One Pan Pancit Bihon

Why I Created This Recipe

I am now an ambassador for the WONDER Foundation, and this recipe is my way of celebrating that partnership through food — which, as you will know by now, is always my preferred way of telling a story.

Pancit bihon is one of the most iconic dishes in Filipino cuisine, and making it felt like the most natural and fitting way to connect this recipe to the WONDER Foundation's work in the Philippines. Food is so often the most direct and personal route into understanding a culture, and I hope that making this dish — and reading about the extraordinary women the WONDER Foundation supports — gives you a sense of why this partnership means so much to me.

The recipe itself is as straightforward as it is delicious: one pan, a handful of ingredients most of which live in the store cupboard, and less than half an hour from start to finish. Leftovers reheat beautifully, making it a brilliant cook-once, eat-twice kind of dinner. I hope you love it as much as I do.

About the WONDER Foundation

The WONDER Foundation is a women-led international charity dedicated to transforming the lives of women, girls and their communities through quality education. Founded in 2012 — though its roots go back to the early 2000s, when a group of London students from diverse backgrounds recognised that many efforts to reduce poverty among women and girls overlooked their true potential — WONDER was built on the belief that there is a more inclusive and more effective way to create lasting change.

Their mission is clear: to give women and girls across the world the knowledge, skills, opportunities and networks they need to exit poverty for good — and to bring others with them. They work with 36 locally-led, women-run partner organisations globally, following the expertise of those partners to respond to local needs and deliver community-centred, sustainable education projects. Every project is run by women, for women — local, targeted and built around what the community actually needs, not what someone has decided for them from the outside.

WONDER's work falls into two broad areas. First, they support local, sustainable education projects in the UK and worldwide, sharing knowledge and expertise and helping secure funding. Second, they amplify the voices of their partners and raise wider awareness of the disadvantages faced by women and girls globally, working to influence policy and improve access to quality education around the world.

The impact of this approach is significant. When women earn, they reinvest the vast majority of their income back into their families and communities, driving better education, health and economic outcomes for everyone around them. Education does not just change one life — it changes entire communities, across generations.

To find out more about the WONDER Foundation and their work, visit wonderfoundation.org.uk.

WONDER's Work in the Philippines

The most recent initiative in the Philippines focuses specifically on healthcare. The programme, delivered through the Banilad Centre for Professional Development — one of the five schools FPTI collaborates with — provides women with the training and accreditation they need to become healthcare workers, addressing both a personal need for sustainable income and a broader regional shortage of skilled healthcare professionals. The programme focuses particularly on out-of-school young women, single mothers and members of the Badjao community — groups who face significant barriers to accessing education and employment.

The part-time structure of the training is deliberate and thoughtful — it allows women to balance studying with work and childcare, making it genuinely accessible to those with the most complex and demanding lives. Alongside the vocational training, a mentoring programme builds confidence and encourages leadership, so that graduates leave not just with skills but with belief in themselves and their own potential.

What Is Pancit Bihon?

Pancit bihon is one of the most beloved and widely eaten dishes in Filipino cuisine — a stir-fried noodle dish made with thin rice vermicelli noodles, vegetables, meat and a savoury sauce, cooked quickly in a single pan and served at everything from everyday family dinners to birthday celebrations and large gatherings.

The word pancit comes from the Hokkien phrase "pian e sit," meaning roughly "something conveniently cooked" — a reference to the dish's origins as a fast, practical street food. Pancit traces its roots to Chinese traders who brought noodles to the Philippines centuries ago, and the dish was gradually adopted and adapted into Filipino cooking, becoming deeply embedded in the country's culinary identity over generations.

Today, pancit is considered one of the most iconic dishes in Filipino cuisine, and it carries a cultural significance that goes well beyond its ingredients. Noodles in Filipino culture are associated with long life and good fortune — the longer the noodle, the longer the life — which is why pancit is a fixture at birthday celebrations and special occasions across the Philippines. It is a dish that brings people together, feeds a crowd and carries with it generations of meaning.

