Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Binakol Coconut Chicken Soup
菲律賓椰青雞湯
Recipe overview
Chicken pieces simmered in young coconut water with ginger, lemongrass and green papaya; a light Visayan soup.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 800 g bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 litre young coconut water
- 150 g young coconut flesh
- 300 g green papaya
- 30 g ginger
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1 medium onion
- 2 stalks spring onions
Seasoning
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
02
Tools
- cutting board
- kitchen knife
- deep soup pot
- skimmer
- ladle
- measuring jug
- measuring spoons
- food thermometer
- soup bowls
03
Steps
Step 1
Cut the chicken
Cut chicken into serving pieces and pat dry.
Step 2
Prepare aromatics
Slice ginger and onion; lightly bruise the lemongrass.
Step 3
Cut green papaya
Peel and deseed green papaya, then cut it into even cubes.
Step 4
Add coconut water
Pour 1 litre of young coconut water into a deep pot.
Step 5
Add chicken and aromatics
Add chicken, ginger, onion and lemongrass.
Step 6
Skim the broth
Bring just to a simmer and skim off the foam.
Step 7
Simmer the chicken
Cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
Step 8
Add the papaya
Add papaya and simmer 12 minutes until tender.
Step 9
Add coconut and fish sauce
Add coconut flesh and fish sauce; stir gently.
Step 10
Check chicken temperature
Probe the thickest chicken piece; its centre must reach 74°C.
Step 11
Adjust seasoning
Taste and adjust with salt and black pepper.
Step 12
Serve the soup
Remove lemongrass, scatter sliced spring onions and serve in four bowls.
Common mistakes
- A hard boil toughens the chicken and clouds the broth.
- Large papaya chunks stay hard when the chicken is cooked.
- Serving bone-in chicken without checking the thickest piece is unsafe.
Tips
Young coconut water is naturally sweet. Add fish sauce first and salt only at the end; keep a gentle simmer and verify the thickest chicken reaches 74°C.
