Waterless Chicken Soup Recipe – Filipino Style
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 to 1.5 hours | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes | Servings: 5
This Waterless Chicken Soup Recipe is the viral Filipino style soup that everyone is talking about right now. No water, no broth cubes, and no complicated steps. You simply place the whole chicken and vegetables in a pot, cover it, and let everything slowly cook on low heat until the ingredients release their own natural juices and create a concentrated, flavorful broth on their own. The result is a clear, collagen rich soup that tastes deeply of chicken with no artificial shortcuts.
In this Filipino style version, the chicken is paired with napa cabbage, apple, ginger, and spring onion, then served with a homemade ginger garlic dipping sauce finished with hot oil. The steps are simple but easy to get wrong if you do not know the key rules. Read through the tips before you start and you will get it right on your first try.
Waterless Chicken Soup Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 1 Medium Sized Napa Cabbage (or Baguio Cabbage)
- 1 Big Size Apple
- 1 Piece White Onion
- 1 Stalk Spring Onion
- 2 to 3 Thumb-sized Ginger
- 2 to 3 Pieces Carrots
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- For the Dipping Sauce:
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger, minced
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Spring Onion, chopped
- 1/8 Cup Hot Cooking Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
How to Cook Waterless Chicken Soup
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
-Slice the apple, ginger, white onion, spring onion, carrots, and napa cabbage into big chunks. Do not cut them too small. Set them aside.
Step 2: Clean the Chicken
-Wash and clean the whole chicken thoroughly under running water, then pat dry.
Step 3: Season the Chicken
-Rub the chicken all over with rock salt and set aside.
Step 4: Layer the Pot
-Place the onion, apple, carrots, and napa cabbage into the pot first, then place the whole chicken on top of the vegetables.
Step 5: Add the Aromatics
-Place the sliced ginger and spring onion on top of the chicken, then season with pepper.
Step 6: Cook Covered on Low Heat
-Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and cook on low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours. Do not lift the lid while it cooks. Every time the lid is opened, steam escapes and that slows down the broth from building up.
Step 7: Prepare the Sauce Base
-While the chicken cooks, prepare the dipping sauce. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix and set aside.
Step 8: Heat the Oil
-In a pan, heat 1/8 cup of cooking oil until it is very hot and lightly smoking. Use a non-stick pan for this step.
Step 9: Finish the Dipping Sauce
-Once the oil is hot and bubbling, carefully pour it over the sauce mixture. It will sizzle up immediately so pour slowly and stand back a little. Stir to combine.
Step 10: Taste and Serve
-In the last 15 minutes of cooking, taste the broth and add salt if needed. The rock salt rub on the chicken already adds saltiness as it cooks so taste before adding more. Once done, serve hot with steamed rice and the dipping sauce on the side.
Tips on Cooking Waterless Chicken Soup
Tip 1: Use a non-stick pan for the sauce – The hot oil step works best in a non-stick pan so the garlic and ginger do not stick or burn when the oil is poured over them.
Tip 2: Cut the napa cabbage and apple into big chunks – Do not slice them thin. Big chunks release liquid slowly over the full cook time instead of turning mushy too early and running out of liquid before the chicken is done.
Tip 3: Do not lift the lid while it cooks – Every time you open the pot, steam escapes and that steam is what is cooking the chicken and building the broth. Keep the lid on the entire time until the last 15 minutes when you check the seasoning.
Tip 4: Slice or score the ginger before adding it – This helps the ginger release its flavor into the broth instead of just sitting in the pot without contributing much.
Tip 5: Be careful when pouring the hot oil over the sauce – The mixture will sizzle up immediately. Pour slowly and keep your face and hands away from the bowl when you pour.
Tip 6: Taste the broth only in the last 15 minutes – The rock salt rub on the chicken already adds saltiness as it cooks. Taste near the end before adding more salt so you do not over season the broth.
Beginner Troubleshooting Guide
Problem 1: The broth tastes bland
Solution: Let it cook a little longer, or add salt gradually while tasting until the flavor is right.
What caused it: The vegetables may not have released enough natural sweetness yet, or the chicken needed more time to fully flavor the broth.
Problem 2: The sauce oil does not sizzle when poured
Solution: Heat the oil a little longer until it is lightly smoking or visibly bubbling before pouring it over the sauce mixture.
What caused it: The oil was not hot enough when poured over the ginger, garlic, and spring onion.
Problem 3: The chicken is not fully cooked after 1 to 1.5 hours
Solution: Check that the lid fits tightly, then add 15 to 20 more minutes of cooking time on low heat.
