Chicken Tinola

Chicken tinola is a Filipino soup with chicken, green papaya and leafy greens in a ginger-seasoned broth. Vanjo Merano’s version uses both malunggay and hot pepper leaves, with rice wash contributing a slightly starchy base.

Garlic, onion and julienned ginger sauté in cooking oil. The selected bone-in chicken pieces follow until lightly browned, then fish sauce and filtered rice wash enter the pot.

The rice wash comes from washing uncooked rice in water and filtering the liquid. It simmers with the chicken before any needed extra water is added. Green papaya wedges then cook until tender.

Maggi Magic Chicken Cubes season the broth, with ground black pepper optional. After the heat is turned off, hot pepper leaves and malunggay enter; the covered pot’s residual heat cooks them briefly.

The author ladles steaming tinola into a serving bowl with steamed white rice alongside. Ginger, tender chicken and soft papaya give the soup its character, while extra fish sauce and pepper can accompany it separately.