Chicken sinigang locally known as sinigang na manok is a type of soup recipe that is famous in the Philippines. Garlic, onions and tomatoes are sautéed together with the chicken. It is then poured with water and mixed with vegetables like taro, okra, eggplant, and kangkong.

It has a distinct savory and sour soup that is so hearty and delicious. Sinigang is often mixed with tamarind sinigang mix that makes the soup sour. It comes in powder form that is readily available and can be bought in supermarkets and Asian stores.

However, other natural ingredients can be a substitute and can be used as a souring agent if it is locally available like kamias, green mango and guava, to name a few.

Chicken Sinigang

Chicken Sinigang Ingredients

Here are the food items you will need to make this delectable chicken sinigang.

chicken. You can use whatever part of the chicken you prefer. For this cooking, I am using various parts of chicken for this sinigang. I bought whole chicken and requested the store staff to cut it for me. I used about 400-500 grams or about 2 pounds of chicken for this dish.

cooking oil. This is used in sautéing the spices and chicken.

garlic – For that garlic flavor and aroma.

onion – Don’t forget your onions.

tomatoes – This add sourness and flavor to the sinigang na manok.

water – For the soup. you may use chicken broth or hugas bigas (rice washing) if you are cooking rice.

taro – I love taro. It adds texture and flavor to this dish.

tamarind sinigang mix. An important ingredient for sinigang.

fish sauce – adds aroma and savory flavor to the sinigang.

ground black pepper. For aroma and flavor.

eggplant. few slices of eggplant will do with this dish. If you love eggplant, feel free to add more.

long beans. I added few long beans for this dish.

okra. I love okra so I added them generously to this sinigang.

kangkong (water spinach). I have plenty of kangkong in my home garden so I added plenty of them to this dish. You can add plenty of this greens to your sinigang. it will shrink once it is wilted.

siling pansigang (long chilli peppers). Do not forget to add your chili peppers.

How to Make Chicken Sinigang

A. Stir and Fry Spices with the chicken

1. Heat oil in a cooking pan. Cook and stir garlic, onion and tomatoes until translucent and aromatic.

2. Add ground black pepper and fish sauce

3. Put in the chicken and cook until color becomes white/ish.

4. Pour water and bring to a boil.

B. Add the Vegetables

5. Add taro and simmer until it becomes fork tender.

6. Put in the sampalok sinigang mix, eggplant, okra and long beans. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

7. Add the kangkong leaves and chilli peppers. Cover and simmer for 30 seconds.

8. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

9. it is best paired with rice. Share and enjoy.

Tips and Substitutions

  1. In the Philippines where rice is a staple, people usually use the rice washing (white/ish water from washing rice) as a substitute to plain water in cooking this dish. It adds texture to the sinigang.
  2. Taro is a great addition to this dish making it complete in itself since taro has carbohydrates. You get your protein from the chicken and you have your veggies. Yay!
  3. Feel free to add more on the vegetables that you like and add less or skip completely on the ones you don’t like. I completely understand especially when you have kids. I personally add more on veggies that my loves want.
  4. Other vegetables that you can use in this dish are slices of radish. For the green leafy vegetables, you may use pechay, bok choy, mustard greens or even cabbage if you don’t have the kang kong or water spinach.
  5. You may use souring natural ingredients if you have it available with you. Some options are kamias, green mango, green tamarind fruit, and otehr locally sourced souring agents.
  6. You do not need to add salt to this sinigang as you have already the fish sauce that is already salty. The sinigang mix has a bit of salt to it already as well.

Chicken Sinigang

Chicken sinigang locally known as sinigang na manok is a type of soup recipe that is famous in the Philippines. Garlic, onions and tomatoes are sautéed together with the chicken. It is then poured with water and mixed with vegetables like taro, okra, eggplant, and kangkong.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Filipino

Keyword: Chicken Sinigang, Sinigang na Manok

Servings: 4 people

Cost: $6

  • 2 pounds chicken chopped, about 500 grams
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 big tomato chopped
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup taro peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind sinigang mix
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 small eggplant chopped
  • 1/2 cup long beans cut into 2 inches long
  • 1 cup okra sliced
  • 2 cups kang kong leaves (water spinach)
  • Heat oil in a cooking pan. Cook and stir garlic, onion and tomatoes until translucent and aromatic.

  • Add ground black pepper and fish sauce

  • Put in the chicken and cook until color becomes white/ish.

  • Pour water and bring to a boil.

  • Add taro and simmer until it becomes fork tender.

  • Put in the sampalok sinigang mix, eggplant, okra and long beans. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes.

  • Add the kangkong leaves and chilli peppers. Cover and simmer for 30 seconds.

  • Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

  • It is best paired with rice. Share and enjoy.

Other Chicken Recipes You May Try

Chicken Tocino

Chicken congee

Cheesy Chicken Spring Rolls

Chicken Afritada

Filipino Chicken Curry

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