Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe: Umami Bites, Guaranteed!
Chicken dumplings are my comfort food. That is true for hundreds of thousands of other people as well. You can make this Kung Pao chicken dumplings recipe whenever you are bored with your regular chicken dumplings. The spicy and juicy chicken filling will drive your boredom away.
Let me tell you the ingredients you will need and the detailed steps for making this recipe. I will mention every detail of making the most delicious Kung Pao chicken dumplings. Make sure you read till the end to know all the tips and tricks.
Table of Contents
Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe Overview
If you use readymade dumpling wrappers, the cooking time will be much shorter. Here are some key factors of this recipe.
| Cuisine: Chinese | Difficulty: Medium | ||
| Total Time: 35 minutes | |||
| Serving | Preparation Time | Cooking Time | Calories |
| 2 persons | 15 minutes | 20 minutes | 270 kcal |
Ingredients Needed for the Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe
The list of ingredients for this recipe isn’t too long. You can cook this dish with the basic ingredients you have in the kitchen. Check out the following list.
Main Ingredients for the Recipe
- Chicken: I am using 400g of chicken breast. The chicken breast should be boneless.
- Ginger: 25g ginger, finely chopped
- Scallions: 2-3 tbsp of finely chopped scallions
- Green Beans: 1 cup of green beans. They can be fresh or frozen.
- Carrot: 50g of carrots, finely diced
- Onion: 50g of onion, finely diced. Cutting onions and carrots this way will give a nice texture to the filling.
- Cornstarch: 1 tsp
- Oil: 1-2 tbsp
Sauces and Seasonings for the Recipe
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Sugar: 1/2 tsp
- Cooking Wine or Shaoxing Wine: 2 tbsp
- Light Soy Sauce: 2 tsp
- Chili Powder: 1 tsp
- Dark Soy Sauce: 3 tbsp, for serving
Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe: Step-By-Step Instructions
The secret of making delicious dumplings lies in preparing the filling properly. Here are the detailed steps of making Kung Pao chicken dumplings my way.
Step 1: Wash and Cut the Chicken
Take 400g of chicken breast and wash the meat well. Then, pat the chicken breast dry with a kitchen towel. Place the meat on a flat surface and cut long strips of about 1 inch thick.
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Then, cut the strips into 1-inch cubes. If you are making small dumplings, you should cut the cubes in 1/2-inch sizes.
Step 2: Prepare the Veggies
I am using carrots, green beans, and onions for this recipe. The carrots should be peeled and diced. Then, cut the onions similarly. If the green beans are frozen, take them out of the fridge.
Step 3: Marinate the Chicken Cubes
Take the chicken cubes in a bowl and sprinkle about 1 tsp of salt on it. Add about 1 tsp of light soy sauce and 1 tsp of cooking wine to the chicken and mix everything. Let the marinated chicken rest for some time in the refrigerator. If you don’t have much time, you can start cooking it right away.
Step 4: Fry Aromatics in Oil
Place a pan on medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp of oil to the pan. Put the chopped ginger and scallions in the pan first. Lower the flame after adding these ingredients and fry them for about one minute.
Step 5: Add Chili Powder and Cooking Wine
Put 1 tsp of chili powder in the oil and stir it continuously. Otherwise, the chili powder will get burnt. Fry until the red oil comes out. Then, add a splash of cooking wine to the pan.
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Also, add 1 tsp of soy sauce and 1/2 tsp of sugar to the ingredients. Mix everything well and fry for about one minute.
Step 6: Fry the Vegetables
Add the diced carrots and onions to the pan along with the green beans. Stir-fry the veggies so that they are coated with the chili oil and sauce. After frying the vegetables for a few minutes, add 2 tsp of cornstarch slurry. It will thicken the sauce.
Step 7: Prepare the Kung Pao Chicken Filling
The sauce you made on the pan is the Kung Pao sauce. Pour this over the marinated chicken and mix everything well. The Kung Pao chicken filling is now ready.
Step 8: Fill the Dumpling Wrappers
Take a dumpling wrapper in one hand and fill it with about 1-2 tsp of Kung Pao chicken filling. Rub the edges with a wet finger. Then, start closing the edges by pinching them together. You can make some fancy designs if you like.
Step 9: Cook the Dumplings
While you are preparing the dumplings, let water boil in a pot. Once all the dumplings are ready, put them in boiling water. The water temperature might drop after putting the dumplings in. Cook the dumplings until the water boils again and the dumpling skin turns a bit translucent.
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Step 10: Take the Dumplings Out and Serve!
Strain the dumplings and serve on a large plate. Take about 2-3 tbsp of dark soy sauce in a small bowl and add some chopped scallions to it. Serve them together and enjoy the rich aroma of Kung Pao chicken dumplings.
Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Take 400g of chicken breast and wash the meat well. Then, pat the chicken breast dry with a kitchen towel. Place the meat on a flat surface and cut long strips of about 1 inch thick.
- Then, cut the strips into 1-inch cubes. If you are making small dumplings, you should cut the cubes in 1/2-inch sizes.
- I am using carrots, green beans, and onions for this recipe. The carrots should be peeled and diced. Then, cut the onions similarly. If the green beans are frozen, take them out of the fridge.
- Take the chicken cubes in a bowl and sprinkle about 1 tsp of salt on it. Add about 1 tsp of light soy sauce and 1 tsp of cooking wine to the chicken and mix everything. Let the marinated chicken rest for some time in the refrigerator. If you don’t have much time, you can start cooking it right away.
- Place a pan on medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp of oil to the pan. Put the chopped ginger and scallions in the pan first. Lower the flame after adding these ingredients and fry them for about one minute.
- Put 1 tsp of chili powder in the oil and stir it continuously. Otherwise, the chili powder will get burnt. Fry until the red oil comes out. Then, add a splash of cooking wine to the pan.
- Also, add 1 tsp of soy sauce and 1/2 tsp of sugar to the ingredients. Mix everything well and fry for about one minute.
- Add the diced carrots and onions to the pan along with the green beans. Stir-fry the veggies so that they are coated with the chili oil and sauce. After frying the vegetables for a few minutes, add 2 tsp of cornstarch slurry. It will thicken the sauce.
- The sauce you made on the pan is the Kung Pao sauce. Pour this over the marinated chicken and mix everything well. The Kung Pao chicken filling is now ready.
- Take a dumpling wrapper in one hand and fill it with about 1-2 tsp of Kung Pao chicken filling. Rub the edges with a wet finger. Then, start closing the edges by pinching them together. You can make some fancy designs if you like.
- While you are preparing the dumplings, let water boil in a pot. Once all the dumplings are ready, put them in boiling water. The water temperature might drop after putting the dumplings in. Cook the dumplings until the water boils again and the dumpling skin turns a bit translucent.
- Strain the dumplings and serve on a large plate. Take about 2-3 tbsp of dark soy sauce in a small bowl and add some chopped scallions to it. Serve them together and enjoy the rich aroma of Kung Pao chicken dumplings.
Nutrition Facts of Kung Pao Chicken Dumplings Recipe
Kung Pao chicken dumpling is a nutrient-rich dish that will keep you full and healthy. I calculated a rough estimate of the nutrients in this dish. The actual value may vary depending on the ingredients you use.
- Total Carbohydrates: 34g
- Protein: 13g
- Total Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Total Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Total Sugar: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sodium: 700mg
- Calcium: 20mg
- Iron: 1.1mg
- Vitamin A: 120IU
- Vitamin C: 3.6mg
FAQs
You must know the answers to the following questions to improve the overall taste of Kung Pao chicken dumplings. Don’t miss them.
How do you prepare the dumpling filling to ensure a flavorful Kung Pao taste?
You should keep the chicken cubes neither too large nor too small. Marinate them for some time so that they can absorb more flavor. Using the red chili powder in the oil is important to give the filling some heat. Add the hot Kung Pao sauce to the marinated chicken to ensure a flavorful Kung Pao taste.
What type of wrappers work best for Kung Pao chicken dumplings?
I found wheat wrappers to work best for Kung Pao chicken dumplings. Rice wrappers are more susceptible to bursting. But wheat wrappers can hold their shapes and the filling better. Also, I recommend using readymade wrappers to save a lot of time and effort.
What are the common mistakes to avoid when making these dumplings?
Make sure the filling is soft enough. If the carrot, ginger, or other ingredients remain hard, they might pierce the filling. Avoid overfilling the wrappers with the Kung Pao chicken. Otherwise, the wrapper might not hold the filling well.
How to make my Kung Pao chicken dumplings fluffy?
The secret to making fluffy dumplings is to take them out as soon as they are cooked. If you continue to cook the dumplings after they are done, the dumplings shrink and become chewy. Also, don’t put a lot of dumplings in the same batch.
Conclusion
The savory taste of the Kung Pao chicken dumplings is not that difficult to perfect. You just need the balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors to turn chicken dumplings into lovely bites. The juice inside the dumplings after cooking the Kung Pao chicken is just awesome!
I have more awesome Kung Pao chicken recipes up my sleeve and will share them with you. For now, try this Kung Pao chicken dumplings recipe to enjoy soft and juicy dumplings that just melt in your mouth.
