The Best Yumblink Pancakes recipe you will fall in love with. Full of tips and tricks to help you make the best pancakes.
Hey there, foodies! I’m so excited to share with you this yummy recipe for pan-fried (soupy??) chicken & water chestnut dumplings! It’s the Year of the Dragon, so I’m bringing you something super tasty to celebrate Lunar New Year. Chicken and Water Chestnuts Dumps are one of my favorite combos because the crunch from the chestnuts is to die for! Trust me, you’ll want to make these dumplings to bring in some good fortune, hope, and prosperity for the year ahead.
But just a heads-up big RIP to my soup, basically all of it leaked out while cooking, but it was still super juicy and delicious! Ready to make your own batch? Let’s get into it!
Method
1. Prepare the Soup Gelatin
The first step in making these dumplings is preparing the soup gelatin. The night before you plan to make the dumplings, start by mixing 100ml of chicken stock with 3g of gelatin. Stir it well to ensure the gelatin dissolves completely. Once mixed, pour the mixture into a container and refrigerate it overnight so it can set into a firm, jelly-like consistency. This step is crucial because the soup jelly adds a flavorful, juicy surprise inside the dumplings when cooked.
2. Make the Filling
On the day you’re ready to make the dumplings, take the set soup gelatin out of the fridge and cut it into small chunks using a knife or fork. Next, in a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken thighs (already chopped into small pieces), minced water chestnuts, chopped spring onions, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, MSG, white powder, and 5-spice powder. Once all ingredients are in the bowl, mix them thoroughly. Make sure everything is evenly distributed for consistent flavor in each dumpling.
3. Hot Oil Treatment
This step adds an extra layer of flavor to the filling. In a small pan, heat 1 tablespoon of hot oil until it starts to sizzle. Once the oil is hot, pour it over the chopped spring onions in the filling mixture. The heat will release a wonderful aroma from the spring onions and give the dumplings an added burst of flavor. Stir the mixture together to ensure the oil is evenly spread and the spring onions are well incorporated into the filling.
4. Fill the Dumplings
Take one dumpling wrapper and place about a tablespoon of the prepared filling in the center. Be careful not to overfill, as this might make it harder to seal the dumpling properly. Fold the wrapper over the filling, pleating and pinching the top together. This will form a small pouch, ensuring the filling stays sealed inside. Repeat this process with the rest of the dumplings, making sure they are tightly sealed to avoid any leakage while cooking.
5. Pan-Fry the Dumplings
Now it’s time to cook those dumplings! Heat a small amount of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the dumplings to the pan. Fry the dumplings for about 2 minutes on the bottom, or until they develop a crispy golden-brown crust. Once the bottoms are crisp, pour about ¼ cup of water into the pan and immediately cover it with a lid. Let the dumplings steam for 9 minutes to cook the filling through. After the steaming time, uncover the pan and increase the heat to high to allow any remaining water to evaporate. Continue frying for a few minutes until the dumplings are crispy and golden all over. The combination of crispy and soft textures will make each bite a delight!
Necessary Tools
- A pan with a lid
- Knife and chopping board
- Mixing bowl
- Spoon or fork to cut the stock jelly
- Dumpling wrappers (if you’re not making your own)
Chicken & Water Chestnut Dumps
Cuisine: AmericanDifficulty: EasyServings
4
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
20
minutesCalories
300
kcalTotal time
35
minutesIngredients
2 chicken thighs (around 120g)
100ml chicken stock mixed with 3g of gelatin, cut into chunks
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ tsp MSG
¼ tsp white powder
½ tsp 5 spice powder
70g water chestnuts, minced
2 spring onions, chopped
1 tbsp hot oil
Dumpling wrappers (I made my own, but you can use store-bought too!)
Directions
- Prepare the Soup Gelatin The day before, mix chicken stock with gelatin, then place it in the fridge to set and “jelly-fy.”
- Make the Filling On the day you’re making the dumplings, cut up the stock jelly into chunks. Then add all the filling ingredients chicken, water chestnuts, spring onions, oyster sauce, soy sauce, MSG, white powder, and 5 spice powder into a bowl.
- Hot Oil Treatment Pour the hot oil over the spring onions and mix it all together. Then, gently fold the cut-up soup gelatin into the filling mixture.
- Fill the Dumplings Grab a dumpling wrapper and add around a tablespoon of the filling in the center. Fold it up by pleating and pinching the top together. Repeat for the rest of the dumplings.
- Pan-Fry the Dumplings In a pan over medium heat, add oil and then the dumplings. Fry them for about 2 minutes. Next, pour in about ¼ cup of water and cover for 9 minutes. Uncover and turn the heat up to high to let the water evaporate and make the bottoms nice and crispy.
Notes
- Make sure the stock jelly is set properly before adding it to the filling if it’s too liquid, it won’t create that yummy soup inside the dumplings!
- When you’re frying the dumplings, be careful not to overcrowd the pan. If you put too many in, they won’t cook evenly, and you might lose that crispy texture.
- Keep an eye on the heat when frying. If it’s too high, your dumplings might burn before they cook all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
These dumplings are perfect for a celebratory meal. You can serve them with some steamed vegetables like bok choy or a side of rice. For a fun twist, dip them in a soy-vinegar sauce for extra flavor! They’re also great to share with friends and family during Lunar New Year celebrations.
Fun Fact
Did you know that in Chinese culture, dumplings are a symbol of wealth? The shape is said to resemble ancient gold ingots, and eating them during the New Year is believed to bring prosperity and good fortune. So, get those dumplings ready and enjoy the blessings!
Conclusion
These pan-fried chicken and water chestnut dumps are absolutely delicious and so fun to make! They’re a perfect dish to celebrate the Lunar New Year or any time you want to enjoy some tasty dumplings with a twist. Even if my soup leaked out a bit, they were still juicy and flavorful so I promise you’ll love them. Happy cooking and wishing you a year filled with good fortune.
