Tinola is Filipino comfort food and perfect for cooler weather. This hearty chicken soup features a gingery broth that is so warming and smells amazing! Each bowl contains a whole piece of chicken and tender chunks of green papaya; a scoop of steamed rice is a must for a complete meal. Fresh, flavorful, and deeply savory and ready in under an hour.

Chicken soup is universal and this version hits all the right notes. It’s familiar, yet different. I would categorize this as a soup-stew. Traditionally, the chicken is left on the bone, which gives the broth additional flavor. It’s really essential in providing that rich deep flavor. The strong, assertive flavor of ginger is not only flavorful, but is also a key player in fighting germs and warding away colds. And the green papaya which many people may enjoy in salads, becomes a whole new vegetable when cooked. The papaya gives heft and some substance to the soup. Liking what you’re hearing? Well let’s get to it.

Prep the Tinola Ingredients

This is an easy and straightforward soup recipe. First I start by prepping the chicken and veggies.

The chicken for this dish is usually cut into small chunks, which makes it easier to eat, and also makes more economical servings because you can get divvy up the chicken between more people. However, it’s not as easy to buy your chicken cut up this way here in the US. If you are able to find it, buy all means, go ahead and get it. But for simplicity’s sake, I’m using chicken legs. First, cut through the joints to separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks. Next, cut off any excess fat. I do leave the skin on because a little chicken fat is nice to have in a chicken soup. Plus there’s something about naked chicken parts in soup that I find disturbing 😉

Next you’re going to prepare the green papaya. Cut the papaya in half (you may only use part of the papaya depending on the size) and peel it. Then scoop out the seeds, making sure to also scrape any of the spongy fiber. Finally cut it into thick wedges.

The last step before cooking is to prepare your aromatics. Slice up some onion and smash some cloves of garlic. Tinola is one chicken soup that does not shy away from ginger. After peeling, the ginger gets smashed with a wooden spoon to help release its flavor. This is also a really fun way to get out some aggression…

Cooking Tinola

Now that all the ingredients are prepped, it’s time to start cooking. First the chicken gets browned, then the aromatics are added, and then we create the broth.

Now I pour in the chicken stock. This is my go to stock recipe but store bought will work well too. A dollop of fish sauce adds just the perfect funky pop.

The most important part is to make sure that the papaya is fully cooked through. It should not be al dente with a core in the middle. Papaya is a very firm vegetable so cooking it well will not turn it to mush. Once the papaya is cooked, take out the pieces of ginger and discard it. Then, throw in your spinach, taste and adjust seasoning as needed, and it’s ready for the table. This soup is made to be served with rice and Filipinos add it right to the bowl. So the soup will probably be a little more salty than a typical chicken soup. If you’re not serving this with rice (really?), then be a little more conservative with the seasoning.

Ladle the tinola into serving bowls, placing one piece of chicken in each bowl with plenty of papaya. One bite and you’ll never look at chicken soup the same.

This is a family favorite during sweater weather; I hope you love it too. Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen- we love hearing from you!

Tinola

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: soup
• Cuisine: Filipino

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Ingredients

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Fillings:

• 2 chicken leg quarters
• 1 Tablespoon neutral oil
• ½ small green papaya (approximately ¾ pounds)
• ½ large onion
• 1 large handful baby spinach (approximately 1 ounce)
• 1 piece of ginger about the size of your palm (about 5 ounces)
• 4 large cloves garlic

Soup:

