Pancit Bihon

Pancit Bihon is Filipino comfort food that I believe everyone should try. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to try Pancit. I feel even luckier to have had it made for me on a regular basis by a Philippine Native. You see, when I first arrived in Texas I was greeted with Texas BBQ and Filipino food. Now, if you’ve never had Texas BBQ or Filipino food then you have no idea the level of my appreciation. If you have, on the other hand, you know what’s up! This recipe for Pancit Bihon comes from a place of appreciation and serves as a thank you for hospitality.

So basically, If you’re looking for a delicious Filipino noodle dish to try, you’re in the right place on this Pancit Bihon recipe.

Let’s take a deeper dive!

What is Pancit Bihon?

Pancit Bihon translates to Rice Sticks also known as rice noodles. The dish is made using said noodles and then sautéd using a soy sauce-based sauce with chicken and/or shrimp as well as an assortment of vegetables.

Noodles were introduced to the Philippines by Chinese immigrants. Pancit recipes differ by region and some don’t use noodles at all depending on the available ingredients in the area.

There are also different types of Pancit and they are based on the types of noodles used.

Pancit Canton uses round egg noodles, Pancit Lomi uses thick egg noodles, Pancit Miki uses soft yellow flat egg noodles, Pancit Miswa uses Wheat Vermicelli, Pancit Palabok uses yellow cornstarch noodles, Pancit Sotanghon uses Glass Noodles, Pancit Odong uses yellow flour noodles, and this recipe for Pancit Bihon uses Rice Vermicelli Noodles. This is just an overview of the types of Pancit recipes that exist today. Many are also named based on the way they are cooked and the region they derive from.

While Pancit is a very popular and typical dish in the Philippines it’s also considered Filipino comfort food. It will often be found at large events and gatherings due to the ease at which large batches can be made to feed a crowd.

Well, what are we waiting for! Let’s jump into the recipe for Pancit Bihon.

How to Make Pancit Bihon

Pancit Bihon is a very easy recipe to make if you know what you’re doing. The first time I made it I actually made a mistake and didn’t soak the noodles first. I highly recommend doing so otherwise it will double the cooking time and the noodles stick together quite a bit.

Pancit Bihon Ingredients

Pancit Bihon Noodle

If you’ve read the above information you’ll understand that the noodles are one of the most important parts of a Pancit recipe. For Bihon you’ll want to use Rice Vermicelli noodles. These are extremely thin noodles and can be found at most Asian markets or you can order them online.

Meat

For this particular recipe, I’ve used chicken breast that I froze for about 30 minutes and then sliced very thinly. Shrimp would also be a great addition. If you add the shrimp though I would cut the amount of chicken breast in half.

Vegetables

Pancit recipes vary quite a bit, so you can definitely be creative here. I personally used fresh green beans, carrots, cabbage, onion, and garlic.

Sauce

For the Pancit Bihon sauce, I used Chicken Better than Bouillon, Soy Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Black Pepper, and Sugar. Simply mix it all together and you’ve got a delicious Pancit sauce.

Cooking Directions

Before starting the cooking process, add the rice vermicelli noodles to a cold bowl of water and allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Begin by heating olive or vegetable oil over medium-high in a large wok. Once the oil is heated add the chicken, season lightly with salt and black pepper, and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned.

Next, add the onion and garlic sautéing for just a couple of minutes until the garlic is aromatic. Now add the vegetable mix and continue the sautéing process until the vegetables have started to soften and the cabbage has cooked down.

Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, pour it over the chicken and veggies, then stir to combine.

Lastly, drain the noodles, add them to the wok with about 2 cups of water, cover and allow them to cook for about 5-6 minutes. Stir the noodles occasionally until they begin to pull apart and incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.

Serve the Pancit Bihon hot with lemon or lime wedges for squeezing over the dish.

In Conclusion

Here at Chicken Fried Kitchen, I like to focus on the most amazing comfort foods from around the world. This Pancit Bihon recipe should be at the top of your list for a must-try. Once you have, there will be no return. I trust it will be in heavy rotation for you and your family. It’s healthy, easy to make, and feeds a large crew.

Let me know in the comments how you enjoyed it, and any changes you made. I always love hearing about your experiences with food.

Thank you so much for stopping by Chicken Fried Kitchen and as usual…

Happy Cooking!

-Jeremy