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Brief Overview
Tinola is one of the dishes that feels like home to many Filipinos. It is a clear chicken soup infused with ginger and green papaya, gentle yet deeply warming. The broth has a quiet way of carrying its flavour, simple enough for everyday meals yet comforting enough to be remembered long after.
This dish is commonly served with rice, especially when the weather calls for something warm and steady. A bowl of Tinola feels almost medicinal, the kind of food that can settle you after a long day or when the rain begins to fall hard outside.
What makes Tinola special is that it is not a showpiece dish. It does not need elaborate spices or heavy sauces. Instead, it draws its character from a few ingredients that give it balance. It is honest, unpretentious and full of care in every spoonful.
What Is Tinola
Tinola is a Filipino chicken soup that starts with pieces of chicken simmered gently in a broth made fragrant with ginger, garlic and onion. Chayote or green papaya is added to the pot along with leafy greens like chilli leaves or malunggay just before serving.
The soup is clear rather than creamy, keeping the flavours bright and straightforward. The chicken itself becomes tender as it cooks slowly in the broth, and the vegetables soften enough to take on a delicate flavour without losing their shape.
It is the kind of dish that is meant to be shared at the table. You ladle it into a bowl, let the steam rise, and pair it with a mound of plain white rice. Tinola is both simple and generous in spirit.
Ingredients and Taste
The backbone of Tinola is chicken, usually bone-in pieces to give the broth a deeper taste. Sliced ginger plays a central role, lending warmth and freshness. Garlic and onions provide sweetness as they soften during cooking.
Green papaya or sometimes chayote adds a mild fruity note, while leafy greens give colour and a slight bitterness that balances the broth. The liquid is seasoned lightly with fish sauce and salt so the flavours remain gentle.
The taste is clean and fragrant. You notice the ginger first, followed by the savoury broth. It has a freshness that lingers without heaviness. This is food made to be enjoyed slowly, spoon by spoon, often alongside rice.
A Taste of History
Tinola is considered a classic of Filipino home cooking. It has been prepared for generations as a go to meal for family gatherings and a remedy for colds or tired days. Many Filipinos learn to make it before any other soup.
Historical references to Tinola appear as early as the 19th century in Philippine literature, where it was described as a meal shared at the family table. Over time, the core ingredients have remained unchanged despite regional differences.
In some households, papaya might be replaced with sayote and malunggay leaves swapped for spinach. Yet the heart of Tinola stays the same. It is a dish that places value on comfort, simplicity and the closeness of eating together.
Today, Tinola holds its place as a trusted dish, one that continues to be served in kitchens throughout the Philippines. It is part of the rhythm of daily life, a warm reminder that food can be both humble and deeply meaningful.
How to Make Tinola (Chicken Soup)
Tinola is a classic Filipino chicken soup with ginger, green papaya and fresh chilli leaves. Its broth is light yet full of flavour, perfect for comforting meals. Expect delicate warmth from the ginger and tender chicken that pairs beautifully with plain rice. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 whole chicken (around 1.5 kg), cut into serving pieces
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 5 cm fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 medium green papaya, peeled and sliced into wedges (or chayote)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh chilli leaves (dahon ng sili) or malunggay leaves
- Salt to taste
For serving
- Steamed white rice
- Fish sauce with calamansi or lime on the side
Cooking Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the aromatics
To begin, heat the oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add ginger and sauté until aromatic, followed by garlic and onion. Cook until softened, which lays the foundation of flavour for the soup. Move on to the chicken.
Step 2: Add and seal the chicken
Place the chicken pieces into the pot. Stir gently until the chicken is lightly sealed on the outside. This step deepens the flavour of the broth before adding water.
Step 3: Season with fish sauce
Pour in the fish sauce and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat the chicken. The fish sauce seasons the meat as it cooks. Transition to simmering.
Step 4: Add water and simmer
Pour 1.5 litres of water into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam that rises, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender. Move to preparing the vegetables.
Step 5: Prepare the green papaya
While the chicken simmers, peel and slice the green papaya into wedges. Keep them in a bowl of water to prevent browning until ready to use.
Step 6: Add the papaya
Add the papaya slices to the simmering soup. Continue to cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes or until the papaya turns translucent and tender. Proceed to add the greens.
Step 7: Add the chilli leaves
Stir in the chilli leaves (or malunggay). Let them wilt gently for 2–3 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with extra salt or fish sauce if needed. Transition to final simmer.
Final step: Serve hot
Ladle the soup into deep bowls with a generous portion of chicken and vegetables. Serve steaming hot with plain rice on the side. A small dish of fish sauce with calamansi or lime enhances the taste for those who enjoy sharper flavours.
Variations and substitutions
- Substitute green papaya with chayote if papaya is unavailable.
- Add a few slices of finger chilli for a gentle heat.
- Use spinach if you cannot find chilli leaves or malunggay.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Tinola
- Choose free-range chicken for a more flavourful broth.
- Avoid rushing the simmering process; slow cooking extracts richer flavours.
- Skim off any foam or fat from the broth to keep it clear.
- Add the greens just before serving to maintain their colour and freshness.
Tinola (Filipino Chicken Soup)
Ingredients
For the soup
- 1 whole chicken around 1.5 kg, cut into serving pieces
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 5 cm fresh ginger peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1.5 litres water
- 1 medium green papaya peeled and sliced into wedges (or chayote)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh chilli leaves dahon ng sili or malunggay leaves
- Salt to taste
For serving
- Steamed white rice
- Fish sauce with calamansi or lime on the side
Instructions
- To begin, heat the oil in a large heavy based pot over medium heat. Add ginger and sauté until aromatic, followed by garlic and onion. Cook until softened, which lays the foundation of flavour for the soup. Move on to the chicken.
- Place the chicken pieces into the pot. Stir gently until the chicken is lightly sealed on the outside. This step deepens the flavour of the broth before adding water.
- Pour in the fish sauce and stir for 1–2 minutes to coat the chicken. The fish sauce seasons the meat as it cooks. Transition to simmering.
- Pour 1.5 litres of water into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam that rises, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender. Move to preparing the vegetables.
- While the chicken simmers, peel and slice the green papaya into wedges. Keep them in a bowl of water to prevent browning until ready to use.
- Add the papaya slices to the simmering soup. Continue to cook uncovered for 8–10 minutes or until the papaya turns translucent and tender. Proceed to add the greens.
- Stir in the chilli leaves (or malunggay). Let them wilt gently for 2–3 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with extra salt or fish sauce if needed. Transition to final simmer.
- Ladle the soup into deep bowls with a generous portion of chicken and vegetables. Serve steaming hot with plain rice on the side. A small dish of fish sauce with calamansi or lime enhances the taste for those who enjoy sharper flavours.
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