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Pesang Manok (Filipino Ginger Chicken Soup)

Pesang Manok (Filipino Ginger Chicken Soup)

Pesang Manok is a Filipino ginger-forward soup featuring tender chicken, potatoes, and leafy greens in a pristine broth seasoned with fish sauce. Unlike its cousin Tinola, which includes green papaya and moringa leaves, Pesa's simplicity hinges on the interplay between fresh ginger's warmth and light, clean flavors. It's a homestyle dish that exemplifies the Filipino talent for creating deep flavor from minimal ingredients.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Filipino
Servings 4
Calories 571 kcal
Difficulty Easy

Equipment

  • Large pot (kaldero) for simmering the soup
  • Sharp knife (kutsilyo) for cutting ingredients
  • Cutting board (Sangkalan) for prep work
  • Spider strainer (sandok) for skimming impurities
  • Measuring spoons (kutsara pansukat) for precise measurements
  • Wooden Spoon (Sandok Kahoy) for gentle stirring
  • Peeler for preparing vegetables

Ingredients
 

For the Broth Base

  • 1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds, cut into serving pieces (manok)
  • 6 cups water tubig
  • 2 thumb-sized ginger luya, peeled and pounded
  • 1 large onion sibuyas, peeled and quartered
  • ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns paminta
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce patis
  • Salt asin to taste

Vegetables

  • 2 medium potatoes patatas, peeled and quartered
  • 1 small Napa cabbage repolyo, cut into pieces
  • 1 bunch bok choy pechay, ends trimmed and cut into pieces

Instructions
 

  • Begin by preparing your ingredients: Cut one whole chicken (3-4 pounds) into serving pieces. Peel and pound 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger (luya). Peel and quarter 1 large onion (sibuyas). Peel and quarter the potatoes (patatas). Cut the Napa cabbage (repolyo) and bok choy (pechay) into pieces.
  • Place the chicken pieces and 6 cups of water (tubig) in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat (82°C/180°F). Using a spider strainer (sandok), carefully skim off any scum or foam (bula) that rises to the surface to ensure a clear broth (hanggang maging malinaw ang sabaw).
  • Once the broth is clear, reduce heat to medium-low (71°C/160°F). Add the pounded ginger, quartered onion, ½ teaspoon whole peppercorns (paminta), and 2 tablespoons fish sauce (patis). Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender (hanggang lumambot ang manok).
  • Add the quartered potatoes to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes until fork-tender (hanggang maluto ang patatas). Add the Napa cabbage and bok choy, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are crisp-tender but still bright green (hanggang maluto pero crispy pa rin ang gulay).
  • Season with additional salt (asin) to taste. Let the soup rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice (kanin) and condiments like fish sauce with calamansi or crushed garlic in vinegar.

Tips from Lola's Kitchen

  1. Use native chicken (native na manok) for more flavorful broth
  2. Pound ginger before adding to release more flavor
  3. Save rice washing water (pinaghugasan ng bigas) to use instead of plain water for deeper flavor
  4. Add ginger gradually - you can always add more but can't take it away
  5. Let soup rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld
 

Nutrition

Calories: 571kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 44gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 1022mgPotassium: 393mgFiber: 8gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 271IUVitamin C: 181mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 5mg
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