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Easy Instant Pot Pancit Bihon: A Quick & Delicious Filipino Noodle Recipe

Discover the secret to making incredibly delicious and fast Pancit Bihon right in your own kitchen! This recipe leverages the power of the Instant Pot to create perfectly shredded, flavorful chicken, transforming a traditional Filipino favorite into a weeknight meal marvel. Combined with an abundance of fresh, crisp vegetables and those signature delicate bihon noodles, this dish promises an authentic taste experience with unparalleled ease. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to explore Filipino cuisine, our Instant Pot Pancit Bihon recipe is designed to deliver maximum flavor with minimal fuss, making it a standout addition to your culinary repertoire.

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Why the Instant Pot is Your Secret Weapon for Pancit Bihon

You might be wondering: an Instant Pot for Pancit Bihon? While it’s true that the delicate bihon noodles themselves are best cooked traditionally to achieve that ideal al dente texture – a task the Instant Pot isn’t quite suited for – the magic lies in its ability to prepare the chicken. Forget gambling with overcooked or gummy noodles; we’re using the pressure cooker where it truly shines: making the most tender, succulent shredded chicken imaginable.

The Instant Pot excels at transforming chicken thighs into perfectly shreddable meat in mere minutes. With just 13 minutes of pressure cook time, you’ll achieve chicken that’s not only incredibly tender and juicy but also infused with deep flavor. This efficiency frees you up to focus on preparing your fresh vegetables and noodles, ensuring every component of your Pancit Bihon is cooked to perfection. Moreover, this method yields a rich, flavorful broth that becomes a vital part of the dish, adding an extra layer of authentic taste that store-bought broth simply can’t match. It’s a smart, time-saving approach that elevates the entire dish, making your Instant Pot an indispensable tool for this classic Filipino noodle dish.

Understanding Pancit Bihon: A Filipino Staple

Pancit Bihon, also known as Pancit Guisado, is one of the most beloved and iconic noodle dishes in Filipino cuisine. It’s a celebratory dish often served at gatherings, fiestas, and family meals, symbolizing long life and good fortune. This stir-fried noodle dish typically features thin rice vermicelli noodles (bihon), mixed with an assortment of vegetables like cabbage, carrots, celery, and green beans, along with savory meats such as chicken, pork, or shrimp. The dish is seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce, and a hint of citrus, creating a harmonious blend of salty, savory, and tangy flavors.

What makes Pancit Bihon so appealing is its versatility and comforting nature. Each bite offers a delightful combination of textures—the soft, springy noodles, the crisp-tender vegetables, and the tender meat. Our Instant Pot rendition streamlines the process without sacrificing any of the authentic flavors or textures that make this dish a Filipino favorite. By carefully preparing each component, we ensure that every element contributes to a perfectly balanced and utterly satisfying meal.

Preparing Your Fresh Vegetables for Optimal Flavor

The vibrancy of Pancit Bihon comes from its fresh vegetables, each contributing unique textures and flavors. Proper preparation is key to ensuring they cook evenly and retain their crispness. Begin by thoroughly washing your celery. For an authentic Filipino touch, slice the celery thinly on a diagonal, which creates elegant pieces that blend seamlessly into the noodles. If you prefer a more substantial bite, larger, rough chunks are perfectly acceptable.

Next, prepare the white onion. Cut it into a large chop—larger than a fine dice, but still small enough to integrate well with other ingredients. Place the chopped celery and onion into a large mixing bowl. The cabbage requires a different cut; shred it into long, thin slices. After shredding, wash and drain the cabbage thoroughly, then set it aside in a separate bowl. This prevents it from wilting prematurely while other vegetables are being prepped.

Rinse the green onions and slice them into small, manageable pieces, adding them to the bowl with the celery and onion. Do the same with fresh parsley: rinse, pat dry, and finely dice, then combine with the other vegetables. Finally, add the matchstick carrots to this colorful medley. Pre-cut matchstick carrots save time and ensure uniform cooking. By carefully preparing your vegetables, you’re building the foundation for a visually appealing and texturally rich Pancit Bihon.

