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Chicken Tinola with Chayote
Maisie Rowan

Chicken Tinola with Chayote

Make Chicken Tinola with Chayote at home with tender chicken, fresh ginger, savory broth, and leafy greens. A simple Filipino comfort meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Filipino
Calories: 360
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2½ to 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion sliced
  • 4 inches fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce plus more to taste
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water plus more if needed
  • 2 medium chayote peeled, seeded, and cut into wedges
  • 2 cups spinach malunggay, watercress, or chilli leaves
  • Calamansi or lemon wedges for serving
  • Fresh chilli optional

Method
 

  1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
  2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Add the chicken and brown both sides. Work in batches if the pot feels crowded.
  4. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
  5. Add the fish sauce and stir well.
  6. Pour in the chicken broth and water.
  7. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
  8. Cover and cook until the chicken is nearly tender, about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the pieces.
  9. Add the chayote and continue cooking until it is fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
  10. Add the leafy greens and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until wilted.
  11. Taste the broth. Add more fish sauce if needed.
  12. Ladle the hot Tinola into bowls and serve with steamed rice and calamansi.

Notes

Note

Chicken Tinola does not need much to taste good.
Fresh ginger, good chicken, a well-seasoned broth, tender chayote, and a few leafy greens are enough.
The biggest thing to remember is the cooking order. Cook the chicken until tender, add the chayote later, and save the greens for the final few minutes.
Once you have made it a few times, the recipe becomes easy to adjust. Use the greens available at your local market, switch chayote for green papaya, or add chilli when you want some heat.
Serve it with rice while the broth is hot. That's how we like it best.