Juicy Chicken & Scallion Potstickers

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A restaurant-style plate of chicken dumplings you can actually make on a Tuesday: ground chicken thigh whipped with cold broth until it turns silky and juicy, loaded with scallion and ginger, folded into store-bought wrappers with one simple three-pleat crimp. They're pan-seared crisp on the bottom, steam-simmered until plump, and the recipe makes a big enough batch to freeze a tray for future you.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb ground chicken thigh (or ground dark-meat chicken)
• 1/2 cup cold chicken broth, low-sodium
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups napa cabbage, very finely chopped (about 1/4 small head)
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, for the cabbage
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 40 round dumpling wrappers (one 12 oz package), thawed if frozen
• 1 small bowl water, for sealing
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola
• 1 1/2 cups water, for steaming (1/2 cup per batch)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 to 2 tsp chili crisp or chili oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp scallion greens, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Salt the cabbage: toss the finely chopped napa cabbage with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a colander and let it sit 15 minutes. Gather it in a clean kitchen towel and wring hard over the sink until it gives up its water — you should end up with about 3/4 cup of tightly squeezed cabbage. Fluff it apart.
2. Whip the chicken: put the ground chicken thigh in a large bowl with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, white pepper, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. Stir vigorously with a sturdy spoon or chopsticks in one direction for about 1 minute, until the meat looks sticky and pasty rather than crumbly.
3. Add the cold broth 2 tablespoons at a time, stirring in the same direction after each addition until the liquid disappears completely into the meat before adding more. This takes 3 to 4 minutes total and is what makes the filling juicy instead of dry. Finish by folding in the squeezed cabbage, sliced scallions, and sesame oil.
4. Chill the filling for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator (or up to 24 hours) so it firms up and is easier to scoop. Optional check: microwave a teaspoon of filling for 20 seconds, taste, and adjust salt.
5. Set up a wrapping station: the bowl of filling, a small bowl of water, the stack of wrappers under a damp paper towel, and a parchment-lined sheet pan dusted lightly with cornstarch.
6. Fold with one easy pleat: hold a wrapper in your palm, place a rounded 2 teaspoons of filling in the center, and run a wet fingertip around the top half of the rim. Pinch the wrapper closed at the very center. Working on the right side, make three small folds in the front layer only, each folding toward the center pinch, pressing each pleat firmly against the flat back layer. Repeat on the left side, folding toward the center. Press the whole seam sealed and stand the dumpling on the tray — it should sit upright with a curved belly.
7. Repeat with the remaining wrappers, keeping finished dumplings spaced apart on the tray and covered with a dry towel. You'll get 38 to 42 dumplings.
8. To freeze ahead: slide the uncovered tray of raw dumplings into the freezer for 1 hour, until rock solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag and freeze up to 2 months. Cook straight from frozen — do not thaw — adding 2 extra minutes to the steaming step.
9. Whisk the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
10. Cook in batches: heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Arrange 12 to 14 dumplings flat-side down in a snug ring, not touching. Fry undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the bottoms are deep golden brown.
11. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan (it will spit — stand back), immediately cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam-simmer 7 to 8 minutes for fresh dumplings or 9 to 10 for frozen, until the water is nearly gone and the wrappers are translucent and puffed.
12. Uncover, raise the heat to medium, and let the last of the water cook off, 1 to 2 minutes more, until the bottoms re-crisp and the dumplings release easily from the pan. Slide onto a plate crisp-side up and repeat with remaining batches, wiping the pan between rounds. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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