Chicken Dumplings Recipe

Chicken Dumplings

This is a simple and delicious take on one of the most popular homemade comfort foods – dumplings. Perfect as a snack, family dinner, or party food, these dumplings are fun (and cheap) to make and a great recipe to prepare with family or friends. They are much easier than they look and can be pan-fried, steamed, or boiled depending on your preference.

Traditionally, Chinese dumplings are made with pork, but this version uses chicken for a lighter and healthier option while still keeping plenty of flavour. You can also customise the filling by adding ingredients such as cabbage, spring onion, water chestnuts, or mushrooms.

You will need a mixing bowl, a chopping board, a spoon, a frying pan with a lid, and dumpling wrappers. Recipe makes approximately 30-40 dumplings.

In this recipe you can add and remove ingredients as you like, for example Chinese cabbage is not a necessity (and we’ve made dumplings without it) and if removed and you still want more filling you can add more spring onion or water chestnut. The cabbage helps to bulk up your filling but if you can’t be bothered with the preparation of removing the liquid, it can be omitted. Water chestnuts come in a small can and are available at Asian grocery stores and even at supermarkets like Coles these days. They are mild in flavour (you can’t really taste anything) but add a subtle fresh crunchy texture. 

Ready made dumpling wrappers are available at most Asian grocery stores. We look out for brands that are locally made here in South Australia. 

To use all 500g of Chicken mince in the packet, simply double all the ingredient amounts when making the filling. This will allow for 60-80 dumplings to be made. The quantity varies depending on how much filling you put in each and the size of the wrappers.

How long will it take to make? Approximately 2-3 hours (including time to fold and cook the dumplings) but it gets quicker once you get the hang of them. Boiling instead of pan frying dumplings is quicker too.

Ingredients

• 250g minced chicken 
• 1/2 cup Chinese cabbage*
• 1/2 cup spring onion
• 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, finely chopped 
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic (fresh or from a jar)
• 1/3 tsp crushed ginger (fresh or from a jar)
• 1 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp soy sauce 
• 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine*
• 1/4 tsp white pepper 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• round dumpling wrappers (store bought) – approximately 30 – 40

Note: *Chinese cooking wine can be omitted if you don’t have any. We have also made dumplings without the cabbage and it’s totally fine.

Method – How to make the Chicken Dumpling filling

1. Finely chop the Chinese cabbage and put it into a bowl, mix it with salt, then let it rest for 15 minutes.
2. Squeeze out the excess water in cabbage into the sink and put the drained cabbage into a new bowl.
3. Put chicken mince into bowl and add cabbage, spring onion, water chestnuts.
4. Mix all together with either a spoon or hands.
5. Add garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, cooking wine, pepper and salt. Mix together with a spoon until all combined. 

Wrapping Instructions – How to wrap dumplings

1. Dip your finger in water and then wet around the edge of the wrapper.       
2. Grab a generous spoonful with a teaspoon or a smaller amount on a tablespoon of the filling and put it in the centre of the wrapper.
3. Fold the middle of the wrapper and pinch it, leaving the two sides open.
4. Start with the right side and grab the flap closest to you, close to the middle, and do a short fold towards the centre, and then repeat this two more times, each time grabbing the flap from further out. 
5. Repeat this with the left side.
6. Then ensure the top of the dumpling is fully sealed and then place it on a tray (it is recommended to put baking paper on the tray beforehand so the dumpling doesn’t stick)

It does take a little bit of practise to do the folds but once you get the hang of it, you’ll get faster at it. If you find it too hard, it’s totally fine to just press the sides together and be done. Watch the video at the bottom of the post to see how we do them. 

How to Cook Chicken Dumplings – Pan Fried

1. Make sure your pan has a lid that fits it fairly well. 
2. Spray oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add dumplings, pressing down firmly to flatten the base onto the pan. Cook as many as possible without them overlapping per batch.
3. When the base is golden brown (check them), add 1/2 cup of water to the pan.
4. Immediately clamp the lid on, then leave for 7 minutes (any less and the pleats won’t be cooked through). If your water dries out, add a bit more.
5. Remove the lid, most of the water should be evaporated, and the pleats should be cooked through. Leave the pan on the stove until the base dries and the underside of the dumplings is crisp again.
6. Remove dumplings from the pan and transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

You can also cook by steaming or boiling. 

How to Cook the Dumplings by Boiling

When boiling, just fill a large saucepan or pot about half way with water. Once the water is boiling add a layer of dumplings. Once the dumplings are floating to the top they are cooked – we usually leave it for an extra 30 seconds just to make sure they are cooked through. Take them out with a slotted spoon. 

Dumpling Dipping Sauce Recipe

This sauce is the best! We use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings and cold rolls as well as a salad dressing. Everyone loves it.

•  juice from 1 lemon
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• sprinkle of white pepper

Mix all these in a pouring cup, ready to serve.

Chicken Dumplings – Video – How to make them

This recipe has been produced by one of the OG Play & Go kids as part of their Year 12 AIF project. They’ve been making dumplings with their mum and grandmother for a few years but until now the recipe was never written down and was approximate. After much trial and error it has been recorded now for consistency (instead of just using a little bit of this, and a little bit of that). 

At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.

Image Source: Play & Go photos

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