It’s been cold and rainy out where I live at, so I decided to make something comforting. Today, I will show you how to make my version of chicken tinola, which is a Filipino chicken soup. This is perfect for cold weather or if you’re feeling under the weather. If you’re not feeling well, add more ginger, for ginger is known to help fight infections and is loaded with antioxidants. This dish is traditionally made with papaya and malunggay, which may also help decrease inflammation and reduce pain.

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Ingredients:

1.5 – 2 lbs of chicken (I used chicken wings, but you can use any type of cut or a whole chicken.)

1 chayote peeled and cubed (discard the core).

Ginger – 5 – 1 inch length x 1/4 inch wide

5 cloves of garlic chopped

1/2 yellow onion diced

salt and pepper for seasoning

2 big handfuls of spinach

Thai Chili (optional)

Water – I used about 3 cups

1 – 2 tbs of fish sauce (depending on your taste)

Instructions:

1. Peel and rinse your chayote. Chop your chayote in half and quarter the chayote to discard the core. Chop your chayote into 2″X1″ cubes.
2. In a pot, heat oil and saute your onions, garlic and ginger. Season lightly with salt and saute until onions are softened.
3. Add your chicken (if you are using a whole chicken, make sure to clean and chop your chicken into 8 pieces) to the pot, season with pepper, drizzle of fish sauce and mix. Let the chicken sit until it changes from pink to a very light brown.
4. Add water, just enough to cover chicken. I used about 3 cups of water and Thai chili.
5. Bring to boil, you will see impurities float to the top, remove impurities.
6. Lower to simmer until chicken is almost cooked through.
7. Once chicken is almost cooked through, add your chayote and adjust seasoning by adding fish sauce.
8. Once chayote is fork tender, turn off heat/fire, add your spinach, mix and cover. Let the residual heat cook the spinach.
9. Serve with a bowl of rice and a side of fish sauce for dipping (optional).