CookSnap is coming soon — Join the waitlist →

Filipino Chicken Tinola

A light, aromatic Filipino chicken soup with ginger, garlic, and leafy greens. Quick to make, deeply comforting, and perfect for any night of the week.

Total time
25 min
Servings
4
Calories
280
Protein
38g
Filipino Chicken Tinola
comfortlightfilipinochickentendersilkyweeknightsoup

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp, minced fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 whole labuyo or small hot chili (optional)
  • 3 cups fresh spinach or malunggay leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. 1

    Cut each chicken thigh into bite-size pieces about 1.5 inches across by slicing them in half, then in half again.

  2. 2

    Peel the ginger with a small spoon (it's easier than a knife), then mince it finely until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice.

  3. 3

    Mince the garlic until the pieces are pencil-tip size, about the size of sesame seeds.

  4. 4

    Chop the spinach or malunggay into 1-inch-wide strips and set it aside in a small bowl.

  5. 5

    Pour 6 cups of chicken broth into a large pot and bring it to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes, until you see large bubbles breaking the surface.

  6. 6

    Add the minced ginger and minced garlic to the boiling broth, stir well, and let them cook for 1 minute until the kitchen smells strongly fragrant.

  7. 7

    Add the chicken pieces and the whole chili (if using) to the pot, stir once, and lower the heat to medium.

  8. 8

    Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the chicken is cooked through and no pink remains inside.

  9. 9

    Add the chopped spinach or malunggay leaves to the pot and stir gently until they wilt, about 1 minute, then taste the broth and add salt and pepper as needed.

  10. 10

    Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each bowl has chicken, broth, and greens, and serve immediately while hot.

Tools you’ll need

  • large pot (at least 4-quart capacity)
  • cutting board
  • chef's knife or utility knife
  • spoon
  • wooden spoon or ladle
  • small bowl
  • soup bowls (4)

Cook smarter

Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge

CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.