Ginataang Manok (Filipino chicken in coconut milk)

Filipino chicken braised in coconut milk with ginger, chilli, and fish sauce

Origin: Philippines

From the journey of Coconut.

Ginataang manok, ginataan meaning 'made with coconut milk', manok meaning 'chicken', is one of the foundational dishes of Filipino cooking and a direct expression of the Philippines' deep relationship with the coconut palm. The Philippines is the world's second-largest coconut producer, and coconut milk (gata) forms the base of an entire category of dishes collectively called ginataan, spanning savoury braises to sweet desserts. Ginataang manok belongs to the same flavour family as the coconut-milk curries of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, the shared legacy of Austronesian culinary culture across island Southeast Asia, but it has its own distinct character: the use of patis (fish sauce) for seasoning gives it a particular savoury depth, and the addition of long green chillies and fresh spinach or malunggay (moringa) leaves makes it earthy and green-tasting. Ginger is used generously, sliced, not grated, and it provides warmth without the sharp heat of chilli. The dish is home cooking in the truest sense: comfort food made when coconuts are abundant, which in the Philippines is always. It is eaten with enormous quantities of steamed rice, the coconut sauce spooned over freely.

Ingredients

Protein

  • 800 g chicken pieces (bone-in thighs and drumsticks)

Base

  • 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
  • 200 ml coconut cream

Aromatics

  • 50 g fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
  • 6 piece garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 piece medium onion, sliced
  • 3 piece long green chillies (finger chillies), halved lengthwise

Seasoning

  • 2 tbsp patis (Filipino fish sauce) or light soy sauce
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Cooking

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil

Vegetables

  • 100 g fresh spinach or malunggay (moringa) leaves

Method

  1. Heat oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches, skin-side down first, for 3–4 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove and set aside. This step is optional but adds depth.
  2. In the same pan over medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, and ginger for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the green chillies.
  3. Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the coconut milk (not the coconut cream yet). Add the patis and black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce slightly.
  5. Stir in the coconut cream and heat through for 3 minutes; do not boil. Add the spinach or moringa leaves and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with patis and pepper.
  6. Serve immediately over steamed white rice, spooning the rich coconut sauce generously over the top.

Notes

Malunggay (moringa) leaves are the traditional choice and available in Filipino grocery stores. They add a slight bitter earthiness that balances the richness of the coconut. Fresh spinach is an excellent and more widely available substitute. This dish reheats beautifully: the flavours deepen overnight.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

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