Chicken Binakol

Filipino Style Recipe:Chicken binakol or binakol na manok is another chicken soup popular in Visayas Region specially in Iloilo. This is similar to tinolang manok, instead of regular water we used coconut water and coconut meat. This simple Filipino dish is traditionally cooked inside the bamboo and they used native chicken to give more aroma and taste.

Estimated time of preparation and cooking: 45 minutes. Good for 4-6 persons.

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 pieces green papaya or chayote(sayote), cut into serving pieces
1 cup chili leaves or malunggay leaves
1 thumb-sized ginger, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoon fish sauce(patis)
6 cups coconut water
1 cup coconut meat
4 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. In a sauce pan, heat oil then saute ginger, garlic, onion and lemongrass.
2. Add chicken and continue sauteing until light brown then season with fish sauce.
3. Pour coconut water, coconut meat then simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add water if necessary.
4. Add in papaya then simmer for another 5 minutes or vegetables are tender but not overcooked.
5. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
6. Add chili leaves then turn off the heat. Let stand for a few minutes to cook the leaves.
7. Transfer to a serving dish and serve. Enjoy!

(photo credit to Chef Ricardo)

Chicken Binakol