Chicken Tinola is a staple in my Filipino family during cold or gloomy days. The chicken is simmered in a light, aromatic broth along with leafy greens for that perfect bowl of soup!

Recipe Rundown

Instructions

Sear your chicken and sauté your aromatics to build layers of flavor. Pour in the chicken stock and season with fish sauce. After simmering for 30 minutes, add in the green papaya, followed by moringa and pepper leaves to finish.

Ingredients

This recipe uses bone-in chicken and simple aromatics such as onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. The broth is made up of chicken stock (homemade or store bought is fine) seasoned with fish sauce for added umami. For veggies, we use green papaya (substitute with chayote), moringa, and pepper leaves (substitute with bok choy, mustard greens, kale, or spinach).

Chicken to use

Using bone-in chicken is the best way to develop a deeply savory, and rich chicken broth for the Tinola (e.g., chicken thighs, legs, wings, or breast). I did end up using a whole chicken broken down for this recipe, which you can use the bones and neck for added flavor into the soup.

Quick Tips

Leftovers should stay fresh refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. While not entirely traditional, you can customize your soup by adding some chili oil, sweet soy, a squeeze of lemon or lime, cilantro, and/or noodles to add some variety.

Table of Contents

Instructions

Season your chicken on all sides well with salt and pepper.

Then, in a large pot, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken (and chicken bones, if using) and sear in batches until browned on all sides. Set aside.

In the same pot, lower the heat to medium. Add in the onions and sauté until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the ginger, garlic, and lemongrass. Continue to sauté for an additional 3 minutes until the aromatics have softened and become fragrant.

Pour in the chicken stock and fish sauce. Add back in the seared chicken and bones. Bring this to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low to simmer. Cover with a lid and let simmer for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add in the papaya. Let the papaya cook slightly until softened, about 7-10 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add in the pepper leaves and moringa to let them wilt in the residual heat. Serve warm.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chicken: For this recipe I used a whole chicken, but feel free to use the more accessible cuts of thighs, breasts, or wings that are already done for you.

Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Lemongrass: Simple aromatics are all we’ll need for this Tinola. While some recipes may omit the lemon grass, my mom’s version always included it so here it is.

Chicken Stock: Not sponsored, but I used Knorr’s instant chicken powder for this recipe to make 6 cups worth of stock (some also use the chicken stock cube). Of course, any other store-bought or homemade chicken stock will work great.

Substitutes: Plain water may work, though the Tinola won’t be as savory or chicken-y in flavor. I’d caution with using other stocks, such as pork or beef, since this can change the Tina’s taste entirely.

Fish sauce: To give the broth some saltiness and umami, patis (fish sauce) is used to taste.

Substitutes: You can use salt to taste if you prefer not to use fish sauce.

Green Papaya: These are green, unripe papayas that lend the soup a bit of sweetness and crunch. You can find this in some Asian groceries, particularly those that specialize in Southeast Asian ingredients.

Substitutes: You may also use chayote as the next best substitute, which may be more accessible in the West.

Moringa Leaves, Pepper Leaves: Better known as malunggay (moringa) and dahon ng sili (pepper leaves), these add a subtle peppery, leafy taste to the soup. While using fresh is best, you can find frozen blocks of these greens in some Asian groceries and more often in Filipino grocery stores.

Substitutes: While not exactly the same, you can go for bok choy, mustard greens, kale, and/or spinach as quick, leafy replacements.

What is Chicken Tinola?

Tinola (known as tinolang manok in Tagalog) is a traditional Filipino chicken soup dish, made up of simmering native chickens in a flavorful broth, and mixing in chunks of green papaya and leafy greens such as malunggay (moringa) and dahon ng sili (pepper leaves).

This is typically eaten with a side of rice and a sawsawan (dipping sauce) of fish sauce.

Cooking Tips

Use quality ingredients, where possible: Since this is such a simple dish with little ingredients to flavor the soup, the most fresh, quality ingredients are your best friends. Wherever possible, go for fresh moringa and pepper leaves, whole chicken with the bones, and quality chicken stock.

Let the dish simmer: Letting the soup simmer for at least 30 minutes allows it to develop its flavors further and extract all the flavor from the chicken and its bones. Cooking too quickly on a rapid boil can result with a flat-tasting Tinola.

Customize your Tinola: While not entirely traditional, you can customize your soup by adding some chili oil, sweet soy, a squeeze of lemon or lime, cilantro, and/or noodles to add some variety.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers should stay fresh refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply microwave or heat over stove top until the soup and chicken are fully warmed-through.

What cut of chicken do I use?

You can use any cut from the thigh, breast, wings, and thigh. For the best flavor, go for a whole chicken broken down so you can also use the leftover bones to further intensify the taste of your broth.