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    Home / Filipino Kitchen / Chicken Tinola

    Chicken Tinola

    A light ginger-and-garlic chicken soup with green papaya and chili leaves, the Filipino cure-all for cold days and colds alike.

    ⏱ 15 minPrep time
    🔥 30 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 Filipino KitchenCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Chicken Tinola — light ginger-garlic chicken soup with green papaya and chili leaves

    Tinola is the soup Filipino mothers make when someone needs comforting — a clear, gingery broth that warms you from the inside out. Chicken pieces simmer gently with garlic, onion, and plenty of fresh ginger, then green papaya and peppery chili leaves go in at the end to keep everything light. Because it is so gentle, it is also the soup served to anyone recovering from an illness, or to a guest who needs warming up. It has been a household staple for generations.

    A clear broth that heals

    The broth is delicate but deeply savory, with ginger providing a gentle warmth rather than heat, and the chicken turning silky and tender. Green papaya stays firm and mild, soaking up the broth like a sponge, while chili leaves add a faint peppery freshness. Served with rice and a small dish of fish sauce for dipping the chicken, every spoonful tastes like care.

    Craving more? Explore all Filipino Kitchen recipes.

    Want the full story on the sauces behind this dish? See our Beginner’s Guide to Asian Sauces & Seasonings.

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    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the ginger, garlic, and onion for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
    2. Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, turning, until the skin is lightly browned.
    3. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
    4. Add the green papaya and simmer for 5 minutes, until just tender.
    5. Stir in the fish sauce and black pepper, then add the chili leaves and turn off the heat, letting them wilt.
    6. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with steamed rice and extra fish sauce on the side.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Use chayote when green papaya is not available — it has the same mild crunch. Simmer gently so the broth stays clear; a hard boil will cloud it.

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    Recipe details

    Prep15 min
    Cook30 min
    Servings4
    CategoryFilipino Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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