Chicken Dumplings with Shiitake Mushrooms

These Chinese Chicken Dumplings feature ground chicken and fresh and dried shiitake mushrooms for a deep, meaty flavor that will become a new favorite!

Note:

This recipe was originally published on April 2, 2016. We have since updated it with higher resolution images, clearer instructions, metric measurements, and nutritional information. The recipe itself is the same. Enjoy!

Finally, a tasty Chinese chicken dumpling

With the exception of our vegetable dumplings, most of the dumpling recipes we’ve posted on the blog so far, from soup dumplings to wontons, use traditional pork fillings.

Most (if not all) of the Chinese dumplings I grew up with were made with some variation of pork filling, and it’s true that ground pork is invariably the meat of choice when it comes to the art of dumpling making.

While living in China, however, I was introduced to a myriad of new dumpling ingredients, including dumplings made with lamb, beef, and even tofu.

I was also introduced to dumplings made with chicken and immediately wanted to come up with my own version, as many of our readers have asked us to post a recipe for Chinese chicken dumplings.

This chicken dumplings recipe includes shiitake mushrooms – both fresh and dried – to give them a really deep, meaty flavor. I also included a fair amount of oil in the filling (about 3 tablespoons), to keep the dumpling filling moist, especially if you choose to use lean ground chicken breast in place of dark meat.

Having trouble finding dark meat ground chicken?

You can make your own ground chicken using just a cutting board and a knife. Purchase boneless, skinless chicken thighs and use our hand-cutting method to prepare ground chicken.

This will not only improve the flavor of your ravioli (dark meat will taste better than white meat here), but the texture of your ravioli will be better too!

I have to say, after making them, I decided that chicken dumplings can perfectly stand up to the taste of traditional pork dumplings. I’ll be keeping a bag of these in the freezer for the foreseeable future. They are so good!

Chinese chicken dumplings with chili oil

Note:

We’ve included instructions on how to make your own ravioli wrappers, but you can also use store-bought ravioli wrappers. This recipe makes about 4 dozen dumplings, so you will need 1-2 packages of wrappers.

Chicken and mushroom dumplings: recipe instructions

Start by preparing the dough for the ravioli wrappers. (If using store-bought wrappers, skip this step.)

Place the flour in a large bowl. Gradually add the water to the flour and knead until you get a dough. This process should take approximately 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for an hour.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent.

cook chopped onions in a cast iron skillet

How to Reconstitute Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

You have 2 options here. You can add the mushrooms to a bowl of cold water and leave them to soak overnight, or you can leave them to soak in hot water for about 2 hours. Use a small plate or bowl to hold the mushrooms under water to soak them faster.

Once reconstituted, squeeze the excess liquid from the mushrooms and remove the harder stems. So chop!

That mushroom soaking liquid is full of flavor. Use it instead of broth for stir-fries or add it to soups. Just make sure to avoid any sediment that may have settled at the bottom of the bowl.

Then add chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms and reconstituted dried shiitake mushrooms.

chopped onions and shiitake mushrooms in a cast iron skillet

Cook for 8-10 minutes and transfer to a bowl, along with the minced chicken, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, Shaoxing wine and 3 tablespoons of oil.

stuffed with chicken and mushroom dumplings

Use a pair of chopsticks to stir the filling in one direction for about 5 minutes. The mixture should have a pasty consistency.

mushroom dumpling filling and chicken mixed into a mushy consistency

Divide the dough into 48 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rough circle about 9cm in diameter. Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling.

chicken dumpling filling in the center of the dumpling wrapper

Fold your chicken dumplings and make sure you have a good seal on them. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

For detailed step-by-step photos showing you how to do it, check out our full tutorial on how to fold ravioli (4 techniques, beginner to advanced). Your dumplings don’t need that many folds like the ones below. We’ll show you easier ways to get started!

Homemade ravioli wrappers are self-sealing, but if you use store-bought ones, you’ll need water to seal the ravioli. Dip your index finger in a small bowl of water and dab a little water around the outside edges of the wrapper before adding the filling and sealing the dumplings.

Continue until all the gnocchi have been assembled.

At this point you can place the gnocchi on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Space them so they don’t touch, cover or freeze. Then you can transfer it into ziplock bags and store it in the freezer.

To make pan-fried gnocchi (mmm…chicken potstickers!), add a tablespoon of oil to a nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi to the pan and leave to fry. (Note: If you are using frozen dumplings, you do not need to defrost them before cooking.)

When the gnocchi are lightly browned on the bottom, add enough water to reach 1/4 inch into the pan. Cover tightly with a lid. Once the water has evaporated, uncover and allow the gnocchi to continue frying until golden brown.

Garnish with mince green onion of desired for a little color and serve with chili oil, rice vinegar (or black vinegar) and/or our favorite sauce.

If you prefer not to fry the gnocchi, you can also place them in a pot of boiling water. Stir gently so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan and cook for about 7-8 minutes. They’re great both ways!

For all the details on how to cook gnocchi three different ways, check out our tutorial on how to cook gnocchi. You’ll learn how to steam them in a bamboo steamer, boil them, and pan-fry them!

If you want to learn more about dipping sauces, check out our post on how to make a traditional dumpling sauce.