I find the spiciness from the flakes to be extra soothing.
- Ginger - speaking of soothing, ginger has medicinal properties which helps in fighting off infections. Check out this source for health benefits of ginger.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
On the recipe card below, be sure to click on 1x, 2x, or 3x accordingly to increase the amount of serving you need.
Soothing! Imagine the flavor combination of ginger, onions and garlic lightly sautéed while infusing the oil as you add the chicken and the broth, seasoned with spices and finished with the addition of vegetables.....whatever is ailing you will soon be gone!
Promptly place it in the refrigerator in a sealed container within 1 to 2 hours of serving. Any leftover can be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
I would not suggest it, because potatoes will get soft and grainy once you freeze it. If you want to freeze, omit or remove the potatoes then just add it once ready to thaw to eat.
🥘 Other Comfort Food Recipes To Try
📋 Recipe Card
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Chicken Tinola {Tinolang Manok}
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Low Salt
Description
I have here a healthier version with easier to find ingredients for Chicken Tinola ~ a Philippine Chicken Soup dish. A great comfort food anytime of year.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken (cut-up in pieces)
- 1 Quart Organic Chicken Broth (Homemade Chicken Stock preferred)
- 1 Chayote (peeled and sliced)
- 4 Potatoes (peeled and quartered)
- 1 8ounce Bag of Spinach
- 1 inch Ginger (sliced)
- 2 Garlic Cloves (sliced)
- 1 Onion (sliced)
- 2 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- 1 Chili Pepper (optional)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In medium heat, add olive oil in a Saute pan, when the oil shimmers, add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 2 minutes until onion is caramelized and ginger is golden brown. Place the aromatics on the side of the Sauté pan, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Now add and sear chicken pieces on both sides. This will take about 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, dash of salt and pepper.
- Add Chicken broth, bring to a boil, add potatoes and simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Then add sayote, chili pepper (optional) and simmer for another 5 minutes
- Add spinach, cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Done!
- Serve with steamed rice (of course) or you can enjoy Chicken Tinola as a soup.
Notes
- Using homemade chicken broth and not using fish sauce in this recipe, makes this a low sodium dish.
- Despite not using the traditional fish sauce to this dish, it didn't sacrifice the flavors for this Chicken Tinola.
- I store a whole bulb of fresh ginger in the freezer for up to 6 months, if they even last that long since I use it a lot for cooking. I just cut 1 inch section at a time for my recipes.
- Use the side of a teaspoon for peeling the skin-off a ginger root.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Philippine
Keywords: chicken tinola, philippine cuisine, chicken tinola soup, chicken tinola recipe
I love to cook delicious and healthy meals for my family and friends, and I am happy that I get to share my passion with all of you. Every food I make is full of flavorful and healthy ingredients that are quick and simple to make with ingredients that you can find in your local grocery store or online. Let's be taste buds ~ and follow me along my culinary journey. My mantra, to always cook with love, and that is after all, why I call this blog the JOZmahal. Read more about me here...
PS: If you try any of my recipes please use the tag #JOZmahalrecipes and you may be featured in my upcoming posts! ~ cook with love my friend!
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