Chicken Tinola Recipe with UmamiBee Dish Lifter – Comforting Filipino Ginger Chicken Soup
- Mother Bee
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
MotherBee's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Gently savoury, warmly gingery broth with tender chicken and clean vegetable sweetness.
Texture: Silky, collagen-rich broth, fall-off-the-bone chicken, and just-wilted greens.
Ease: One of the simplest and most forgiving Filipino dishes you will ever make.
Why You'll Love It: It tastes like medicine and love at the same time. Perfect for cold NZ nights.
Hello, I am MotherBee, and Chicken Tinola is the soup my mother made whenever anyone in the house was feeling under the weather. Warm, gingery, nourishing. It is Filipino chicken soup at its most honest and beautiful.
Today we are making Tinola using UmamiBee Dish Lifter as the base alongside fresh ginger, which stays in this dish because ginger is the soul of Tinola. The Dish Lifter handles the garlic and onion so you go straight to the magic.
Origin, Historical Background, and the Story Behind Chicken Tinola
Chicken Tinola is one of the oldest recorded dishes in Philippine literature, famously mentioned in Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere in 1887. But its origins go back much further. Long before Spanish colonisation, Filipino communities were already simmering chicken in ginger and broth as both food and medicine.
There is no single documented inventor of Tinola. The name is thought to come from an old Tagalog word describing the gentle bubbling sound of the soup as it simmers. Whatever the etymology, in every Filipino home it simply means warmth, comfort, and care.
What Does Tinola Mean?
The origin of the word is debated, but Tinola today means a ginger-forward chicken broth with green vegetables. The three non-negotiables are ginger, fish sauce, and leafy greens. Everything else can adapt.
Modern Versions and Regional Variations
Traditional Tinola uses bone-in chicken, green papaya, and malunggay leaves. In New Zealand, sayote (chayote) and baby spinach or bok choy are the easiest substitutes and work beautifully.
Bicol: Sometimes adds coconut milk and chilli for a rich, spicy version.
Visayas: Uses malunggay and green banana instead of papaya.
New Zealand Filipino community: Chayote from Asian grocers plus baby spinach, with generous fresh ginger.
Recipe Card
Chicken Tinola with UmamiBee Dish Lifter and Fresh Ginger
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Tools needed: Large pot with lid, wooden spoon, sharp knife and chopping board, measuring jug.
Ingredients
1kg bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or whole chicken cut up)
2 (30g) tablespoons UmamiBee Dish Lifter (Stir Fry/Saute Umami Paste)
1 thumb-sized (30g) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1 medium (300g) green papaya or 2 medium sayote (chayote), peeled and cut into wedges
2 cups (60g) malunggay leaves, baby spinach, or bok choy
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
5 cups (1.25 litres) water
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 to 3 green chillies, whole and optional
Instructions
Step 1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add UmamiBee Dish Lifter and ginger slices. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
Step 2. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally.
Step 3. Add water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Skim any foam from the surface.
Step 4. Add fish sauce. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 5. Add green papaya or sayote. Cook uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes until tender.
Step 6. Add whole green chillies if using, 2 to 3 minutes before the end.
Step 7. Add leafy greens in the last 2 minutes. Stir gently and remove from heat as soon as wilted.
Step 8. Final taste adjustment with fish sauce. Ladle into deep bowls and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Tips for Success
Never skip the ginger. Ginger is the soul of this dish, not a background note. Slice it generously, saute it with the Dish Lifter, and let it perfume the entire pot from the first minute. The warmth in the broth is what makes Tinola feel like medicine.
Use bone-in chicken. The bones give the broth its richness and natural collagen. Boneless chicken produces a thin, flat broth that misses the whole point of Tinola.
Add leafy greens in the last 2 minutes only. Overcooked greens turn yellow, lose their nutrients, and go mushy. Add them at the very end and pull the pot from the heat the moment they wilt.
Season with fish sauce, not salt. Fish sauce adds umami as well as saltiness. Add it gradually and taste each time. You want the broth to be gently savoury, not aggressively salty.
Keep the simmer gentle. A low, steady simmer keeps the broth clear and the chicken moist. Hard boiling makes the chicken dry and the broth cloudy.
Do not break the green chillies. Add them whole if you want gentle warmth. Breaking or slicing them releases all the heat at once into the broth.
Common Questions
Can I use chicken breast instead of bone-in pieces?
You can but the broth will be noticeably thinner and less rich. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks are strongly recommended for the best result.
What can I use instead of green papaya?
Chayote (sayote) from Asian grocery stores is the most common substitute in New Zealand. It has a similar mild sweetness and holds its shape well during cooking.
What can I use instead of malunggay leaves?
Baby spinach, bok choy, or silverbeet all work well. Silverbeet gives a more robust, earthy flavour. Baby spinach is the mildest and most widely available option.
My broth tastes flat. What went wrong?
You likely need more fish sauce and a bit more ginger. The ginger must be sauteed with the Dish Lifter before any liquid is added. If you skipped that step, add more fresh ginger slices now and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Can I make Tinola ahead?
Yes. Store the broth and chicken for up to 3 days and add fresh greens each time you reheat. The ginger continues to infuse the broth overnight and it tastes even better the next day.
Storage and Food Safety
Refrigerator: Store broth and chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep leafy greens separate and add fresh when reheating. Freeze broth and chicken without greens for up to 2 months.
Reheat to at least 75°C. Never leave Tinola at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving, approx. 1.5 cups)
Calories: 220 to 280 kcal | Carbohydrates: 8 to 12g | Protein: 25 to 32g | Fat: 8 to 12g | Sodium: 700 to 900mg
Estimated values only. Actual values vary based on exact ingredients used.
Health and Nutrition Notes
Chicken Tinola is one of the most nutritionally balanced Filipino dishes. Fresh ginger contains gingerol, which has documented anti-inflammatory properties. Bone-in chicken adds collagen to the broth. Malunggay is one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world. A genuinely nourishing meal. Consult a healthcare professional for specific dietary guidance.
MotherBee's Notes
The ginger is not optional and it is not subtle. This is not a dish where you use a small slice and call it done. Be generous. Saute it until fragrant. Let it perfume the broth slowly over low heat. That warmth, that medicine-and-love quality, comes entirely from the ginger doing its job properly.
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