Filipino Coconut Chicken Stew

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

Filipino Coconut Chicken Stew is a comforting braise of bone-in chicken thighs simmered in rich coconut milk with garlic, ginger, and fish sauce, finished with tender vegetables and leafy greens. The dish balances creamy, savory, and gently spicy notes for a soul-warming one-pot meal traditionally served over steamed jasmine rice.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 540 kcalCalories
• 38 gFat
• 22 gSaturated Fat
• 11 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 4 gSugar
• 36 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 75 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 28 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken and aromatics

• 1.5 lb bone-in chicken thighs, skin-on, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 long green chilies (siling haba), slit lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the coconut sauce

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, unshaken
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis), plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh calamansi or lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetables and garnish

• 1 small chayote (sayote), peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 small Filipino or baby eggplant, sliced into thick rounds
• 2 cups baby spinach or fresh moringa (malunggay) leaves
• Steamed jasmine rice, for serving

Directions

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season lightly with the salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Sear the chicken skin-side down for 3 to 4 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown, then flip and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic, ginger, and green chilies and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
4. Scoop the thick coconut cream off the top of the can and stir it into the pot, cooking for 1 minute. Pour in the remaining coconut milk along with the chicken broth, fish sauce, calamansi juice, and black pepper, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
5. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through, until the meat is nearly cooked through.
6. Add the chayote, green beans, and eggplant to the pot. Re-cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are fork-tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F (80°C) at the thickest part.
7. Stir in the spinach or moringa leaves and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce, a squeeze of calamansi, or a pinch of sugar if needed to balance the flavors.
8. Ladle the stew over steamed jasmine rice, making sure to spoon plenty of the rich coconut sauce over each portion. Serve hot with extra calamansi halves on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• For the creamiest sauce, use a can of full-fat coconut milk and separate the thick cream to sauté the aromatics before stirring in the thinner milk later; this prevents the sauce from splitting.
• Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs stay juicy during the longer simmer; if substituting boneless breasts, reduce the total braising time to about 15 minutes so the meat does not dry out.
• If you cannot find chayote, substitute with zucchini added in the last 4 minutes, or with 1 small waxy potato added 5 minutes earlier with the green beans.
• Calamansi gives the stew its signature bright, Filipino-style finish, but fresh lime or lemon juice works well as a substitute; add it off the heat so the flavor stays lively.
• The stew tastes even better the next day as the sauce infuses the meat; refrigerate and reheat gently, adding a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen the sauce as it thickens.

You might also like

Desserts

Filipino Caramel Custard with Sweetened Condensed Milk

Asian

Filipino Chicken and Ginger Rice Porridge

Desserts

Filipino Sticky Rice Cake with Caramelized Coconut Topping

Asian

Filipino Crispy Fried Pork Knuckle