Nilagang Manok is a simple Filipino chicken soup with clear broth. The term literally translates to boiled chicken. The cooking procedure is simple and straightforward. I highly recommend this recipe to beginners.
Have you tried nilagang baboy or beef nilaga? These dishes have the same cooking procedure as this dish. Some of the ingredients can vary, but all these dishes are similar.
Saba banana, which has similar characteristics to plantains are used in most nilaga recipes. Sometimes I use kalabasa or butternut squash as an alternative ingredient. The same thing goes with the greens. Bok choy or pechay are usually used to cook this dish. However, using cabbage, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables are also acceptable.
Cooking chicken nilaga is as simple as boiling water and adding all the ingredients at the proper time afterwards. There are no special steps involved. This makes this dish ideal for new cooks.
The flavor of the soup is derived from the chicken and the broth. I recommend using bone-in chicken so that the soup can be tastier. The bones in the chicken helps add flavor when cooked slowly. You can also add a piece of chicken bouillon if preferred. The condiment that I use in this dishes also help provide that Umami taste. I am referring to fish sauce, which is locally known in the Philippines as “patis”.
I like my chicken nilaga soup spicy, but I don’t want the entire dish to taste that way because other people that I am sharing this with are not fan of spicy food. A quick solution is to add chili peppers to the condiment. Simple pour around 2 tablespoons of fish sauce in a saucer, add 3 pieces if Thai chili peppers, crush the peppers using a spoon and enjoy.
What other ingredients do you add to your nilaga soup? Do you also use fish sauce as a condiment? Aside from it, what other condiments do you suggest using?
Try this Nilagang Manok Recipe. Enjoy it with a cup of warm white rice.
Nilagang Manok Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken sliced into serving pieces
- 3 pieces Saba banana sliced
- 2 pieces potato cubed
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 bunches bok choy base removed
- 1 piece onion wedged
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorn
Instructions
- Boil water in a pot.
- Add onion and whole peppercorn. Pour-in chicken broth. Cover and let boil.
- Gently add chicken pieces. Boil in medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Add banana and potato. Cover and continue to boil for 12 minutes.
- Season with fish sauce.
- Add bok choy. Cover the pot and let the residual heat cook it for around 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with white rice. Share and enjoy!
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