These Chinese chicken and zucchini dumplings are super tender, juicy, and full of flavor. Chicken thigh meat, chives, sautéed zucchini (but you can sub cabbage), with a blend of our favorite dumpling seasoning and spices, make this one of our absolute favorite dim sum recipes to make. Feel free to substitute pork for the chicken in this dumpling recipe (it’s also really good). These chicken dumplings are consistently one of my top-rated dumpling fillings from friends and family along with this shrimp one over here!
For anyone who may be new to making dumplings or for kiddos helping out in the kitchen, we’ve included step-by-step recipe photos and a How to Make Chicken Dumplings Video!
Potstickers and dumplings of just about any kind are a great MealPrep dish (they take just 12-15 minutes to cook from frozen). And, If you don’t have time to make this 2-ingredient dumpling dough, use storebought dumpling wrappers which are a huge timesaver (or substitute them with homemade wonton wrappers). I usually double or triple this recipe and freeze the dumplings to cook for easy weeknight dinners.
Dumplings vs Potstickers — What’s the Difference?
Potstickers are part of the Chinese dumpling family. Made with a wrapper that’s somewhere in between the thickness of a typical dumpling wrapper and a thinner wonton wrapper, it’s filled with a mixture of meat or veggies (or both), and a few Chinese staple seasonings and sauces like chives, Shaoxing wine, soy, and sesame oil, to name just a few.
Each region of China has its own popular fillings to choose from (and within each region, every family (including mine) typically has their own special family recipe). To learn more about traditional potstickers, check out this post over here.
Top 7 Tips & Techniques to Make Dumpling Filling Taste Just Like Takeout
There are a few easy (but critical) techniques for making Chinese dumplings extra juicy just like your favorite restaurant. If you haven’t already seen them, I suggest you hop over here and check them out before you get started making this recipe.
How to Fill Homemade Dumplings (Using Homemade or Store-bought Dumpling Wrappers)
The easiest fold for making dumplings at home is to simply make the half-moon shape without any pleats or other fancy folding. If you don’t care at all about making your dumplings “look pretty”, then use this easy fold. When I first posted these dumplings they looked pretty ‘special’ to say the least, but now, I’ve gotten really good at making pretty pleats. No matter what your dumplings look like, they’ll taste great and steam beautifully as long as you seal them properly.
Just make sure there are no air pockets around the filling before you seal them up.
If using homemade dumpling wrappers you don’t need anything to help seal the wrappers.
If using store-bought dumpling wrappers use a cornstarch slurry or beaten egg (egg wash) to create the best seal.
- Place a round dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand and add about 1 tablespoon (12-15g) of filling to the center.
- Pinch one side of the dumpling closed at one of the corners (either right or left corner…it doesn’t matter).
- Take the side of the dumpling wrapper furthest away from you and start pleating (in the direction towards the closed corner) and pinching it together with the other side of the wrapper as you go. You may do a more traditional pleat, or even easier triangles if desired.
- Continue pleating until you reach the opposite corner and seal it closed, pressing out any air around the filling (using water or cornstarch slurry to create a good seal if using storebought wrappers.
Overview: Best Ever Chicken Dumplings Recipe Ingredients
For this dumpling recipe, I ground the meat myself using skinless, boneless chicken thighs, but you can buy pre-ground ground chicken to make this recipe even easier. If you don’t make my 2-ingredient dumpling dough, you’ll need roughly 1/2 a package of store-bought dumpling wrappers for this recipe. If you want to use the full package of store-bought wrappers, I recommend doubling the dumpling filling recipe below. You can find the full ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.
FOR THE FILLING
- ground chicken thigh meat
- zucchini
- chives
- fresh ginger
- Shaoxing wine
- light soy sauce
- dark soy sauce
- water (or chicken stock)
- oyster sauce
- hoisin sauce
- toasted sesame oil
- white pepper
- salt
FOR ASSEMBLING THE DUMPLINGS
- cornstarch
- 1 recipe 2-ingredient dumpling dough or 1/2 package dumpling wrappers (50 to 60ct) (300 to 400g)
EASIEST DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE
- regular soy sauce
- Chinese Chinkiang black vinegar (sub rice wine vinegar)
- water
- sugar
- toasted sesame oil
- fresh ginger
- toasted sesame seeds
- fresh chives
Overview: How to Make Easy Homemade Chicken Dumplings
Dumplings of any kind are easy to make at home and if you have a kitchen helper, creating an assembly line makes the prep work go even faster. But if it’s just you, a bowl of filling, and a stack of wrappers, don’t worry because once you start assembling, it all goes really quickly. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card below.
