Chicken Sinigang Recipe: Filipino Sour Soup and Vegetables

Chicken sinigang is a Filipino sour soup made with tender chicken, tamarind broth, and vegetables, usually served hot with rice. Its bright, savory broth balances hearty chicken with fresh greens, and the vegetables can be adjusted to what is available; family and regional versions vary.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb (1.13 kg) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed if desired
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral cooking oil
1 medium yellow onion, about 6 oz (170 g), sliced
2 medium ripe tomatoes, about 10 oz (280 g), cut into wedges
8 cups (1.9 L) water
2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce, plus more to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened tamarind concentrate, added gradually to taste
8 oz (225 g) daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) half-moons, about 1 1/2 cups
1 medium Asian eggplant, about 8 oz (225 g), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
8 oz (225 g) green beans or long beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) lengths
1 or 2 small green chili peppers, whole, optional
4 cups (120 g) loosely packed spinach or water spinach, tough stems removed
1/2 tsp (2.5 g) fine salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp (0.5 g) ground black pepper, optional

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Slice the onion, cut the tomatoes and vegetables, and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Keep the chicken pieces similar in size so they cook at roughly the same rate. If using long beans, trim away the ends before cutting them. Set the spinach aside to add at the very end.
Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Arrange the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and brown it for about 3 minutes on each side, or 6 minutes total. Browning adds savory flavor, but the chicken will not be cooked through yet. Transfer it to a plate if the pot is crowded.
Soften the aromatics. Add the onion to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes, until they start to soften. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot.
Simmer the chicken. Pour in the water and add the fish sauce and whole chili peppers, if using. Bring the liquid to a boil, which should take about 5 minutes, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Partly cover and simmer for 25 minutes, skimming foam from the surface if you like. Check the thickest chicken piece with a food thermometer without touching bone: USDA FSIS sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If a piece has not reached that temperature, continue simmering and check again.
Season the broth with tamarind. Stir in about half of the tamarind concentrate and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste the broth, then add more concentrate a little at a time until it is pleasantly sour. Tamarind products vary in strength, so the full measured amount may not be needed. Add the salt and black pepper, if using, and adjust the fish sauce for savory depth.
Cook the firm vegetables. Add the daikon and eggplant. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer for about 8 minutes, until the daikon is beginning to turn tender but still holds its shape. Avoid a hard boil, which can break up the vegetables and make the broth cloudy.
Add the beans and greens. Stir in the green beans and simmer for about 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the spinach or water spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until wilted. Taste the broth one last time; add a splash of water if it is too intense, or a little more tamarind or fish sauce if it tastes flat.
Serve hot. Ladle chicken, vegetables, and broth into bowls. Discard the chili peppers if you used them whole, or leave them in for diners who want more heat. Serve with steamed rice on the side.

Tips

Choose tamarind that suits your pantry. Unsweetened tamarind concentrate is convenient and gives the soup its characteristic fruity sourness. If it is hard to find, use a sinigang soup-base mix according to its package directions, starting with less than the full amount and tasting before adding more. Many mixes contain salt and seasonings, so reduce the fish sauce and salt at first. Tamarind paste made from soaked pulp can also work, but strain it well and expect its strength to vary.
Balance sourness gradually. Different concentrates, tomatoes, and personal preferences make the final acidity subjective. Start with half the listed concentrate, taste after it simmers, and build from there. If the soup becomes too sour, dilute it with a little hot water and add a small amount of fish sauce; adding extra salt alone will not remove the tartness.
Keep the vegetables intact. Cut the daikon and eggplant into generous pieces and add vegetables in stages, based on how long they take to soften. A gentle simmer helps the chicken stay tender and keeps the broth clearer. Add leafy greens last because they need only a brief cook.
Use chicken pieces with similar cooking times. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks give the broth a full flavor, while boneless thighs cook faster and are easier to eat. Check every piece at its thickest point, since size and shape affect cooking time. Do not rely on the color of the meat or broth as a safety check.

