At the beginning of the school year, most high school teachers are in a survival mode as August and September demand more of our time and energy than at any other point during the school year. Every week, I have been making this comforting and easy Filipino pancit recipe to have at lunch time. I buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, or if I have more free time on my hands, I poach the chicken and save the broth. Due to local grocery stores not carrying the classic Filipino noodles, I use rice vermicelli. The noodles, vegetables, and chicken are mixed in a delicate, savory sauce made with warm broth, soy sauce, and fresh lemon juice. People around me often marvel over this noodle dish and want some. It’s a keeper in my kitchen and better than takeout.

Serves two

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of canola oil
• 1/2 medium onion, cut into half-moon slices
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of carrots cut diagonally or julienned (1 cup)
• 1 cup of green cabbage cut into square pieces (1/4 of a cabbage)
• 1 cup of chicken broth (for homemade broth, use one garlic clove, 1/3 bunch of cilantro, 1/2 of an onion, 2 tablespoons of salt, and cool water to cover the chicken if you are poaching it).
• 1 1/2 cups of chicken cut into small pieces (use a rotisserie chicken or three bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs for poaching)
• 8 ounces of rice vermicelli or pancit, cooked and drained
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Cut a rotisserie chicken, or to poach chicken, place the chicken pieces in a medium pot with the garlic clove, onion, cilantro, and salt. Cover the chicken completely with cold water. Place a lid on the pot and set to a medium-high heat. Once bubbles begin to form on the surface about ten minutes in, turn the heat down to medium-low. Simmer for 18 minutes. Remove the chicken to a large bowl and pour the broth on top (through a mesh strainer if preferred). Allow the chicken to cool in the broth, then cut the chicken into smaller pieces. Reserve one cup of broth for this recipe. The rest can be saved and frozen for future use!
2. In a medium pot, add the canola oil with the onions and carrots. Saute over a medium-high heat for several minutes until the onion and carrots are softened. Next, add the cabbage and saute for two to three minutes. Add the garlic for another minute.
3. Add the cooked noodles with the chicken broth to the pot. Combine the noodles with the vegetables, allowing the noodles to soak in the broth.
4. Add the chicken pieces and soy sauce. Mix.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!