Plump, flavour-packed and delicious Chinese chicken dumplings that will have you wanting more!
These perfectly seasoned dumplings are filled with umami powerhouse shiitake mushrooms, chicken mince, corn kernels and aromatics like ginger and garlic.
This recipe shows you how to boil dumplings or pan fry to make potstickers!
Of course, a quick video of how to fold dumplings is included below.
Love dumplings? You'll want to also check out my all-time favourite pork and chive dumplings, easy pork wontons, vegetarian dumplings or simply take a browse of my dumpling recipe category.
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Ingredients
- Chicken mince (ground chicken) - there are usually 2 types of chicken mince to buy: mixed chicken mince or chicken breast mince. I recommend using mixed chicken mince (usually just labelled 'chicken mince') for this recipe as it makes juicier and tender dumplings as it contains both white (breast) and dark cuts (thighs/legs).
- Corn kernels - Easiest to use canned or frozen. Feel free to use fresh corn and cut corn kernels off the cob. Adds texture and subtle sweetness.
- Egg - helps bind the ingredients together.
- Dumpling wrappers - can be found at most Asian or Chinese supermarkets in the fridge section. If you're in Australia, certain major supermarkets sell them too like Woolies.
- Dehydrated shiitake mushrooms - preferred over fresh shiitake mushrooms as it's way more fragrant and umami-rich! The extra step of rehydrating them is definitely worth it.
- White pepper - earthier and more mild compared to black pepper and often the choice of pepper in Chinese cooking.
- Oil - extra fat helps make the filling juicier. A technique I often use in all my dumpling recipes such as the classic pork and chive dumplings and har gow (crystal prawn dumplings). Also, chicken mince tends to be very lean. I like using extra virgin olive oil as I don't find the flavour overpowering. Can use neutral-tasting oils such as sunflower, canola or better yet, lard.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) - like the egg, it helps bind the ingredients together and more importantly, creates a silky/tender texture to the chicken dumpling filling. Cornflour is often used in Chinese cooking to tenderise meats (combined with fat and salt). See my beef noodle stir fry or cashew chicken stir fry as examples.
Cooking instructions
This Chinese chicken dumpling recipe takes about 1.5 hours to make, from start to finish.
The cooking process is very quick, most of the time spent is on wrapping the dumplings and rehydrating the shiitake mushrooms.
Prepare chicken dumpling filling
First, rehydrate the shiitake mushrooms.
The stems of dehydrated shiitake mushrooms are a bit too tough for dumplings (even once rehydrated). You can break them off very easily (like the picture above) and discard. However, can keep and add to soups in the future for extra flavour.
In a medium-sized bowl, soak the shiitake mushrooms in a cup of boiling water, covered (I use a small plate).
After ~20 minutes, the mushrooms should be plump and rehydrated. Squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms then finely chop.
Tip: shiitake soaking water is umami-rich and can be added to soups or saucy stir fries. Store in airtight containers in the fridge, lasts 1 to 2 weeks. Otherwise, discard.
Finely mince garlic and ginger. Tip: use a zester like the above to mince fresh ginger. It's done in seconds!
In a large mixing bowl, add chicken mince, shiitake mushrooms, corn kernels, ginger, garlic, egg, cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, oil, sesame oil, salt and white pepper.
Mix and stir in one direction until well combined then stir a bit more for 15 more seconds.
Mixing the chicken dumpling filling in one direction helps tenderise and bind the filling together.
How to fold Chinese chicken dumplings
The best way to explain how to wrap dumplings is to watch how it's done - see the video below.
The trick to ensuring the dumpling is sealed nicely is to tab some water around half of the rim of the wrapper. Use just enough water so that the wrapper is damp - not dripping (otherwise it won't stick)!
Once folded, go over the folded edges and press to seal tightly so they don't open back up.
This recipe makes about 30 plump dumplings.
Tip: If you have any leftover chicken dumpling filling once you've used up all of your wrappers, make little chicken patties on the frying pan!
There are 2 great ways to cook these Chinese chicken dumplings.
You can boil them which takes less than 5 minutes to cook or pan-fry for those golden, crispy bottoms (aka potstickers)!
Better yet, do both! Half boiled and the other half pan-fried. Both methods are very easy.
Cooking option 1: pan-fry
In a frying pan, lightly coat with oil then line the dumplings neatly in the pan just like in the image above. It's okay if they're touching each other - no wiggle room needed.
Add about 1 cup of water (or mix in some shiitake mushrooms soaking water!)
Put the lid on and cook over high heat for about 5 to 6 minutes. The water should be fully absorbed/evaporated by then.
Continue to cook with the lid over high heat until the bottom of the chicken dumplings have turned golden and crispy.
Look at this golden colour! Crispy pan-fried chicken dumplings are extra delicious and require minimal effort.
Cooking option 2: boil
Boiling dumplings is even quicker and easier.
Bring a large pot filled with water up to a rolling boil (important) over high heat.
