Homemade Chicken Dumplings

Ingredients

• 3 cup All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Salt for the dough
• Olive oil for the dough (A drizzle; an approximate amount for the dough and to prevent it from drying out during resting.)
• 1.25 cup Warm water
• 2 lb Boneless chicken thighs (Skinless; the author uses them to keep the filling juicy.)
• 3 Scallions (Chopped; reserve some for the sauce.)
• 1 Carrot (Processed or finely grated.)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Chopped.)
• Oil for sautéing (A drizzle; approximately 1 tablespoon.)
• Salt for the filling (To taste.)
• Chicken bouillon (To taste.)
• Ground black pepper (To taste.)
• Ground ginger (A touch; fresh ginger may also be used.)
• Oyster sauce (A drizzle; approximately 2 tablespoons.)
• Flour for dusting (As needed for rolling out the dough.)
• Sesame oil for cooking (A drizzle for the skillet; approximately 1 tablespoon.)
• 0.5 cup Water for cooking the dumplings
• 0.333 cup Soy sauce (For the sauce.)
• Sesame seeds (To taste; approximately 1 teaspoon.)
• Scallions for the sauce (Chopped; use some of the scallions listed above.)
• Chiles in oil (To taste.)
• Sesame oil for the sauce (A drizzle; approximately 1 teaspoon.)
• Lemon juice (A drizzle; approximately 1 tablespoon.)
• Honey (A drizzle; approximately 1 tablespoon.)
• Water for the sauce (A drizzle; approximately 1 tablespoon.)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and a drizzle of olive oil, and mix until a dough forms; it will be somewhat sticky at first.

2. 2

   Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead it for approximately 5 minutes, until it becomes softer, smooth, and pliable.

3. 3

   Shape the dough into a ball. Lightly coat it with oil to prevent it from drying out, cover it with a blanket or clean cloth, and let it rest while you prepare the filling.

4. 4

   Finely chop the scallions and process or grate the carrot. Chop the garlic as well. If you reserved scallions for the sauce, set them aside now.

5. 5

   Cut the boneless chicken thighs into small pieces or process them until you have a chopped filling, without turning it into a completely smooth paste.

6. 6

   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the chopped garlic and sauté briefly, until fragrant, without letting it burn.

7. 7

   Add the chicken to the skillet. Season with salt, chicken bouillon, black pepper, and a touch of ground ginger, or fresh ginger if you have it.

8. 8

   Cook the chicken, stirring and breaking it up, until it changes color and is almost completely cooked. It should reach 74 °C in the center.

9. 9

   Add the carrot and chopped scallions. Stir in a drizzle of oyster sauce and mix well to distribute the flavors.

10. 10

    Cook the filling for approximately 3 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is completely cooked. Remove from the heat and let it cool enough to handle.

11. 11

    Divide the rested dough into portions according to the desired size. Shape them into balls, and keep the ones you are not using covered so they do not dry out.

12. 12

    Dust the work surface with flour and roll out each ball with a rolling pin until it forms a thin wrapper. Use a mold, cup, or cutter of approximately 1/2 cup to make all the pieces a similar size.

13. 13

    Place approximately 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each dough circle. Do not overfill it, so you can seal it without tearing.

14. 14

    Fold the dough over the filling and pinch the edges to seal each dumpling. Remove any excess dough if necessary and repeat until all the dumplings are assembled.

15. 15

    Heat a large skillet with a drizzle of sesame oil over low heat. Place the dumplings base-side down, leaving a little space between them.

16. 16

    Fry the dumplings for approximately 5 minutes, until the bases are golden brown and crisp.

17. 17

    Carefully add 1/2 cup of water to the skillet, as it may splatter. Cover immediately and steam for approximately 15 minutes, until the dough is cooked and pliable and the filling reaches 74 °C.

18. 18

    While the dumplings are cooking, prepare the sauce. Mix the soy sauce with the sesame seeds, chopped scallions, chiles in oil, sesame oil, lemon juice, honey, and water.

19. 19

    Stir the sauce until the honey and all the ingredients are well incorporated. Taste and adjust the heat or acidity if desired.

20. 20

    Serve the dumplings hot and pour the sauce over them or serve it on the side for dipping.

Notes

The recipe mentions cooking the filling and dumplings “in the oven,” but the described procedure—frying in a skillet, adding water, and covering—corresponds to cooking in a skillet with steam. Keep the dough covered while it rests and while you shape the dumplings. Soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty, so season moderately.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• Chinese food
• dumplings
• chicken
• pan-cooked
• steamed
• homemade
• with sauce