This quick and comforting Chicken Tinola is a simple Filipino chicken soup flavored with ginger and filled with vegetables. It’s easy to make, soothing when you’re under the weather, and ready in about 30 minutes. Dark meat like drumsticks or thighs gives the best flavor because the bones add depth to the broth.
VIDEO: I attempt to make chicken soup in 30 minutes
What is Chicken Tinola?
Chicken Tinola is a traditional Filipino soup made with chicken, ginger, and vegetables. It’s often prepared when someone is sick — the ginger helps clear sinuses and adds warmth — but it’s equally welcome as a comforting family meal. Moringa (malunggay) is a common addition, though bok choy, spinach or kale are excellent substitutes when moringa isn’t available.
Tinola is usually eaten with rice on the side; you can spoon rice into the bowl or serve it separately. I recommend using generous amounts of ginger if you want stronger, more restorative flavors.
The Vegetables I Use in Tinola
I typically use chayote and moringa in my tinola. Chayote is easy to find and cooks quickly; if moringa is unavailable I’ll use baby bok choy, spinach, or even kale. Any tender leafy green works well — after simmering, greens become soft and meld into the broth.
How to Make Chicken Tinola
Full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe section below.
These photos show my dad’s version of tinola. He doesn’t always follow the same order I do, but the result is the same: a clear, flavorful chicken soup.
He starts by browning the chicken and removing it from the pot, then sautés the aromatics — garlic, onion, and ginger — in the same pot to pick up those browned bits.
Next he returns the chicken to the pot, adds the chayote (or green papaya), and covers the pot briefly to let the vegetables steam. Then he adds chicken broth and simmers until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
Finally he adds the leafy greens. If you use spinach it may seem to disappear as it wilts, but it contributes flavor and nutrients to the broth.
VIDEO: I make my childhood chicken soup
Recipe
This Chicken Tinola recipe yields a clear, aromatic soup that highlights ginger and simple ingredients. It’s straightforward to prepare and easy to adjust to taste.
Chicken Tinola
Ingredients
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 1 ½ inches of ginger
- 2 chayote or green papaya
- handfuls of baby bok choy, spinach, or moringa. Use whichever you have on hand or enjoy most
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 ½ lbs chicken dark meat recommended
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 5-8 peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce to taste
- salt to taste
Method
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Prep the aromatics: dice the onion, peel and smash the garlic cloves, and peel the ginger. Slice the ginger into relatively large thin pieces so they’re easy to remove if desired.
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Prepare the chayote or green papaya: cut each in half along the ridge, remove the soft seed, trim any remaining skin on the ridges, and cut into pieces that will cook quickly.
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Wash and trim the leafy greens (bok choy, spinach, moringa, or kale).
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In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the aromatics until fragrant and slightly softened.
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Add the chicken and brown it on all sides to develop flavor.
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Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze and lift any browned bits.
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Add peppercorns, fish sauce, and the chayote or papaya. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
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Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more fish sauce as needed.
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Add the leafy greens at the end; they cook quickly. When they reach your preferred tenderness, remove from heat and serve hot.