Chicken Binakol with Young Coconut

Chicken Binakol with Young Coconut Recipe

Chicken Binakol is a delicate Ilonggo chicken soup simmered with coconut water, young coconut meat, ginger, lemongrass, green papaya, and leafy greens.

Yield: 6 servings Serving size: 1 1/2 cups soup with chicken

Yield note: Bone-in chicken gives better broth; boneless thighs shorten cooking by about 15 minutes.

Shopping List

Meat

• Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks

Produce

• Ginger
• Lemongrass
• Green papaya or chayote
• Malunggay or spinach
• Scallions

Pantry

• Unsweetened coconut water
• Young coconut meat
• Fish sauce
• Jasmine rice

Ingredients

Soup

• 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 inches ginger, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 6 cups unsweetened coconut water
• 2 cups chicken stock or water
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetables

• 2 cups green papaya or chayote wedges
• 1 cup young coconut meat strips
• 2 cups malunggay leaves or baby spinach
• 2 scallions, sliced
• Calamansi or lime wedges

Serve

• Steamed rice
• Fish sauce with chilies, optional

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt.
2. Warm oil in a heavy pot. Add onion, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass; cook 3 minutes until aromatic.
3. Add chicken pieces and cook 5 minutes, turning once, just until the outside loses its raw look.
4. Pour in coconut water and stock. Add fish sauce and salt.
5. Bring to a simmer, skim foam from the surface, then cover loosely and cook 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.
6. Add green papaya or chayote and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, until just tender.
7. Stir in young coconut meat and simmer 3 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and add malunggay or spinach. Cover for 2 minutes to wilt.
9. Rest the soup 10 minutes, then taste and adjust with fish sauce or calamansi.
10. Serve hot with rice and scallions.