A comforting Ilonggo soup filled with plump pork and shrimp dumplings in a rich, garlicky chicken broth
Hi, I’m Krizell, a third culture kid and second-generation Filipino American. I’m passionate about preserving our Filipino heritage through food and hope you give these recipes a try!
Krizell
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June 5, 2026
Pancit Molo is the Filipino take on wonton soup. 🤍 Born in Iloilo, this dish holds a huge piece of my heart and reminds me of my Lola, who used to roll out her wrappers entirely from scratch. The secret? The silky wonton wrappers are considered the "noodles" which is why it’s called pancit!
Roughly chop the shrimp (½ lb) into small pieces (you want some texture, not a paste). In a large bowl, combine the chopped shrimp (½ lb), ground pork (1 lb), shredded carrot (½ cup), ginger (1 tsp), garlic (2 cloves), green onions (2), white pepper (½ tsp), sesame oil (1 Tbsp), cornstarch (1 Tbsp), egg (1), oyster sauce (2 Tbsp), and garlic salt (¼ tsp). Mix well until everything is evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate while you start the broth.
Heat oil (1 Tbsp) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion (1 small) and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic (8 cloves) and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Pour in the chicken broth (64 oz) and water (2 cups), then add the chicken breast (1) whole, the bouillon cube (1 cube), and fish sauce (1 Tbsp). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–18 minutes.
While the broth simmers, fold your wontons. Set up a small bowl of water for sealing. Lay a wrapper (1 package) flat and place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center. Dip your finger in water and run it along two edges of the wrapper. Fold into a triangle and press firmly to seal, then bring the two bottom corners together and pinch to form the classic molo shape. Keep finished wontons covered with a damp cloth so they don’t dry out.
Once the chicken (1) is cooked through, remove it from the pot and let it cool slightly. Use two forks to shred it into thin strips, then return it to the pot.
Bring the broth back to a gentle boil and carefully drop the wontons in one at a time so they don’t stick together. Cook for 5–7 minutes . They’ll float to the surface when done. Add in your greens (3 to taste), stir them in during the last 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls with plenty of wontons, shredded chicken, and broth. Top with green onions and fried garlic and serve immediately.
Make ahead: The wonton filling can be made the night before and kept refrigerated. Assembled, uncooked wontons can also be frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transferred to a bag and cook straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
Broth depth: For a richer broth, use bone-in chicken pieces instead of breast and simmer longer before adding the wontons
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