- Steep the ginger in the soy, Shaoxing, and water.
- Grind the chicken (or use pre-ground chicken and skip to step 3).
- Sauté the zucchini.
- Combine the chicken with soy-Shaoxing mixture in a clockwise motion until bouncy and all liquid is absorbed by the meat and chill.
- Add the vegetables to the chicken mixture.
- Assemble the dumplings.
- Steam the dumplings.
Easy Chinese Chicken Dumplings recipe step-by-step photos
Looking for More Easy Dim Sum or Asian-Inspired Dishes?
If you’re looking for a few other dishes to round out your takeout night in, below are a few of our favorites we think you may also enjoy.
- Dim Sum Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings (虾饺) (The Ultimate Guide)
- Chinese Soup Dumplings Xiaolongbao (小笼包) (100% From Scratch)
- Egg Drop Soup with Crispy Fried Wonton Strips (Danhuatang 蛋花湯)
- Thin + Chewy Homemade Chinese Wonton Wrappers
- Easy Homemade 2-Ingredient Chinese Dumpling Dough
- Takeout Style Pork and Green Bean Stir-Fry w/Glass Noodles
- Easy Pork and Chive Potstickers w/Sautéed Napa Cabbage & Carrots (Jiaozi)
- Chinese Takeout Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry w/Glass Noodles (a Family Favorite)
- 20-Minute Singapore Mei Fun Noodles (Shrimp Mei Fun)
- Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce)
- Easy and Delicious Pork Potsticker Recipe (Cantonese Style Jiaozi)
- Crispy Pork and Chive Spring Rolls w/Glass Noodles & Vegetables
- Steamed Pork and chive Money Bag Dumplings (Beggar’s Purse Dumplings)
- Hoisin Garlic-Ginger Oven-Braised Pork Ribs
Let’s get started!
Print
Chicken Dumplings Recipe (Best Chicken Jiaozi)
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 20 Dumplings 1x
Description
Chicken dumplings are so delicious! Tender thigh meat, chives, sautéed zucchini (yes, zucchini, but you can sub cabbage), and our favorite blend of dumpling seasonings and spices consistently make this one of my most requested dumpling fillings from friends and family. A great MealPrep dinner for any night of the week these dumplings cook in just 12 to 15 minutes from frozen. Plus, you know exactly what is and what isn’t in them!
Ingredients
FOR THE DUMPLING WRAPPERS
- 1 recipe 2-ingredient dumpling dough or about 1/2 package of store-bought wrappers
FOR THE FILLING
- 6 to 7 slices fresh ginger, sliced into matchsticks (10g)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (15g)**
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (15g) (or sub regular soy)
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (15g) (or sub regular soy)
- 1 tablespoon water (or chicken or vegetable stock) (15g)
- 4 ounces zucchini, julienned or grated (about 1 medium zucchini) (170g) (or sub cabbage)
- 1/2 pound ground chicken thigh meat (boneless, skinless) (226g)
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (6g)
- 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce (2g)
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (1g)
- 2 tablespoons chives, finely minced (or sub scallions, green parts only) (7g)
- 4 dashes of white pepper
- a pinch of salt, or more to taste (1g)
FOR ASSEMBLING THE DUMPLINGS
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7.5g) plus 1/2 cup of water (118g) combined *(cornstarch slurry to seal dumplings is only needed when using storebought dumpling wrappers which tend to be drier than homemade dumpling wrappers which seal perfectly on their own)
EASIEST DUMPLING DIPPING SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce (30g)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese Chinkiang black vinegar (or rice wine vinegar) (5g)
- 1 teaspoon water (5g)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (5g)
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (1g)
- fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks (5g)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional) (3g)
- fresh chives for garnish
*If using scallions (which often have a more pungent flavor as compared to chives, you may want to reduce the amount by half or adjust according to your taste.
**If you use high-quality unsalted Shaoxing wine, you may need to increase the amount of salt you add. If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, use dry sherry in a 1:1 ratio. If you’re thinking about using mirin, it’s acceptable if that’s all you’ve got (but it really has a completely different flavor than Shaoxing wine and it’s also a bit sweet).