Then, add chicken dumplings. After about 30 seconds, very gently stir the dumplings with a slotted spoon to make sure the dumplings are not stuck together (otherwise they won't cook evenly).
Just like boiling noodles, do not overfill the pot with dumplings otherwise they might stick together and when you try to separate them, they might break apart. Which will be a real shame.
Once the pot is back at a rolling boil, continue to cook for about 3 minutes or until the dumplings are fully cooked.
Scoop up with a large slotted spoon, drain excess water and serve.
Both cooking methods are great and it really is up to your personal preference.
They serve great as is or with a quick and easy dumpling dipping sauce. I've included that in the recipe card below.
Useful tips and tricks
- Save the shiitake mushrooms soaking water. Once the mushrooms are rehydrated, the soaking water is not used in this recipe. Shiitake soaking water is umami-rich and can be added to soups or saucy stir fries. Store in airtight containers in the fridge, lasts for 1 to 2 weeks.
- Mix the chicken dumpling filling in one direction for an extra 15 seconds. This helps tenderise and bind the filling together which will make them easier to wrap with.
- Make little chicken patties with any leftover chicken dumpling filling. Scoop up a large spoonful of filling and add it straight onto an oiled frying pan. Flatten with the spoon and repeat until all filling is used. Cook the chicken patties on both sides until golden brown and fully cooked.
- Make 2 or 3 batches and freeze so you can have dumplings whenever you want in 10 minutes! See below 'storage/freezing' section for how to freeze dumplings.
FAQs
Yes! See section 'storage and freezing' below for exactly how to freeze dumplings ahead of time.
Potstickers is simply the term for dumplings cooked using the pan-frying method. The bottom of the potsticker dumplings are golden and crispy.
If using the boiling method, it takes about 5 minutes to fully cook. If using the pan-frying method, it takes about 6 to 7 minutes.
No, I'm strongly against this! The dumpling wrappers will turn very hard and chewy in an unpleasant way.
How to freeze dumplings and storage
One great thing about making dumplings at home is that they freeze really well.
To freeze raw dumplings:
- Line dumplings on a large baking tray, plate or chopping board that can fit in your freezer. Make sure the dumplings are spaced out and not touching each other.
- Place into the freezer and freeze for a few hours until frozen.
- Remove from freezer, place frozen dumplings in airtight containers (eg. zip-lock bags) and place back in the freezer.
- Lasts in the freezer for 3 to 4 months.
To cook frozen dumplings, do not defrost, cook using either pan frying or boiling method. Cook time will be a few minutes longer. If in doubt, cut a dumpling in half to check for doneness.
Leftover cooked Chinese chicken dumplings last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, stored in airtight containers.
I do not recommend freezing cooked dumplings.
Made this recipe? Let me know your thoughts or questions by dropping a note in the comments section below.
I'd love to hear from you. 🙂
- Gen
📖 Recipe
Chinese Chicken Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 packet dumpling wrapper ~30 sheets
Chicken dumpling filling
- 500 g (1 lb) chicken mince (ground chicken)
- 1 cup corn kernels canned (drained) or frozen/fresh
- 1 egg
- 4 dehydrated shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoon oil olive oil or neutral-tasting eg. sunflower
Optional: dumpling dipping sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil a few drops is enough
- 1 clove garlic and/or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
Instructions
Wrap dumplings
- In a medium-sized bowl, soak shiitake mushrooms with 1 cup of boiling water for ~20 minutes, covered. Once rehydrated, squeeze out excess liquid and finely chop (note 1).
- In a large mixing bowl, add all dumpling filling ingredients. Mix well with a spoon until well combined then mix in in one direction in a circular motion for 15 seconds (note 2). With the back of the spoon, firmly flatten out the surface of the dumpling filling (note 3).
- Wrap dumplings - see my quick how-to video above. This recipe makes ~30 dumplings.
Cooking option 1: pan-fry for potstickers (cook in 2 batches)
- In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil then neatly line with dumplings (okay if they touch each other). Add 1 cup of water, lid on, and cook over medium-high heat for ~5 minutes or until the water has evaporated. Continue to cook with the lid on until the bottoms of the dumplings turn golden and crispy.
Cooking option 2: boil (cook in 2 batches)
- Bring a large pot of water up to a boil. Add dumplings in. After about 30 seconds, gently stir the dumplings with a large slotted spoon to ensure they are not stuck together. Once the pot is at a rolling boil, cook for a further 3 minutes or until the dumplings are completely cooked.
Optional: dumpling dipping sauce
- In a small bowl, combine all dipping sauce ingredients and mix well until the sugar has dissolved.
Notes
- Line dumplings on a large baking tray, plate or chopping board that can fit in your freezer. Make sure the dumplings are spaced out and not touching each other.
- Place into the freezer and freeze for a few hours until frozen.
- Remove from freezer, place frozen dumpling in airtight containers (eg. zip-lock bags) and place back in the freezer. Lasts in the freezer for 3 to 4 month
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