Pancit Molo
Pancit Molo
Learn pancit molo from Iloilo: handmade wontons in rich chicken broth with shredded chicken, fried garlic, and green onions—the Ilonggo classic with no...
Serves 6 · 2h 15m total
The Story
Pancit molo is the soup that confuses every newcomer—the name says pancit, but there are no noodles in the bowl. In Iloilo, molo means the handmade wontons themselves: thin wrappers folded around a pork-and-shrimp filling, poached in a clear chicken broth until they float plump and tender.
The broth is the soul. Simmer whole chicken with aromatics until the stock tastes clean and deeply savory, then shred some of the meat back into the pot. Each bowl gets a ladle of hot broth, a handful of wontons, shredded chicken, green onions, and a sprinkle of fried garlic.
It is Visayan comfort food at its most elegant—light enough for lunch, special enough for Sunday family tables in Molo district, where the dish got its name.
Best paired with
Puto or pandesal on the side, calamansi for squeezing into the broth, and extra fried garlic at the table.
Use it in these KusinaPH recipes
Lola's Tips
- ✦The broth should stay clear—simmer gently and skim so it stays golden, not cloudy.
- ✦Keep wontons small; they cook faster and match the traditional Molo district style.
- ✦Do not overcook the wrappers or they will turn mushy—poach just until they float.
- ✦Make extra wontons and freeze on a tray before bagging for a quick future batch.
- ✦Some Ilonggo cooks add a little shredded chicken inside each wrapper along with the pork-shrimp mix.
Substitutions
- shrimp → more ground pork plus a splash of fish sauce
- molo wrappers → small square wonton skins
- whole chicken → chicken parts plus store-bought low-sodium broth
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Simmer whole chicken with onion, ginger, peppercorns, and bay leaves in 3 liters water 1–1½ hours until tender; skim often. Remove chicken, shred meat, and strain broth. Season broth with fish sauce and keep simmering gently.
- 2
Mix ground pork, minced shrimp, garlic, egg, cornstarch, salt, and pepper until sticky. Place 1 tsp filling in each wrapper, fold into a triangle, and pinch edges sealed—traditional molo wraps are small and neat.
- 3
Poach wontons in the simmering broth 4–6 minutes until they float and the filling is cooked through.
- 4
Fry minced garlic in oil until deep golden; drain on paper towels.
- 5
Ladle hot broth into bowls. Add wontons and shredded chicken. Top with green onions and fried garlic. Serve immediately.
Kitchen Timer · 45 min prep first
90:00