Instructions
- Steep the ginger. Add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of water, and ginger to a small bowl and allow the mixture to infuse for 30 minutes or up to an hour while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- (Skip to Step #3 below if using pre-ground chicken) Grind the chicken. Place the chicken thighs into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to firm up and make it easier to slice and move through the grinder but do not let it freeze solid. Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes. Attach the KitchenAid food grinder attachment with the small die, and start adding the meat and grinding. Cover and store in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Sauté the zucchini. Add 1 teaspoon (5g) of oil to a skillet set over medium heat, add the shredded or julienned zucchini, season with salt to taste, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and no moisture remains in the pan (see photos). Remove the mixture to a bowl to cool completely.
- Make & chill the dumpling filling. Remove the ginger from the soy seasoning sauce and discard. Add the soy seasoning sauce directly to the bowl with the ground chicken. Add the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, white pepper, and toasted sesame oil, and stir to combine. Stir the mixture in one direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) with chopsticks, or a fork until it becomes visibly paste-like, shiny, and jiggles a little when tapped (about 4-5 minutes). At this point, the meat should have absorbed all of the liquid. Add the cooled zucchini and chives, cover, and place the mixture into the fridge to chill to allow the flavors to bloom for at least 15 minutes (or even better up to one hour, or overnight).
- Test the flavor of the chicken filling. Pan-fry a small amount of filling in a lightly oiled skillet. Adjust the salt and any seasonings as needed.
- Assemble the dumplings. Cover the wrappers with a slightly damp cloth to keep them from drying out while you’re filling the dumplings. Add about 1 tablespoon of dumpling filling to the center of each wrapper. Pinch one side of the dumpling closed at one of the corners (either right or left corner…it doesn’t matter). Take the side of the dumpling wrapper furthest away from you and start pleating (in the direction towards the closed corner) and pinching it together with the other side of the wrapper as you go. Continue pleating until you reach the opposite corner and seal it closed, pressing out any air bubbles around the filling (if using storebought wrappers seal the edge with water or cornstarch slurry to create a good seal). Set the filled dumplings on a parchment-lined tray without touching each other.
- Steam the dumplings. Add 2-3 inches of water to a large sauté pan or wok and bring it to a boil. Line a bamboo steamer with whole cabbage leaves or parchment paper, and add the dumplings making sure they don’t touch one another. Once the water is boiling, place the steamer basket on top and cover with the lid to steam the dumplings until cooked through (about 8 minutes for fresh dumplings and 12-15 minutes for frozen dumplings). Be sure not to add too much water to ensure the dumplings are never in contact with any water as they steam. Remove the dumplings to a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce, Enjoy!
Notes
- You’ll need roughly 1/2 package of store-bought dumpling wrappers for this recipe, so I recommend doubling the chicken dumpling filling recipe so you can use the entire package of dumpling wrappers. If however, you’re making my homemade 2-Ingredient dumpling wrappers, it’s the perfect amount for this filling without doubling the recipe.
- The weight of my 2-ingredient dumpling dough is usually around 220g and I portion each dumpling wrapper to 10 or 11g each for medium size dumplings that are easy to eat. If you like larger dumplings, use around 15g for each dumpling wrapper instead.
- You may substitute shredded or thinly sliced napa cabbage for the zucchini if desired.
- Be sure to read the 7 Tips and Techniques for how to make better-than-takeout dumplings and potsticker fillings before you get started.
- If you can’t find pre-ground chicken thigh meat where you live, ask the local grocery store butcher to grind it for you.
- MealPrep dumplings by freezing them in a single layer on a tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until firm. Then place them into an airtight container or freezer bag until ready to cook. When ready to cook, steam dumplings for 12 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Here’s a great ‘Ginger Trick’ I learned from my friends and family in Chengdu for how to infuse ginger flavor into dumpling fillings without ever having to bite down into actual pieces of ginger: Infuse dumpling filling sauces (like soy sauce or water) with ginger matchsticks instead of actually grating or mincing ginger and adding it to the filling. It adds a fragrant ginger flavor without ever biting down into a piece of ginger.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dim Sum + Dumplings
- Method: Steamed
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 Dumplings
