Chicken Dinola (Chicken Soup with Ginger & Vegetables)

Tinola (also spelled dinola) is one of the most beloved soups in Filipino home cooking, and for good reason.

It starts with garlic sizzling in oil, then fresh ginger and onion join the party before chicken pieces get a quick sear with fish sauce (patis) that adds that signature savory depth.

Green papaya simmers in the broth until tender, soaking up all that gingery goodness, and a bunch of fresh spinach gets stirred in right at the end to wilt in the residual heat.

The result is a light, clear, soul-warming soup that Filipinos turn to when someone’s feeling under the weather or when you just need a bowl of something comforting.

Variations

• Use chayote (sayote) instead of green papaya for a more traditional variation from the Visayas region
• Substitute potatoes if green papaya isn’t available at your local market
• Swap spinach for malunggay (moringa) leaves for the most traditional version

Kitchen Tips

• Slice the ginger thin so it infuses the broth without overpowering it
• Add the spinach off the heat and cover; the steam wilts it perfectly without overcooking
• Fish sauce (patis) is the key seasoning here, so taste and adjust before adding extra salt