Bihon refers specifically to the thin rice vermicelli noodles used in this version — delicate, slightly chewy and perfect for absorbing the savoury sauce they are cooked in. The combination of light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and chicken stock gives the sauce its characteristic depth: salty, slightly sweet and full of umami. Cabbage, carrot and onion are the classic vegetable companions, and chicken thigh — used here for its juiciness and flavour — is one of the most common proteins, though the dish adapts easily to whatever is available.

Why You'll Want to Make This Recipe

A One Pan Dinner in Under 30 Minutes

This is a fast, flavourful and genuinely satisfying dinner that comes together in a single pan in less than half an hour. The sauce is mixed in a jug while the chicken and vegetables cook, the noodles soak while everything else fries, and it all comes together in one final toss. Minimal effort, maximum flavour.

Serves Three to Four

This recipe is generously sized, serving three to four people — perfect for cooking for a small group or for making a batch that will see you through two meals. Leftovers reheat very well in a pan with a small splash of water or soy sauce, making it a brilliant cook-once, eat-twice dinner.

A Dish With Story and Significance

Pancit bihon is not just a delicious dinner — it is a dish with centuries of history, deep cultural meaning and a connection to the Philippines that feels particularly significant alongside the WONDER Foundation's work there. Cooking and eating it is, in a small way, a celebration of Filipino culture and the extraordinary women who carry it forward.

Store Cupboard Friendly

Beyond the fresh chicken and vegetables, almost everything in this recipe lives permanently in a well-stocked store cupboard — soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice noodles. It is the kind of dinner you can make without a dedicated shopping trip once you have the basics in.

My Top Tips for the Perfect Pancit Bihon

• Use chicken thigh rather than breast. Thigh has a higher fat content and a more robust flavour that holds up well to the high heat and the bold sauce — breast can dry out quickly at the temperatures needed to colour the chicken properly.
• Slice the chicken into even strips of roughly the same thickness. Even sizing means even cooking — thicker pieces will still be underdone when the thinner ones are ready.
• Soak the rice vermicelli noodles in boiling water for no longer than three minutes, then rinse immediately under cold water. Over-soaked noodles will become soft and mushy during the stir-fry stage rather than absorbing the sauce and remaining pleasingly chewy. They should be pliable but still have some firmness when they go into the pan.
• Have all your vegetables prepped and your sauce mixed before the chicken goes in. Pancit bihon cooks quickly and at a high heat — there is very little time between steps to be chopping or measuring once you have started.
• Mix the sauce in a jug before adding it to the pan. Combining the chicken stock, light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce and sugar together first means they integrate fully into the sauce rather than going in separately and potentially cooking unevenly.
• Use both light and dark soy sauce — they are doing different things. Light soy sauce provides the primary saltiness and seasoning; dark soy sauce adds colour, depth and a slightly more complex, slightly sweeter flavour. Using only one or the other will give a noticeably different result.
• The dark soy sauce is also what gives the finished dish its characteristic colour — a deep, glossy brown that coats the noodles beautifully. Without it, the dish will be noticeably paler.
• Toss the noodles and sauce together continuously during the final stir-fry stage. The noodles absorb the sauce quickly and can catch on the bottom of the pan if left undisturbed — keep everything moving.
• The finished dish should be glossy and well-coated, with no pooling liquid in the pan. If the sauce looks too wet after three to four minutes of stir-frying, turn the heat up slightly and keep tossing until it has been absorbed. If it looks too dry, add a very small splash of water or chicken stock.
• Scatter the spring onions (scallions) over generously just before serving — they add a fresh, mild bite and a welcome contrast to the richness of the sauce.

