Simple Filipino Laing with Chicken

If you’re craving a hearty and comforting Filipino dish, this Laing with chicken and coconut milk is a must-try! Made with simple ingredients like dried taro leaves, tender chicken strips, and rich coconut milk. This creamy and mildly spicy dish brings the authentic taste of Bicol to your kitchen. It’s a simple yet flavorful recipe that transforms humble ingredients into a delicious, rice-loving meal.

Traditionally, Laing uses dried taro leaves and coconut milk, and it’s often cooked with seafood or pork, but chicken works great too because all the meat I had was frozen and I didn’t feel like waiting for days to thaw it naturally. So, here’s a simple, Laing recipe using what I have.

Ingredients:

• A drizzle of cooking oil
• 3 cups of dried taro leaves
• 1 cup chicken tender strips, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups coconut milk (fresh is always the best). It’s okay to use the canned if fresh is not available.
• 3-5 cayenne pepper
• onion powder to taste (you can also use fresh onion in slices)
• garlic powder to taste (you may use minced garlic if you prefer)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of oil and slightly brown the chicken.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and add the dried taro leaves. Gently submerge the taro leaves in the coconut milk. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the cover and stir gently to ensure the taro leaves are not clumping together. Then, season with salt, garlic, onion, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
4. Cover the pan and continue simmering for 10-20 minutes or until the taro leaves are soft and tender.
5. Taste before removing from the heat. Add more seasonings if needed.
6. Best if served with hot white rice! Enjoy!

Laing a Comfort Filipino Dish

Laing is comfort food and is deeply nostalgic for many Filipinos living abroad. More than just food, it brings back memories of family, home-cooked meals, and Filipino culture. The smell of coconut milk, the taste of taro leaves, and the heat from chili can remind someone of home and meals shared with loved ones. For OFWs and second-generation Filipinos, cooking laing is a special way to feel connected to their roots, even from far away.