Serving Suggestions

Serve chicken sinigang in deep bowls while the broth is steaming, with hot plain rice alongside. Diners can spoon rice into the soup or eat it between sips of broth; either approach works well. Put extra fish sauce, sliced chili, or a small dish of calamansi or lime wedges on the table so each person can adjust the seasoning. Citrus is an optional finishing accent rather than a replacement for the tamarind that gives the soup its familiar character.

For a fuller meal, pair the soup with a simple plate of sliced cucumber or a lightly dressed green salad. The soup already contains chicken and several vegetables, so elaborate sides are not necessary. If serving a group, keep the pot covered off the heat and ladle portions as needed rather than leaving individual bowls to cool. Offer extra rice for anyone who prefers a milder balance of broth and sourness.

Variations

Use a different chicken cut: Bone-in thighs and drumsticks are forgiving and add flavor, but a whole chicken cut into serving pieces also works. Boneless thighs can be used; begin checking them earlier because they may cook faster. Breast meat is leaner and can turn dry if simmered too long, so add it later or use larger pieces and monitor it with a thermometer.

Change the vegetables: Water spinach, called kangkong, is a common leafy option, but ordinary spinach is an accessible substitute. It wilts more quickly and has a softer texture. Taro, okra, bok choy, or sliced green cabbage can be used in place of some vegetables, though each changes the texture and the exact cooking time. Add firm vegetables earlier and tender greens near the end.

Make it without fish sauce: Replace the fish sauce with soy sauce, starting with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) and adjusting to taste. Soy sauce gives a different, less distinctly Filipino savory flavor and can darken the broth, so add it gradually. For a vegetarian variation, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth, then include tofu or extra vegetables; this changes the dish substantially from the chicken recipe.

Adjust the heat: Leave the green chilies whole for gentle background heat, pierce one for a spicier broth, or omit them altogether. Whole chilies can be removed before serving. If using chopped chili, add only a little at first because its heat disperses through the soup more quickly.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate leftover soup within 2 hours of cooking, transferring it to shallow, covered containers so it cools promptly. Keep it refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. The vegetables will soften as they sit in the broth, especially leafy greens and eggplant, but the soup remains suitable to reheat within that window if it has been handled and chilled properly.

Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, either in a saucepan over medium heat or in a microwave-safe covered bowl. Stir occasionally so the soup heats evenly, and bring leftovers to 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer. Add a splash of water if the broth has concentrated. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the entire pot. For longer storage, freeze cooled soup in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 to 3 months for best quality; thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating. Frozen vegetables may be softer after thawing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make chicken sinigang with sinigang mix?

Yes. A packaged sinigang mix is a convenient stand-in for tamarind concentrate. Follow the package’s suggested amount for the volume of broth, but add it gradually and taste because mixes differ in sourness and saltiness. Start with less fish sauce than the recipe lists, then season after the mix dissolves.

What can I use instead of tamarind concentrate?

A sinigang soup-base mix is the closest convenient substitute. Tamarind pulp can also be simmered in water and strained to make a sour liquid, though its strength depends on the pulp and it takes extra preparation. Lime or lemon juice can add acidity in a pinch, but the flavor is sharper and more citrusy, not the rounded, fruity sourness of tamarind.

Can I use boneless chicken?

Yes. Boneless thighs are a practical choice and are easy to portion, but they usually need less simmering than bone-in pieces. Start checking them before the 25-minute mark and use a thermometer to confirm that the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). Add them back to the pot if you remove them while the vegetables finish cooking.

How do I keep the broth from becoming too sour?

Add tamarind in stages rather than pouring in the full amount at once. Let each addition simmer briefly, then taste the broth. If it is already too tart, add hot water a little at a time and rebalance with fish sauce. Avoid trying to correct a strongly sour broth with a large amount of salt, which can make it unpleasantly salty without fixing the acidity.

Can I prepare the soup ahead?

You can cook it a day ahead and refrigerate it promptly, but the vegetables will soften overnight. For fresher texture, cook the chicken and broth with the tamarind, cool and refrigerate them, then bring the soup back to a simmer and cook the vegetables shortly before serving. Reheat the finished soup to 165°F (74°C) and avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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