Crafting the Perfect Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot

The succulent shredded chicken is the heart of our Instant Pot Pancit Bihon. To begin, generously season the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs with garlic powder and onion powder. Remember to reserve one tablespoon of each spice for seasoning the final dish, ensuring a balanced flavor profile. This initial seasoning permeates the chicken as it browns and pressure cooks, contributing to a deeply flavorful meat.

Set your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function on the normal setting. Add one tablespoon of sesame oil to the pot and allow it to heat up for about 2-3 minutes until shimmering. Carefully place the seasoned chicken thighs into the hot pot, browning them on both sides for 3-4 minutes per side. This crucial step develops a rich fond at the bottom of the pot, which adds immense flavor to the broth and helps prevent the dreaded “burn notice” during pressure cooking.

Once all chicken thighs are beautifully browned, remove them from the Instant Pot and set them aside. Now, it’s time to deglaze the pot. Add one cup of chicken broth to the pot, using a metal spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up all the delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom. This process is essential for releasing all that concentrated flavor and ensuring a smooth pressure cooking cycle. Once the bottom is clean, add three tablespoons of minced garlic to the pot, then return the browned chicken thighs.

Turn off the sauté function. Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” function and set the cooking time for 13 minutes. As the Instant Pot works its magic, you can begin preparing your bihon noodles. Place them in a large bowl and cover them with cold or tap water to soak. This allows them to soften just enough to cook quickly later, without becoming mushy.

Once the Instant Pot completes its 13-minute pressure cooking cycle and beeps, let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. This natural release method further tenderizes the chicken and allows the flavors to meld beautifully. After 10 minutes, carefully perform a quick release of any remaining pressure. Once the float valve drops, open the lid. Remove the cooked chicken from the pot, reserving all the flavorful liquid—this will be used in the Pancit Bihon itself. Using two forks, shred the chicken, discarding bones and any small pieces of cartilage. The result will be incredibly tender, juicy chicken, ready to be incorporated into your noodle dish.

Bringing It All Together: Assembling Your Pancit Bihon

With your succulent shredded chicken ready and vegetables prepped, it’s time to bring all the delicious components of your Pancit Bihon together. Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add enough vegetable oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. A wok is ideal for stir-frying, as its wide surface and high sides allow for quick and even cooking.

Add two tablespoons of minced garlic to the heating wok. A great tip is to add the garlic as the wok warms up, rather than waiting for it to be scorching hot. This gentle introduction allows the garlic to slowly become fragrant and lightly golden without burning, ensuring a sweet, aromatic base for your dish. Once the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, add all the prepared vegetables, except for the cabbage. If needed, drizzle in a little extra vegetable oil to keep everything moving smoothly. Stir-fry the vegetables for about 3 minutes, allowing them to become crisp-tender.

Now, add the shredded cabbage to the wok. Stir it in thoroughly with the other vegetables. This is also the moment to introduce the reserved garlic powder and onion powder—one tablespoon of each—to further enhance the flavor of your vegetable medley. Pour in one cup of the rich, reserved chicken liquid from the Instant Pot. Cover the wok with a lid, raise the heat to high, and let it cook for just one minute. This steaming process helps to tenderize the cabbage quickly while infusing it with the savory broth.

After a minute of covered cooking, remove the lid. Stir the vegetables and continue to cook uncovered for another 3 minutes. This step is crucial for boiling off any excess liquid, allowing the flavors to concentrate and preventing your Pancit Bihon from becoming watery. The vegetables should be tender but still retain a slight bite, adding a pleasing texture to the dish.

Finally, incorporate the star ingredients. Add the shredded chicken back into the wok. Drizzle in three tablespoons of soy sauce and one tablespoon of fish sauce. These quintessential Filipino seasonings provide the foundational umami and savory depth that defines Pancit Bihon. Drain your soaked bihon noodles thoroughly and add them to the wok. Using tongs or a spatula, mix everything together gently but thoroughly, ensuring the noodles are fully coated with the sauce and vegetables. At this point, taste the dish and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Cook for a final 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are perfectly tender and have absorbed all the delicious flavors. Serve your freshly made Instant Pot Pancit Bihon immediately, garnished with a squeeze of calamansi or a slice of lemon or lime for a bright, tangy finish.

Don’t Have Calamansi? No Problem!

