Skillet Chicken Dumplings

When I have the time, I love making homemade dumplings—wrappers and all. But those kinds of cooking days are rare.

A few weeks ago, we were craving something with those classic Asian-style dumpling flavors, so I decided to turn the ingredients from my favorite dumplings into a simple one-skillet dinner. Of course, a skillet dish isn’t exactly a dumpling, but all those salty, savory, spicy flavors are still there.

This is such a great dinner option when you’re short on time but still want a really good meal at home. The recipe requires so little effort, and everyone loves the spicy wontons and the rich, saucy flavors.

When I make it for my family, I usually double the recipe because we love it so much. It’s almost like noodles in a skillet, with the wonton wrappers becoming soft and dumpling-like as they cook.

I usually serve mine with rice. Not required, but a super yummy addition!

Here are the details

• ground chicken or pork
• butter
• Gochujang – Korean Chile Paste
• Thai red curry paste
• fresh ginger
• garlic
• sesame oil
• mushrooms
• green cabbage
• tamari or soy sauce
• rice vinegar
• wonton wrappers
• green onions
• jasmine rice
• toasted sesame seeds
• chili oil
• avocado

For this recipe, you really don’t need much—a large skillet, a wooden spoon or metal spatula for breaking up the meat, a knife and cutting board for chopping the veggies, and wonton wrappers. I like using my Staub wide, deep dish skillet so everything has plenty of room to cook evenly and the wontons can soften into those little dumpling-like bites.

Step 1: Cook the Chicken

Start by melting the butter in a large skillet. I like using cast iron. Add the ground chicken or pork and break the meat up with a wooden spoon as it cooks so you get lots of little crumbles.

I like to let the meat get a little golden in spots because it adds so much flavor. This is really the base of the whole dish, so letting it brown just a bit makes everything taste extra good.

Step 2: Add the Chile Oil

Next, stir in the gochujang, Thai red curry paste, fresh ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. This is where the skillet starts to smell incredible. The combination of spicy, savory, and a little sweet really reminds me of classic dumpling fillings.

Give everything a good stir so the meat gets coated in all that flavor. I always scrape the bottom of the pan here to pick up any browned bits because that’s where the best flavor lives.

Step 3: Toss in the Vegetables

Add the mushrooms and cabbage right into the skillet. At first it might look like a lot of vegetables, but they cook down quickly and soak up all the sauce.

You can really use any mix of vegetables you love here. Carrots, celery, broccoli, or peppers would all be great. I especially love cabbage because it’s classic in dumpling fillings and adds the perfect little crunch. The mushrooms make everything extra savory.

Step 4: Create the Dumpling-Style Skillet

Pour in the tamari (or soy sauce) and rice vinegar and give everything a good stir. Add the water, then drop in the wonton wrapper squares.

This is my favorite part of the recipe. As the wontons cook, they soften and turn into tender, dumpling-like bites right in the skillet. It’s kind of like noodles, kind of like dumplings, and honestly just so good.

Gently stir so the wrappers don’t stick together and make sure they soak up some of the sauce.

Step 5: Finish and Serve

Once the wontons are tender, remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the green onions. They add a fresh little bite that balances all the rich, savory flavors.

I like to spoon everything over bowls of fluffy jasmine rice, then finish with toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of chili oil. If you have avocado on hand, it’s really good on the side with extra sesame seeds.

None of this is very traditional, but the flavors are great. It’s always a hit when I serve it.

Looking for other dumpling recipes? Here are a few ideas:

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 pound ground pork or chicken
• 1-3 tablespoons gochujang or chili paste
• 1-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 cups shredded bok choy or Chinese cabbage
• 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 package wonton wrappers, cut into squares
• 4 green onions, chopped
• avocado, sesame seeds, for serving
• jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

• 1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the meat and cook for about five minutes, breaking it up as it browns, until fully cooked.2. Stir in the gochujang, Thai red curry paste, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cabbage and cook for 3–5 minutes, until softened.3. Pour in the tamari and rice vinegar. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. 4. Stir in 1 cup of water and add the wonton wrapper squares. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring gently, until the wrappers are tender and dumpling-like. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions.5. Spoon the mixture over bowls of rice. Top as desired with avocado, sesame seeds, and chili oil.