Pancit Molo

Keep warm and nourished with Pancit Molo! This classic Ilonggo soup with meat-filled dumplings, shredded chicken, and a homemade broth is filling and delicious. Perfect for a cold rainy day!

Texas weather is starting to get cooler, and I couldn't be happier. This summer has been the longest and hottest I can remember, and I'm excited to get some chill in the air.

I can't wait to enjoy my favorite comfort foods and cozy up to all things soup.

What is Pancit Molo

Pancit Molo is said to have originated from the town of Molo in the province of Iloilo and was influenced by the wonton soups brought in by the large community of Chinese settlers in the area.

The soup comprises meat-filled dumplings, shredded chicken, and a rich, savory broth. Pancit is the Filipino term for noodles, and the noodles in this case are the wonton wrappers. 

Dumpling Filling

For the dumplings, I use my tried and true meat-filling recipe which is a tasty mix of ground pork, shredded carrots, minced garlic, chopped green onions, and water chestnuts seasoned with soy sauce, salt, and pepper. You can also add minced shrimp for an extra boost of flavor.

I usually do a double batch and keep the remaining half in the freezer for other meals such as lumpiang shanghai and sotanghon bola-bola. And if time allows, I like to assemble twice the wontons to freeze them for future cravings.

Folding wontons

The time-consuming yet fun part of the recipe is folding the wontons. There are many ways to do this, and it can be as simple as the scrunch method or a little bit more elaborate as these pretty bonnets.

1. Arrange the wrapper on a flat surface diagonally and place about a teaspoon of the filling in the center.
2. Fold the lower half of the wrapper over the filling. Press the sides to remove air bubbles.
3. Roll up the filled part to completely enclose the filling and press the edges to seal.
4. Bring the two corners together to form a bonnet-shaped dumpling and seal them with a dab of water. You will now have a little hat-shaped dumpling 
5. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrapper. Cover the assembled wontons with a damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.

Homemade broth

While store-bought chicken broth or bases are convenient to use, there's nothing quite like a homemade broth to transform your pot of soup into nothing short of liquid gold. Not only can you control the amount of sodium, but you can also tailor the taste by switching up the herbs and aromatics.

Use bone-in chicken parts (think wings, thighs, neck, and breast bones) to ensure full-bodied flavor.

How to serve and store

• This Filipino dumpling soup is traditionally served for lunch or dinner as a meal accompaniment. It's ladled in serving bowls and garnished with green onions and fried garlic bits for another layer of flavor.
• To store leftovers, allow to cool completely and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
• Warm up in the microwave or on the stovetop until completely heated through.

More soup recipes

Chicken Sopas

Picadillo Soup

Crab and Corn Soup

Arroz Caldo

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

4 from 3 votes

Pancit Molo

Pancit Molo is a Filipino soup made with dumplings, shredded chicken, and richly-flavored broth. It's a filling and delicious soup perfect for chilly weather!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Soup

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6 servings

Ingredients

For the Homemade Broth

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 pounds bone-in chicken parts (wings, thighs, breast)
• 12 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon pepper corns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt

For the Wontons

• 1 pound ground pork
• ½ cup green onions, finely chopped
• ½ cup water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 30 pieces Molo or wonton wrappers

For Assembly

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 10 cups homemade broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• green onions, chopped
• fried garlic bits

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

For the Homemade Broth

• In a deep pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
• Add chicken and cook, occasionally stirring, for about 5 to 7 minutes or until color changes. Lower heat, cover, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken releases its juices.
• Raise heat to high and add boiling water.
• Add bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt.
• Bring to a boil. Skim scum that accumulates on top.
• Lower heat and return to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
• With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces. Allow to cool to touch and remove meat from bones. Shred the meat and set aside. Break bones to expose marrow and return to pot.
• Continue to cook at barely a simmer, uncovered, for about 1 to 1 ½ hours or until liquid is reduced and concentrated. ASI
• Using a cheesecloth, strain stock to remove bones and aromatics.

For the Wontons

• In a bowl, combine ground pork, green onions, water chestnuts, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Gently stir until well-distributed.
• Arrange the wrapper on a flat surface diagonally and place about a teaspoon of the filling in the center.
• Fold the lower half of the wrapper over the filling. Press the sides to remove air bubbles.
• Roll up the filled part to completely enclose the filling and press the edges to seal. Bring the two corners together to form a bonnet-shaped dumpling and seal them with a dab of water.
• Repeat with the remaining filling and wrapper.

For Assembly

• In a deep pot, heat canola oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
• Add fish sauce and cook for about 30 seconds.
• Add broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Stir the broth to create a whirlpool and gently add the wontons in batches. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until they float on the top.
• Add chicken and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.
• Label soup in serving bowls. Top with green onions and fried garlic bits. Serve hot.

Notes

• Cover the assembled wontons with a damp kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
• To remove the extra grease, make the broth a day before. Refrigerate overnight and skim off any hardened fat. Use in the recipe as directed.

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”