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Homemade Sesame Chicken Dumplings in Spicy Broth with Garlic Crisps…best for nights when you’re craving spicy, warming, Chinese dumplings, but want something healthier and made at home. Easy homemade dumplings with chicken, ginger, and sesame-crusted wrappers, served in a steaming, spicy, gingery broth. Finish each bowl of dumplings off with spicy chili garlic crisps and toasted sesame oil. These are a fun and healthy dinner to make any night of the week. So delicious…and extra saucy too. Sesame Chicken Dumplings in Spicy Broth with Garlic Crisps.
Happy Monday, happy almost December!! We’re back at it after a long holiday weekend, which means one of two things. One, we’re either feeling refreshed and ready for the week, or two, we’re still beat from cooking on Thanksgiving. And then Black Friday shopping…which went through the weekend because everything is “cyber” these days.
So which is it? I’m going to be honest, I’m not quite prepared for the week. It’s got me feeling a little bit anxious. But at least we have warming dumplings to make and Christmas movies to watch. So that makes everything better. So much better.
Crazy that it’s basically December, but also exciting too! Hoping this month brings everyone some much needed holiday cheer. I know it’s cheesy and all, but if there was ever a year to embrace the holidays, it’s 2020.
Soo with that, let’s start the week with the most delicious recipe. It’s not the usual, it’s not crazy traditional, but geez, it good. A cross between a good bowl of ramen noodles and crispy bottomed dumplings.
The Inspiration for these saucy sesame chicken dumplings.
A while back, in January actually, I made dumplings for the first time. I stuffed them with mushrooms and served them up with chili sauce. To this day, it’s still a recipe I make every so often because we all love them. They’re pretty quick and easy to throw together.
With the crazy busy and crazy cold month of December here, I wanted a cozy dinner that’s flavorful and healthy…or at least healthy(ish). I love my creamy pasta dishes, but it’s nice to switch things up from time to time.
So dumplings! This time I filled mine with a sesame chicken mix and baby bok choy and tossed them in steamy, spicy, gingery broth. Very cozy and warming, but healthy too!
The details.
Start with the dumpling wrappers. Since we don’t have any Asian markets near us, I like to use Wonton wrappers. These work amazingly well and I tend to keep them in my fridge or freezer to have on hand for quick homemade egg rolls or dumplings. Of course, if you have an Asian market near you, I would recommend picking up fresh dumpling wrappers to use for a truly authentic dumpling.
Once you have your wrapper situation all sorted, make the filling. It’s very simple but very good. Just some fresh ginger and garlic mixed with ground chicken and baby bok choy. I added a splash of soy sauce for saltiness, and a pinch of pepper for a little kick.
Assembling is easier than you’d think. I chose to make round dumplings because I find assembling easier and I’m able to make them prettier too. You can also fold the dough into half-moons (which I believe would then make these potstickers?). Either way, it’s an easy process. Just spoon the filling into the center of your dumpling wrapper, then lift the edges of the dough up and over the filling, pinching at the top to seal. Don’t stress about making these look perfect. Each little dumpling is unique and cute in its own way!
Finally, brush the bottom of each dumping with water and coat in sesame seeds. I don’t believe this is traditional, but those crispy sesame seeds on the bottom are delicious.
Before you start cooking the dumplings, make that spicy, gingery broth. The key to this is caramelizing the shallots. They add so much flavor and make the broth feel rich and indulgent.
Let the broth simmer while you cook the dumplings. I like to pan-fry them, then add water to steam and finish cooking them. It can be a little messy of a process, but it’s pretty easy. Once the water evaporates, I like to leave the dumplings on the pan another minute to allow the bottoms to get crispy again.
When pan-frying/steaming, it’s important to note that the pan will splatter when you add the water. So please be careful and stand back when doing so.
OK. And then the very last thing? Toss the Panko breadcrumbs and thinly sliced garlic into the skillet and let them get nice and crispy with some chili flakes.
To serve, I like to arrange the dumplings in low bowls, spoon the steaming broth over, then top with that crispy garlic plus fresh green onions for a nice pop of color and flavor at the end.
DELICIOUS.
Look, I know it’s not my simplest of the simple recipes, but the extra effort put into these dumplings is so worth it. Especially if you’ve been craving really good dumplings and steaming broth from your favorite Chinese spot in town. Homemade is always better, you know?
You can also make them in bulk over the weekend or whenever you have time. Then just freeze what’s leftover for the quickest, easiest lunch or dinner…any day of the week. Once the dumplings are frozen, simply pan-fry as directed, then steam for an additional four to five minutes.
I look at this recipe as the perfect December dinner. Our nights are so much longer these days, so sometimes I find it nice to be able to spend a little extra time in the kitchen making dinner. These are especially fun to make with others, so grab a few friends, your husband, kids, whoever. Then make a fun night out of this. And if you are going to make a night of it, add Christmas cookies, and a holiday movie into the mix too.
