How To Cook The Best Binakol Na Manok

Being an archipelago, the Philippines has a wide array of culinary offerings that range from the traditional to the most exotic and even bizarre. 

And each province has its signature recipes that they take pride in. 

And in the Visayas, especially in the Panay Islands, there is one dish that stands out and tickles many foods' curiosity. This chicken soup dish's unique components are sure to satisfy the curious palate of any adventurous food. 

Let's not prolong this chit chat and go straight ahead with our featured dish for this article. Allow us to share the things you need to know when cooking the best Binakol na Manok at home. 

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What is Best Binakol na Manok Recipes

Binakol na Manok is a unique chicken soup dish hailing from the Visayas region and is widely popular amongst the Panay islands' dwellers. At a glance, this dish is the same as Tinola, another well-known chicken soup dish, because of the components used. However, the significant difference is the use of coconut water for the broth. 

It may sound complicated and difficult to perfect, but cooking this dish is relatively simple. All you need to do is simmer all the ingredients together—the rustic charm of how this dish adds to this traditional soup dish's delight. 

History claims that this chicken dish came from Aklan, a province in the islands of Panay. The said province's landscape is a dot with coconut trees and partners with the locals' ingenuity, hence the dish is born. 

And because of inter-migration, meaning many locals come from the province traveling to nearby areas, and the love and appreciation for our recipes also spread in the big cities. Nearly all the neighboring regions like Iloilo, Capiz, and Bacolod have their version of it. 

One might even be confused about where it came from because of its fame, especially in the said regions. But having that kind of fame gives you an idea of how delicious and flavorful our featured dish is.

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Ways to Cook Chicken Binakoe Recipes

If you search for ways to cook this classic dish, look no further because we got you covered. We have listed down some proven ways to cook these recipes at home. 

Instant pot Chicken Binakoe Recipes

The convenience that is Instant Pot, because of this reliable kitchen innovation, multitudes of recipes can be cook minus a lot of the hassle. One of them is our featured dish for this article. It can do the duty of many kitchen cookware with just a click of a button. 

Please set it to saute mode and saute the ingredients to draw out the flavors in them. After sauteeing, change the Instant pot's setting to the appropriate setting for chicken and let it do its magic.

The instant pot is more like the upgraded version of the pressure cooker. This cookware utilizes pressure to cook and tenderize meats for a shorter period. And because of the available settings, it can also do the functions of other cooking appliances such as frying and sauteing. 

Stovetop Chicken Binakoe Recipes

The traditional cooking approach is probably the stovetop method since most households in the Philippines rely on stovetop cooking. This method will not require you to use any fancy cookware; what you have in the kitchen is enough to cook our featured dish. 

One can use any saucepan or heavy-bottomed pan, so long as they can hold adequate amounts of liquid since this dish is soup-based. Sautee the ingredients; this allows for the natural juices and oils to draw out from them. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and simmer until cooked. 

Stovetop cooking is the most common approach to cooking, not just for our recipes but also for most Filipino culinary offerings. And since not every household has the convenience of modern kitchen equipment, going old school is never a problem. 

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Other Delicious Variants and Recipes of Chicken Binakoe 

As we have written in this article, our dish is famous for its origins and has also reached national fame. That is why variants of this dish have been creating in many regions throughout the archipelago. 

So to give you an idea, we have here a list of variants of our recipes that you can recreate at home, and who knows, you might even create your version of it. 

Chicken Binakoe Iloilo Recipes

Iloilo is a province located as well in the Panay Islands. That is why there is no surprise that they have their version of the recipes. There is just a minor difference in the overall flavor profile of this Ilonggo variant. 

The procedure is pretty much the same when cooking the dish. Saute the ingredients to draw out the flavors, especially from the chicken. The natural oils blending establishes the savory flavor of the soup. 

What makes this unique from the original is the addition of chilies that kick the broth that goes well with slight sweetness due to the buko water. The well-rounded flavors of the dish make it genuinely palatable and delectable. 

Binakol na Manok sa Buko (Coconut) Recipes

Creativity and ingenuity are the trademarks of this variant. The Filipino spirit to never put anything to waste is demonstrating in this version of our recipes. There's nothing fancy about how the variant was executing, but what sets this apart is the presentation. 

Follow the steps, as indicated in the dish. Then simmer everything until cooked. After simmering, this is where the fun part happens. Scoop in the cooked chicken and broth into the buko shells. It will serve as the bowl. 

This method ensures that nothing goes to waste and makes the dish even more presentable. 

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Trivia

Trivias are always fun. Especially for foods that we love to eat, knowing a few fun facts about them makes us appreciate them even more. So we have here some fun facts about Chicken Binakol that we want to share with you. 

The main component of the dish, which is coconut, is dubbed as the tree of life. That is because every part of this tree, from the roots up to the fruits and leaves, are usable. Coconut juice is rich in hydrating nutrients and the trunk for lumber for making houses. 

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Tips

We also want to share a few tips for improving the quality and the flavor of Chicken Binakol. So here are some of them. 

• If possible, use the native chicken variety because they are free-range; thus, they are more flavorful. 
• Stir-fry the meat first to draw out the flavors before putting in the broth. 
• Use young coconut; they are sweeter, and the meat is more tender than mature ones. 

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Troubleshooting

At times, kitchen mishaps happen but do not fret because we have some classic troubleshooting tips which can help you remedy the problems when cooking our recipes. 

• If the broth is too bland, try adding in fish sauce or chicken bouillon cubes. 
• If the coconut water is overpowering, add a cup of rice wash into the broth. It also helps thicken the broth. 

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Best Serve With

Soup recipes are perfect with other food offerings. That is why we have a list of foods that you can partner with our recipes. 

• Tortang Alamang

This fritter dish's crunchy texture and salty flavor is a perfect complement to the slightly sweet and flavorful broth of our recipes. 

• Taco Fried Rice

The Filipino dining experience is never complete without rice. That is why this flavorful and aromatic rice dish is the perfect canvas for our chicken soup recipes. 

• Maruya Saba Banana

This combination gives you that countryside vibe. The feel of eating banana fritter on a late afternoon partnered with a warm bowl of our recipes is like a trip down memory lane. 

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Conclusion

Traditional recipes are not that difficult to cook, especially if we have the correct cooking information. And because of that, we are confident that with all these tips and tricks written in this article, you are more than enough to replicate these classic chicken soup recipes at home. And who knows, you may even be able to create your take on it. 

So until next time, happy cooking! 

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