Calamansi, a small citrus fruit native to the Philippines, offers a unique tart and aromatic flavor that is often considered indispensable in Filipino cuisine. However, we understand that not everyone has easy access to fresh calamansi. Fret not! Your Pancit Bihon will still be incredibly delicious. The good news is that for Pancit, calamansi is typically squeezed over the dish just before serving, acting as a bright, tangy accent rather than an integral cooking ingredient that significantly alters the core flavor profile. This is different from dishes like Pork Bistek Tagalog, where calamansi plays a more fundamental role in marinating the meat.

For a fantastic substitute, simply use fresh lemon or lime juice. Both offer a comparable zesty punch that complements the savory flavors of the Pancit Bihon beautifully. A light squeeze of either will elevate the dish, adding that essential touch of acidity that cuts through the richness and brightens every bite. So go ahead, enjoy your homemade Pancit Bihon with the citrus you have on hand – it will be just fine!

Instant Pot Pancit Bihon

Use your Instant Pot to make Filipino Pancit Bihon faster and easier. This is the absolute easiest way to make shredded chicken.

Rated 4.84 from 6 votes

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Course:
Main Course

Cuisine:
Filipino

Keyword:
Filipino Cooking, Instant Pot

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Servings:
6

Calories:
634 kcal

Author:
Dad

Equipment

Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker
Wok
Strainer

Ingredients

8 oz Bihon Noodles
6 Bone In Skin On Chicken Thighs
4 Stalks Celery
1 White Onion
¼ – ½ Head Cabbage (Depends on size of wok/pan.)
3 Stalks Green Onions
½ cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 cup Matchstick Carrots
5 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
3 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
3 tbsp Garlic Powder
3 tbsp Onion Powder
1 cup Chicken Stock
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil (This is an estimate, you need enough to coat the wok or pan.)

Instructions

Wash the celery. For the “Filipino way,” cut the celery into thin slices on a diagonal. If you prefer chunky celery, cut it into rough chunks. Put them in a large bowl.
Cut the white onion into a large chop, similar to a dice but not as small. Add them to the same bowl as the celery.
Cut the cabbage into “shreds” or long, thin slices. After cutting, wash and drain the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a separate bowl from the other vegetables.
Rinse the green onions and cut into small pieces. Add them to the bowl with the celery and onion.
Rinse and dry the fresh parsley. Dice it finely and add to the same bowl as the celery.
Add the matchstick carrots to the bowl with the other prepped vegetables.
Season the chicken thighs generously with garlic powder and onion powder. Reserve 1 tablespoon of each spice for later seasoning.
Set your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function on the normal setting.
Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the Instant Pot. Allow it to heat up for about 2-3 minutes until it’s shimmering.
Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side, to develop a flavorful crust.
Once all the chicken is browned, remove it from the Instant Pot and set aside.
Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the pot. Use a metal spatula or utensil to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. This prevents a “burn notice.”
Add 3 tablespoons of minced garlic to the pot, then return the browned chicken.
Turn off the “Sauté” setting. Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the toggle is set to “Sealing.” Select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” function and set the cook time for 13 minutes.
While the Instant Pot is pressure cooking and for 10 minutes afterward (natural release), soak the bihon noodles in cold or tap water. This allows them to soften sufficiently.
Once the 10-minute natural release is complete, carefully remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. Shred the chicken using two forks, removing bones and any cartilage. Make sure to reserve all the liquid in the pot.
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom.
Add 2 tablespoons of minced garlic to the wok as it heats up. This helps prevent burning and allows the garlic to become fragrant.
Once the garlic is fragrant and lightly browned, add all the prepared vegetables except the cabbage. Add a little extra vegetable oil if needed. Stir and cook for 3 minutes until crisp-tender.
Add the shredded cabbage to the wok. Stir, then add the final 1 tablespoon each of garlic powder and onion powder.
Pour in 1 cup of the reserved liquid from the Instant Pot. Cover the wok and raise the heat to high. Cook for 1 minute.
Uncover the wok. Stir and cook uncovered for 3 minutes to boil off any excess liquid and concentrate the flavors.
Add the shredded chicken, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the wok.
Add the drained bihon noodles to the wok. Mix everything well, ensuring the noodles are fully coated. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your preference. Cook for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently, until the noodles are tender and all flavors have melded.
Serve immediately with a squeeze of calamansi, lemon, or lime juice.

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