• 4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt (if needed)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper
• A couple pinches ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Cut the leg quarters at the joint so you have 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs. Trim any excess fat but do not peel the skin off. Set aside.
2. Cut the papaya in half. Peel and seed the papaya, scraping out any of the spongy fibers under the seeds.
3. Then cut the papaya lengthwise into 3 or 4 wedges. Cut across the papaya into thick wedges. Set aside.
4. Peel the onion and slice into ½ inch pieces. Put the onion into a bowl. 
5. Cut the ginger into a couple of pieces.
6. Peel the ginger and then cover with a kitchen towel and smack with a wooden spoon to smash it. Add the ginger to the onion.
7. Smash the garlic and add it to the ginger bowl.
8. Heat a large heavy bottom pan or dutch oven over medium high heat for several minutes. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium and add the chicken skin side down.
9. Cook the chicken undisturbed for 2 minutes to brown the skin, and then flip the chicken and cook the other side for another two minutes.
10. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and stir for 1 minute to combine.
11. Pour in the chicken broth and add the papaya.
12. Stir in the fish sauce, white, and black pepper.
13. Bring the soup to a simmer over high heat.
14. Cover with a lid, lower heat to medium low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the papaya is translucent and tender. 
15. After the first 10 minutes of cooking, taste the broth. It should be a little saltier than soup since it will be served with rice. Add the salt if needed.  
16. Remove the pieces of ginger from the soup and discard.
17. Add the spinach and cook for a minute until it is wilted.
18. Serve the tinola with steamed rice on the side. 

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Notes

*If you’re using water instead of stock, add 1 teaspoon salt when you add the fish sauce. Then after cooking the chicken for 10 minutes, taste it and adjust seasoning as needed.

Keywords: soup, chicken, filipino, tinola, comfort food, fall, winter, green papaya

It may sound incredible that you can make some of the best salmon you’ve ever had with just TWO ingredients, but it’s true. Simple, fast, and fool proof, Shio Koji salmon uses a traditional Japanese method that creates deeply flavorful and moist salmon with just a few minutes of hands-on prep. Salmon is rich with Omega-3’s that are essential to heart health and this recipe helps you get it on the table with a minimum of fuss, so let’s get into it.

What is Shio Koji?

A favorite seasoning for Japanese home cooks, shio koji is made from rice inoculated with a harmless mold. (Mold also being a key ingredient in lots of yummy things from dry aged steaks to wine!) It is used to marinate and tenderize meat, and provides rich savory umami goodness. You can easily make your own shio koji at home, and I show you how here. It is also readily available online and in Asian markets that specialize in Japanese ingredients. 

Making Shio Koji Salmon

I like to use a skin on salmon fillet for this, and I start by cutting the salmon into equal portions. This isn’t so much a recipe as a method. Each serving of salmon (about 5-6 ounces) needs 1 Tablespoon of shio koji. I bought a package of salmon, which was about a pound, so I cut it into 3 servings. If you want a larger serving of salmon for each person, I suggest giving two smaller pieces rather than one large piece of fish. This will allow the shio koji to penetrate the fish evenly and fully.

The salmon should marinate in the shio koji for at least 6 hours. I like to leave it overnight for the most flavor. Plus it’s nice to start the day knowing your dinner is pretty much already taken care of! When you are ready to cook the salmon, make sure you take off an excess shio koji as it easily burns. I use my hands but you can use a paper towel if you prefer.

Broil the salmon for 6-8 minutes. You do not need to flip the salmon. Keep a close eye on it; I like it to get a good char in places but you don’t want it too burnt.

I like to serve Shio Koji Salmon with a simple green veggie like Sesame Green Beans or Japanese Style Spinach for an easy, healthful, and delicious meal. Try it and let me know what you think by commenting on the recipe below. And don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations!

Shio Koji Salmon

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 5 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 3 1x
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Japanese

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Ingredients

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• 1 lb skin-on salmon fillet
• 3 Tablespoons Shio Koji

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Instructions

1. Cut the salmon into 3 equal pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel and place the pieces of salmon into a storage container. 
2. Pour the shio koji over the salmon and gently coat the salmon with the shio koji. 
3. Cover and refrigerate the salmon overnight or at least 6 hours. The longer you marinate the salmon the more flavor will be absorbed.
4. Move the oven rack to the second shelf from the top (about 8 inches from the heat source) and set the broiler to high.
5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with a little oil (to keep the skin from sticking).
6. Using your hands, wipe off the excess shio koji from the salmon and place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet.
7. Broil the salmon for 6-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it. It will get very caramelized. (You can put some foil on top or move it down another shelf if you think it’s getting too charred).
8. I like salmon to be just cooked on the inside. If you prefer well done salmon, tip the pieces over to the side and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
9. Transfer the shio koji salmon to a plate, garnish with some lemon wedges and serve.

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Keywords: salmon, marinate, healthy, japanese, seafood