Chicken Tinola with Love

# Want chicken tinola but short on cash? Read this blog and I’ll show you how.

Chicken Tinola is one of the most beloved dishes in Filipino cuisine. It’s a simple soup dish that stands out because of its clear, and refreshing broth. The flavor is light, clean, and very comforting. That’s why many Filipinos turn to it during the rainy season. It’s also the go-to meal when someone at home has a cold or isn’t feeling well.

Photos are edited using canva.

Main ingredients:

1. Chicken - I recommend using bone-in chicken parts like thighs, drumsticks, and wings for your tinola because they create a richer, more savory broth as they simmer. Native chicken is the gold standard for authentic flavor, but if it’s not available, regular chicken from your local sari-sari store is a great substitute and will still give you a delicious, comforting soup.

2. Green Papaya fruit - You won’t even need to buy green papaya most of the time because it’s commonly grown in Filipino backyards. It’s one of the key ingredients in tinola, giving the broth a light sweetness and a soft, comforting texture. If papaya isn’t available, chayote is a reliable substitute. Still, I always choose papaya when I can — it’s convenient, free, and it makes the tinola taste like the one I had growing up.

3. Chili leaves- Instead of Moringa (malunggay), I always use chili leaves for my tinola. They’re easy to find around our area, and I love how they add a mild peppery taste to the broth. For me, that flavor works better than Moringa (malunggay) or any other leafy greens.

4. Onion/garlic- Sauté these aromatics first, just like in most Filipino dishes. They build the base flavor of the Tinola broth.

5. Ginger,lemon grass,bay leaves - These are the aromatics that make Tinola stand out. Ginger removes the gamey smell from the chicken, while lemongrass and bay leaves give the broth a fresh, clean, and slightly citrusy flavor. Best part? You can usually get them for free from your backyard or a neighbor.

Steps on how I cook my chicken Tinola:

• Prepare all the needed ingredients and a big cooking pan. Slice everything accordingly.
• Heat the pan. Instead of using oil, use the chicken skin to render its own fat.
• Sauté the aromatics: garlic, onion, and ginger until fragrant.
• Add the chicken, salt, bay leaves, and secret ingredients to make it more savory.
• Simmer until the liquid reduces and the chicken lightly browns.
• Remove the chicken to avoid overcooking since it’s not native chicken.
• Add more water and bring it to a boil.
• Add the green papaya and cook until tender.
• Finish by adding lemongrass and chili leaves during the last 2–3 minutes.

Expenses:

• 1 kilo chicken - 240.00
• Onion/garlic- 7.00
• Bay leaves/ginger-5.00

With just 1 kilo of chicken, this Tinola can feed 10 people. The budget is small, but this meal goes a long way. It’s made for the sugarcane field workers in our area — they do heavy labor all day under the sun, and a hot bowl of soup helps them regain their strength and energy.

This isn’t just a simple savory dish — it’s a meal with purpose. It feeds the hungry, fuels the workers, and reminds us that good food doesn’t have to be expensive to be meaningful.

Thank you for stopping by, dear readers!

PS: I use an app to check my grammar, but the content is mine.