Ingredients and Tools You'll Need

Essential Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sesame oil – for frying; its nutty, aromatic flavour is fundamental to the character of the dish
• 2 chicken thigh fillets, sliced into roughly 1cm strips – thigh gives a juicier, more flavourful result than breast
• 3 packs of rice vermicelli noodles (bihon) – soaked in boiling water for three minutes then rinsed under cold water before use
• 1 onion, thinly sliced – the aromatic base alongside the garlic
• ½ cabbage, thinly sliced – classic in pancit bihon; adds bulk and a mild sweetness
• 1 carrot, julienned – adds colour, a gentle sweetness and a little crunch
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely diced – adds depth and aromatics to the base
• 1 cup chicken stock – the liquid base of the sauce; use a good quality stock for the best flavour
• 1½ tbsp light soy sauce – the primary seasoning of the sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce – adds depth, colour and a slightly sweeter, more complex flavour
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce – adds a rich, savoury umami note
• 1 tsp sugar – balances the saltiness of the soy sauces
• Black pepper, to taste
• 2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped – to scatter over just before serving

Essential Tools

• 1 large wok or wide frying pan – needs to be large enough to toss the noodles and vegetables comfortably; a wok gives the best results at high heat
• Large bowl – for soaking the noodles
• Jug – for mixing the sauce
• Tongs or two spoons – for tossing the noodles in the pan

Storage & Leftovers

Pancit bihon keeps well in the fridge in a sealed container for up to two days. Reheat in a pan over a medium heat with a small splash of water or chicken stock to loosen, tossing continuously until heated through. A few drops of soy sauce stirred through while reheating will refresh the seasoning. The dish can also be eaten cold, though the noodles will be firmer and the sauce more concentrated — still very good, particularly in a lunchbox.

Dietary Variations

Gluten-Free

Swap the light and dark soy sauces for tamari and use a gluten-free oyster sauce — several brands produce one. Rice vermicelli noodles are naturally gluten-free. Check your chicken stock label if you are strictly gluten-free, as some brands contain gluten.

Dairy-Free

This recipe contains no dairy as written — no adaptations needed.

Different Proteins

Pancit bihon is very accommodating when it comes to the protein. Prawns (shrimp) are a popular and excellent alternative to chicken — add them at the same stage and cook for two to three minutes until pink rather than seven to eight. Pork loin, sliced thinly, also works beautifully. For a vegetarian version, firm tofu cut into small cubes and fried until golden makes a great substitute — use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock and a vegetarian oyster sauce.

Different Vegetables

The combination of cabbage, carrot and onion is the classic choice for pancit bihon, but the dish is highly adaptable. Mangetout (snow peas), green beans, beansprouts and pak choi (bok choy) all work well — add more delicate vegetables like beansprouts in the final minute of cooking so they retain some crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pancit bihon?

Pancit bihon is a Filipino stir-fried noodle dish made with thin rice vermicelli noodles, vegetables, meat and a savoury sauce of soy sauce, oyster sauce and stock. It is one of the most beloved and iconic dishes in Filipino cuisine, with roots in Chinese cooking that stretch back centuries. The word pancit comes from a Hokkien phrase meaning "something conveniently cooked," and the dish is a staple at everything from everyday family dinners to birthday celebrations across the Philippines.

What does pancit bihon symbolise in Filipino culture?

In Filipino culture, noodles are associated with long life and good fortune — the longer the noodle, the longer the life — which is why pancit is a fixture at birthday celebrations and special occasions. It is a dish that feeds a crowd, brings people together and carries with it centuries of cultural significance.

Where can I find rice vermicelli noodles?

Rice vermicelli noodles are widely available in the Asian food aisle of most UK supermarkets, as well as in Asian supermarkets and online. They are usually sold in individual nests or bundles — three nests is the right amount for this recipe. Look for thin, white, dried rice noodles; they will be labelled as rice vermicelli or rice stick noodles.

Can I make this recipe for fewer people?

Yes — the recipe scales down easily. For two people, halve all the ingredients and use a slightly smaller pan. The cooking times remain roughly the same. For one person, quarter the quantities — though the sauce quantities can be slightly generous even at a quarter, so taste and adjust as you go.

How do I support the WONDER Foundation?

You can find out more about the WONDER Foundation's work and make a donation at wonderfoundation.org.uk. Every contribution helps fund the education and vocational training programmes that are changing the lives of women and girls across the world.