Chicken Tinola Recipe

Chicken Tinola is a Filipino soup dish. It involves cooking chicken pieces in ginger broth. It is a popular cold weather dish. I always feel warm and cozy every time I eat it. This Filipino Chicken Soup is best enjoyed with fish sauce as dipping sauce, and a cup of warm white rice.

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By: Vanjo Merano 11 Comments Updated: 10/19/24

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Tinola is traditionally cooked with wedges of unripe papaya and malunggay leaves. These components make it a good source of nutrients. The secret in making a good tinola is to simmer the chicken for longer periods of time. This extracts the flavor from the chicken. It also makes the chicken tender in the process.

How to Cook a Classic Chicken Tinola

Sauté the aromatics

Heat cooking oil in a cooking pot.
Sauté the garlic, onion, and ginger and let them mingle until the onion gets all soft and sweet.

brown the chicken

Time to add the chicken! Toss those pieces into the pot and cook for about 2 minutes, or until they turn a lovely light brown. Give them a little stir to make sure everyone gets a nice tan!

add seasoning and rice wash

Pour in 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and stir well.
Add the rice wash to the pot and let it boil.
Then, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add water as needed to adjust the stew’s consistency and let it boil again.

cook the green papaya

Put the green papaya wedges into the pot and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the papaya is tender.

add greens, season, and serve!

Add the Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes and stir.
Season with ground black pepper to taste (optional).
Turn off the heat and then add the hot pepper leaves and malunggay leaves into the pot. Cover for 2 minutes to let the residual heat cook the greens.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve, share, and enjoy every spoonful of your amazing creation!

Chicken tinola Ingredients

Here are some ingredients you can easily find at your local market.

3 lbs. chicken, cut into serving pieces – Tender chicken pieces that form the hearty base of your tinola stew.

2 green papaya, wedged – Green papaya chunks add a subtly sweet flavor and a satisfying texture.

1 ½ cup malunggay leaves – Provide a fresh, leafy green addition to the dish.

1 cup hot pepper leaves – Add a mild heat and a unique flavor that make it tinola-told-you-so!

5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped – Adds aromatic depth and savory flavor to the tinola.

1 onions, chopped – Brings sweetness and richness to the base of the stew.

3 thumbs ginger, julienned – Imparts a zesty and warming spice to the tinola.

2 Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes – Enhance the broth with rich, savory chicken flavor.

1 quart rice wash – Adds a slightly starchy base to the broth, making it thick and hearty.

1 quart water, as needed – To adjust the stew’s consistency to your preferred thickness and saltiness.

2 tablespoons fish sauce – Adds a salty umami flavor that deepens the stew’s taste.

Ground black pepper to taste (optional) – Adds a customizable level of spiciness to the classic chicken tinola.

3 tablespoons cooking oil – For sautéing the aromatics.

Alternative Ingredients

It is best to use bone-in chicken for this dish. You can remove the skin from the chicken to reduce fat. Boneless and skinless chicken breast or thigh can also be used.

Green papaya is commonly used to cook tinola. There are times when this is not available especially if you live outside of the Philippines. You can use chayote or sayote as an alternative to papaya.

It is always best to use malunggay when it is available. However, there are also healthy alternatives to it. For example, this recipe calls for hot pepper leaves or dahoon ng sili. Spinach is also a good substitute.

Try this Chicken Tinola Recipe. Let me know what you think.

Sayote or Papaya?

I know you’re probably wondering why I pick papaya over sayote for my tinola, so let’s break it down before we start a food fight!

Sayote, or chayote, gives your tinola a nice, crunchy texture and a light, sweet flavor. Plus, it’s packed with good stuff like vitamin C and potassium, which is always a bonus for your health. On the flip side, papaya has a softer texture and a sweeter taste that makes the broth richer and thicker. It also has special enzymes that help make the meat extra tender.

Personally, I’m all about papaya because it just makes my tinola taste amazing! In the end, it’s totally up to you which one you choose!

How to Serve Chicken Tinola

Ladle that fragrant, steaming tinola into a big, welcoming bowl, and watch the smiles appear as everyone gathers around. Pair it with a side of steamed white rice for the ultimate comfort food combo, and don’t forget to offer extra fish sauce and pepper on the side for those who like a little extra zing. If you’re feeling fancy, offer a few slices of lime or calamansi for a zesty twist. And here’s a fun tip: Serve it with a side of crispy fried fish for a complete meal that’s sure to impress. So, grab your spoons, gather your loved ones, and dive into a bowl of tinola—where every bite is a hug from the inside out!

Watch How to Cook Chicken Tinola

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Chicken Tinola Recipe