Tinola

Name: Tinola
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 1.2kg), cut into pieces; 1 large green papaya, peeled and cut into wedges; 3 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced into strips; 1 large onion, quartered; 4 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1.5L water; 1 cup chili leaves or moringa (malunggay) leaves; 2 tbsp cooking oil; Salt and pepper

Tinolang Manok (tee-NO-lah)

Chicken Ginger Soup

⏱ Prep Time 45 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 326 kcal

A light, nourishing chicken soup perfumed with ginger, garlic, and fish sauce, with green papaya wedges and chili leaves — the quintessential Filipino healing broth.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 28.0g

Carbs 22.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

dairy-free gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ fish

Equipment Needed

large pot ladle

Presentation Guide

Vessel: deep soup bowl

Garnishes: chili leaves, ginger strips

Accompaniments: steamed rice, fish sauce with calamansi dip

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.2kg), cut into pieces
1 large green papaya, peeled and cut into wedges
3 tbsp fresh ginger, sliced into strips
1 large onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fish sauce
1.5L water
1 cup chili leaves or moringa (malunggay) leaves
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1
Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté ginger, garlic, and onion until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
2
Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.
3
Pour in water and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes.
4
Add green papaya wedges and cook 10 more minutes until papaya is tender but not mushy.
5
Add chili leaves or malunggay, cook 2 more minutes until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
6
Serve hot in deep bowls with steamed rice on the side.

💡

Did You Know?

Tinola is so deeply embedded in Filipino culture that it appears in the opening chapter of Jose Rizal's novel "Noli Me Tangere" (1887), used as a metaphor for social inequality.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large pot
ladle

Garnishing

chili leaves, ginger strips

Accompaniments

steamed rice, fish sauce with calamansi dip

The Story Behind Tinola

Tinola is one of the oldest Filipino dishes, predating Spanish colonization. Its simplicity reflects indigenous Filipino cooking — a clear broth flavored with ginger and local greens. The use of green papaya, which grows abundantly across the Philippines, and chili leaves or moringa demonstrates the Filipino connection to tropical ingredients. Tinola is considered a healing food, traditionally served to the sick and to new mothers.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed rainy day comfort meal, lunch or dinner 📜 Origins: Pre-colonial Filipino, ancient

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!