Looking for other Asian inspired weeknight dinners? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Thai Peanut Chicken Ramen
30 Minute Caramelized Shallot Beef Ramen Noodles
Lastly, if you make these Sesame Chicken Dumplings in Spicy Broth with Garlic Crisps, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Sesame Chicken Dumplings in Spicy Broth with Garlic Crisps
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1690 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken or pork
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
- 2 cups roughly chopped spinach or bok choy
- 2 tablespoons plus, 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- black pepper
- 24-26 round dumpling or wonton wrappers
- 1/4 cup plus, 1 tablespoon raw sesame seeds
- 3-4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 5 tablespoons sesame or olive oil
- 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or smashed
- crushed red pepper flakes use to your taste
- green onions for serving
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine the raw chicken, bok choy, 1 tablespoon ginger, garlic, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and a pinch of black pepper. 2. To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto each wrapper. Brush water around the edges of the wrapper. Fold the edges of the wrapper up and around the filling and pinch in the center to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers. Place the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Brush the bottoms of the dumplings with water and then dredge them in the sesame seeds.3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium pot. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook until fragrant and caramelized, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon ginger and cook another minute. Add the broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and the rice vinegar. Season to taste with pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Keep warm.4. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the dumplings and cook until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully pour 1/4 cup of water into the skillet, it will splatter, so stand back. Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn heat to medium-low and let the dumplings steam for 5-6 minutes. Remove the dumplings from the skillet to a plate. 5. In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the Panko, thinly sliced garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and a large pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook until lightly toasted, 3 minutes. Watch closely. Spoon the crumbs out of the skillet onto a plate. 6. Arrange the dumplings in shallow bowls. Ladle the steaming broth over top. Top with garlic crisps, green onions, and chili oil. Enjoy!
Notes
To Freeze: follow the recipe through step 3. Flash-freeze the dumplings on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Once the dumplings are frozen, simply pan-fry as directed, then steam for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Chili Oil: I always keep a jar of this homemade chili oil on hand.
Overall, the recipe had good flavor. While we enjoyed it, I will not be making it again. The prep time was significantly longer than expected and the cook time had so many different steps. I didn’t even bother with the “crisps” as I was over how long I had been cooking.
Also, wontons and dumpling wrappers are NOT the same thing. To suggest using either without an explanation is setting folks up for disappointment. Dumpling are thick and larger. Wontons are small and thin and break easily. If you are trying to achieve the picture and the recipe name, use dumpling wrappers.
Using a chicken/pork mix in the filling goes a long way to add flavor and avoid it being dry. Doesn’t hurt to throw in some cilantro either. If you use boy choy, will help to steam it a bit before adding to the mix.
Hi Erica,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! xx
This recipe is incredible!
For nutritional info it states calories Per Serving: 1690 kcal
Is that correct? or is that calories for the entire batch?
Thanks so much!
Hey Tina,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your comment, I love to hear it was a hit! I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! xT 😊
Hello! I wandered over to the comments to ask about the same thing.
I ended up logging it into MyFitness pal and it clocked in at closer to 500-600 calories, depending on the ingredients used. Just wanted to mention it in case someone out there wanted to make this but were turned off by the calorie count.
I’ve made this a few times and while wrapping the dumplings is a little bit labor intensive, it’s definitely worth the effort. You won’t be disappointed!
Thanks so much for sharing Christina!! I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! xT
Absolutely delicious!!!! One of my very favorite things to make!!! Just put a batch of dumplings in the freezer for a quick dinner- one night soon!!!!
Hey Katie,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xT
This recipe is one of my favorites!! When I make them I always make more to freeze for later. Definitely a hit in our house! A little time consuming but so worth it!
Hey Sarah,
Happy Wednesday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your comment, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
These were so good but I always find ground chicken to be so bland. It needed more flavor, or the addition of some spiced salt or both. Also, 3 shallots was plenty for the broth. 🙂
Hey Leigh,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well! Sorry about the ground chicken! xT
Love this recipe! It’s a staple in our dinner rotation
Hey Sarah,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your comment, so glad to hear it is always enjoyed! Have a great weekend:)
This is my absolute favorite recipe! We always come back to this one around New Years and it’s has become our New Years tradition. This is the 3rd year we are making this! So yummy!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hey Mary,
Happy Friday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear this was enjoyed! xT
Really enjoyed these! Wondering how to “flash freeze” when you just have a regular freezer? Hoping to make this ahead of time for a “day after Christmas” meal …?
Hi Colleen,
Just keep them on something flat so they can freeze and then add them to an airtight container. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Thank you! Will do – I’ve had requests to double the next batch 🙂
Hello. I’ve made this recipe several times. Very delicious. I plan to make this for Christmas Eve. I will make a freeze the dumplings ahead of time. Can I also make and freeze the spicy broth as well? Thank you.
Hey Anne Marie,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Sure, that will work well for you! Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
This is my all time favorite recipe!
Hi Jaleena,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for trying it out! Have a great weekend! 👻
Totally yummy but took me almost two hours in total and I’m a fairly experienced cook!
Hi Amber,
Happy Friday!🎃 I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out and sharing your review! Sorry this took longer than expected! xx
Totally fell in love with this recipe!!! Tried it this evening for dinner and it was just delicious. One of my (and my families) all time favorites for sure.
Hey Julia,
Happy Friday!👻 Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your review! I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xT
Gave the recipe a first try this evening. It was very tasty. That said, extremely salty as I did not have low sodium soy sauce on hand. I look forward to making this again…
Hi Stephanie,
Happy Friday!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out tasty for you, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Sorry about the salt! xx
Hi Tieghan! Looking forward to trying this! Was looking through the directions and couldn’t find where the 3-4 shallots are used??
Oh wow, nvm. Literally read over it multiple times and just now saw it haha!!
Lol no worries:)
Hey Morgan,
The shallots are used in step 3:) I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xT
Hi 🙂 I just wanted to find out if by the “serves 6” does that mean the recipe makes 6 dumplings?
Hi there,
The recipe will make 6 servings, meaning enough to serve 6 people. You should have about 24 dumplings. Please let me know if you have any other questions.