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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.
Watch the How-To Reel
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.
This post was originally published on November 30, 2020
This might be the only recipe I’ve followed 100% in years. So amazing! Loved it so much, just bought your book <3
I am so happy you loved this one, Rhandi!! Thank you for trying this! Also, I hope you love every recipe you try in my book! xTieghan
Made these this evening- so so yummy! I made the dumpling dough from scratch and in the future I would just buy it, as it was a little time consuming. Every part of this recipe is so good. I want to put the broth on everything!
I am so happy you loved these, Stacey!! Thank you so much for trying them! xTieghan
I loved this recipe! Its so easy to make and tastes delicious! I pretty much followed the recipe exactly, the only thing I did differently was a little less ginger and I added chilli flakes and more sesame to the broth.
I couldnt wait to eat it so I skipped the garlic crisp part! The sesame bottoms just make this dish.
My picky husband also loved it so will definitely be making this again. Its a perfect weeknight dinner for cold Midwestern winters! Thank you HBH for always coming through with the best recipes
Hi Shamyla! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you!! Thank you so much for trying it!! xTieghan
Have you made your own dumpling wrappers before? If so, what’s your recipe?!
Hey Aimee,
The dumpling dough is: 2 cups flour, pinch of salt, 3/4 cups of boiling water. Mix the hot water with the flour until a dough ball forms. I just use a spatula, then knead with my hand until the dough ball forms. Cover the dough and let sit 30 minutes then roll is out super thin and cut 26-30 wrappers. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I’ll be THAT person: is there a good gluten free alternative for the wrappers?
Hey Erin,
You can make the homemade dumplings and sub with GF flour. I have not tested this, but I think it could work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Amazing! Like upscale Chinese food at home!
Thank you Kate! xTieghan
My boyfriend made the mistake of buying large egg roll wrappers but they ended up just make even bigger dumplings! The fat from the pork almost turned them into soup dumplings and were amazing. We added some bok choy to our serving bowls and then ladled the broth on top.
Amazing! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, Judy! xTieghan
This recipe was a big hit with my husband and I! We loved the perfect balance of ginger, garlic, and soy sauce! This one quickly went on our recipe box!
Thank you so much Andrea! xTieghan
I made this recipe for my parents last night and it was a total hit! They called it a “5-star meal” and couldn’t stop talking about it! One thing to note, I had to adjust the amount of filling for the size of my wonton wrappers as a tablespoon was too much. We will definitely be making this recipe over and over again this winter! Thank you so much for sharing this!! 🙂
Thank you Kate!! I am really happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
Made this recipe last night- loved it! Your Asian cuisine recipes are always wonderful. The dumplings were such fun 🙂 we made our own dumpling wrappers per your recipe and they worked great! One question though- it’s called spicy broth but the ingredients don’t have anything spicy. I do see your recipe for chili oil in the notes. Maybe we were supposed to add that to the broth? We froze dumplings so wondering for next time. Thanks!
Hey Kelsey,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Yes, the chili oil is the spicy part. I recommend adding this to your liking:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
OMG OMG OMG OMG
My teenage daughter said “These may be the BEST dumplings I’ve ever tasted”.
these too longer than your article suggested but MAN-OH-MAN were they worth it.
I was on the fence about taking the time to do the spicy broth (It was a long and busy day). I’m glad I took the time… it made a HUGE difference. I had no idea a simple broth could have such flavor and complexity.
This will be a go-to dinner for us from now on!!
Wow that is so amazing Wei!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you! xTieghan
Tieghan, could you please share the recipe for homemade wonton wrappers? I forgot to safe it from the story you posted on Instagram. Thanks!
Hey Daniela,
The dumpling dough is: 2 cups flour, pinch of salt, 3/4 cups of boiling water. Mix the hot water with the flour until a dough ball forms. I just use a spatula, then knead with my hand until the dough ball forms. Cover the dough and let sit 30 minutes then roll is out super thin and cut 26-30 wrappers. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Your disregard of the whole pandemic is extremely disappointing.
Oh my god.. thought I could wait till the weekend for this but I couldn’t stop thinking about it so I just made it and Oh. My. Good. God.
I told my husband to expect to eat this all winter long. Soooo good!
Wow I am so happy you both loved this recipe, Sana!! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
This recipe was SO EXQUISITE I feel like I am a true chef. This meal was SO DIVINE … I know I’m using extreme adjectives but I am serious … it’s THAT wonderful. Put it this way, my husband had thirds (including my lunch for tomorrow) and I plan on going back to the grocery store tomorrow so I can make the entire meal again and this time freeze it. Thank you for this wonderful winter wish.
Thank you Allie! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan