Chicken Binakol

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From our recent dinner in Ortego's Deli, my husband enjoyed eating chicken binakol. It is very similar to chicken tinola but instead of boiling it with water, it was cooked with coconut juice and coconut meat.

Chicken Binakol is very popular dish in Iloilo and making its way to all other regions. I am lucky that even if I'm here abroad, I had a chance to taste this dish. And since my husband and I really enjoyed it, I did my version of chicken binakol. Indeed a comfort food especially now that it is almost winter here in UAE.


Ingredients:

• 1 Kg chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 2 pieces sayote (chayote), cut into slices or can be replaced with 1 medium green papaya cut into cubes
• 1 bunch of petchay (chinese cabbage/bokchoy) or can be replaced with 1 cup chili leaves or malunggay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of chili flakes or 1 piece of fresh chili
• 6 cups coconut water
• 1 cup coconut meat cut into about 1x1 inch or just scrape it with spoon
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks lemongrass, cut into 1 inch
• 1 thumb sized ginger, cut into strips
• 3 tablespoon fish sauce(patis)
• 4 tablespoon oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. In a sauce pan, heat oil then saute ginger, garlic, onion.
2. Put the chicken.
3. Season with fish sauce, chili flakes and pepper. Continue sauteing until light brown. 
4. Pour coconut water cover and let it simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.
5. Add in sayote and cover then simmer again for another 7 minutes.
6. Add lemon grass and coconut meat.
7. Season with salt according to taste.
8. Add pechay leaves, cover then turn off the heat.
9. Serve and enjoy!