Ginger-Tamarind Chicken Tinola with Green Papaya

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

A comforting Filipino chicken soup simmered with ginger, tamarind broth, and tender green papaya chunks, perfect for a light nourishing meal. This Filipino-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, fresh ginger, sliced thin, garlic cloves, crushed for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 300 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 inches fresh ginger, sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 medium onion, quartered
• 2 cups green papaya, peeled and sliced into 1-inch chunks
• 6 cups water
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 cups fresh spinach or malunggay leaves
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, combine 6 cups water, 2 sliced inches fresh ginger, 4 crushed garlic cloves, and 1 quartered medium onion. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Step 2: Add 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs to the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tamarind paste and 3 tbsp fish sauce, adjusting seasoning with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Step 4: Add 2 cups peeled and chopped green papaya chunks and cook for 10 minutes until papaya is tender but not mushy.
5. Step 5: Just before serving, stir in 2 cups fresh spinach or malunggay leaves and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Serve hot with steamed rice.