What caused it: The lid was not sealing tightly, allowing steam to escape throughout the cooking time.
Problem 4: The vegetables turned mushy and fell apart
Solution: Next time cut the vegetables into bigger chunks so they hold their shape throughout the long cooking time.
What caused it: The vegetables were cut too small or cooked for too long on heat that was too high.
Common Mistakes to Avoid Failed Waterless Chicken Soup
Mistake 1: Adding water to the pot
What people do wrong: They pour in water out of habit or fear the pot will burn.
How to do it right: Trust the vegetables to release their own liquid. Only add a small splash if the pot looks completely dry when you check it near the end.
Why it matters: Added water dilutes the natural concentrated flavor that makes this soup different from a regular nilaga or tinola.
Mistake 2: Opening the lid too often
What people do wrong: They check the pot every few minutes out of curiosity or worry.
How to do it right: Keep the pot covered and only check once near the end of the cook time.
Why it matters: Every time the lid opens, steam escapes and that steam is what is cooking the chicken and building the broth.
Mistake 3: Cutting the vegetables too small
What people do wrong: They slice the cabbage and apple thin, thinking it speeds up cooking.
How to do it right: Cut them into big chunks so they hold their shape and release liquid slowly throughout the full cook time.
Why it matters: Small pieces break down completely and leave no texture in the final soup, and they may run out of liquid too early.
Alternative Ingredients
-Napa cabbage can be replaced with Baguio cabbage.
-Apple can be replaced with pear for a similar mild sweetness.
-If spring onion or leeks are not available, white onion alone can be used.
-Soy sauce in the dipping sauce can be replaced with liquid seasoning.
-Cooking oil for the sauce can be replaced with sesame oil for a stronger and more aromatic flavor.
FAQs
Question 1: Can I use chicken parts instead of a whole chicken?
Yes, you can use chicken parts like thighs or drumsticks. Just note that a whole chicken releases more juice and gives a richer and more concentrated broth.
Question 2: How do I check if the chicken is fully cooked?
Poke the thickest part near the thigh. The juices should run clear and not pink, and the meat should easily pull away from the bone.
Question 3: Can I prepare the dipping sauce ahead of time?
Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead. Just keep it covered and pour the hot oil over it right before serving so it stays fragrant.
Question 4: What if my soup does not have much broth at the end?
Add a bit more napa cabbage or apple next time since they release the most liquid. You can also extend the cooking time by 15 to 20 minutes.
Question 5: Can I add other vegetables to this?
Yes, carrots are already part of this version for extra color and natural sweetness. Other high moisture vegetables also work well and will contribute to the broth.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat on the stove over medium heat until it comes back to a gentle boil. You can also microwave in 1 to 2 minute intervals, stirring in between until fully warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Serve hot with steamed rice and the dipping sauce on the side. Pair with fried fish or stir-fried greens for a complete Filipino meal. The broth is best enjoyed fresh while the chicken is still tender and the vegetables still have some texture.
More Chicken Recipe Ulam Ideas: Roasted Chicken, Chicken Embutido and Soy Garlic Chicken
Waterless Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 1 Medium Sized Napa Cabbage or Baguio Cabbage
- 1 Big Size Apple
- 1 Piece White Onion
- 1 Stalk Spring Onion
- 2 to 3 Thumb-sized Ginger
- 2 to 3 Pieces Carrots
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger minced
- 3 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Spring Onion chopped
- 1/8 Cup Hot Cooking Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
Instructions
- Slice the apple, ginger, white onion, spring onion, carrots, and napa cabbage into big chunks. Do not cut them too small. Set them aside.
- Wash and clean the whole chicken thoroughly under running water, then pat dry.
- Rub the chicken all over with rock salt and set aside.
- Place the onion, apple, carrots, and napa cabbage into the pot first, then place the whole chicken on top of the vegetables.
- Place the sliced ginger and spring onion on top of the chicken, then season with pepper.
- Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and cook on low heat for 1 to 1.5 hours. Do not lift the lid while it cooks. Every time the lid is opened, steam escapes and that slows down the broth from building up.
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the dipping sauce. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped spring onion, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Mix and set aside.
- In a pan, heat 1/8 cup of cooking oil until it is very hot and lightly smoking. Use a non-stick pan for this step.
- Once the oil is hot and bubbling, carefully pour it over the sauce mixture. It will sizzle up immediately so pour slowly and stand back a little. Stir to combine.
- In the last 15 minutes of cooking, taste the broth and add salt if needed. The rock salt rub on the chicken already adds saltiness as it cooks so taste before adding more. Once done, serve hot with steamed rice and the dipping sauce on the side.