Recipe: Chicken and (Chinese) Dumplings

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Having grown up in a household where at least 4 different languages/dialects were randomly slung around, it is no wonder that I was linguistically confused throughout my childhood. My parents were young kids when Malaysia got its independence from the British, so the English I learned from them at home was the British English (with a Malaysian twist) they learned there, and there were always random words from Cantonese, Hokkien, and Bahasa Malaysia sprinkled in. So imagine my confusion as a child going to school for the first time in America; I thought  “airplane” and “aeroplane” were two different forms of aircrafts and I spent my childhood being a rather quiet kid because I was just so worried about saying the wrong words all the time. Fortunately, I eventually learned enough American English to earn a degree in it, and those days of me being quiet are long over!

Even so, these semantic quirks seemed to continue well into my adulthood. Back when I had a sad job as a textbook editor with no time to go out for lunch breaks, I bought some cans of chicken and dumplings to bring to the office. I guess the image on the can was not enough to inform me otherwise, and I excitedly pictured myself microwaving a nice cozy bowl of creamy American style soup (which I loved) loaded with the wontons from the dumpling soup of my childhood. Up until that point, the only dumplings I knew of were Asian dumplings. So boy was I surprised when out of the can plopped some lumps of solid dough in place of the meat-stuffed purses I imagined.

I grew to appreciate those strange (to me) dough globs bobbing in what I learned was a classic comfort food of the American South. But I always thought that my interpretation of chicken and (Chinese) dumplings needed to exist too! I love having partners like Filippo Berio who are willing to entertain my weird personal stories and support me in turning them into reality. Since we were already breaking away from the norm, I decided to use Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to sauté my veggies and cook flour into a sort of roux-like base that gives this winter warmer its body and heartiness. Olive oils may be associated with Mediterranean cooking, but they can be used to create a variety of dishes from around the world; Filippo Berio offers a whole range of high quality olive oils with different properties and flavor profiles, depending on what type of cooking you are doing. I used their extra virgin olive oil because I knew it would bring a richness to the dish as well as a beautiful golden color; if my soup looks a little more glowy and inviting than the typical pale chicken and dumplings, that’s why!

Some notes about the ingredients:

  • Boxed broth is absolutely fine for this recipe, but I encourage you to save up your produce scraps, chicken bones, and leftover Thanksgiving turkey carcass and make your own delicious no-waste broth! You can read about how to do that in my previous post with Filippo Berio right here.

  • Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil is fruity and grassy and I love it for sautéing vegetables. Though this recipe does not involve making a traditional roux, sautéing the vegetables in this oil and then adding a little bit of flour to the mix is what helps give this soup body and adds to its complexity of flavor.

  • I’m calling this recipe “chicken and dumplings” but in this case, the chicken is actually IN the dumplings! Ground chicken and mild leeks are the main ingredients in the dumpling filling. If you can find it, go for ground chicken thigh meat which is more moist. And be sure to only use the tender white and light green portions of the leek.

  • I use shaoxing wine and soy sauce for this recipe, not just in the dumplings but to season the soup as well. It is a fusion dish, after all! If you do not have shaoxing wine, you can sub in dry sherry in a pinch.

  • If you go to an Asian grocery store for your dumpling wrappers, you may be spoilt for choice. Since these dumplings are going to be boiled, most options will work for this recipe no problem. I usually get the ones that are for potstickers.

How to Make Chicken and (Chinese) Dumplings

Ingredients for the Dumplings

1/2 lb ground chicken
1 cup leeks (light tender parts only), finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 sprig (1–2 tsp) rosemary leaves , finely chopped
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp salt
18–20 round dumpling wrappers

Ingredients for Soup

1/3 cup Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 tbsp AP flour
1/4 tsp cracked black pepper
3 cups unsalted or low sodium chicken or turkey broth
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp soy sauce
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup evaporated milk
fresh herbs (such as oregano, rosemary, or thyme), for garnish (optional)

Procedure

To make the dumplings, combine all of the listed dumpling ingredients (except the wrappers!) in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of filling into the middle of a wrapper. Dip a finger into water and paint a wet ring along the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half to seal in the filling, taking care to press out air bubbles. If desired, bring the two sides of the semicircle together and overlap to form a loop, using water to help stick the dough together; or, fold to your desired dumpling shape. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the filling is secured into dumplings. Refrigerate dumplings until ready to use.

Add Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a soup pot on medium-high heat. Add onion and when it starts to sizzle, sauté until it begins to turn translucent. Add carrots and celery and sauté for 1 minute, then add garlic and salt. Sauté until the garlic begins to color and carrots and celery start to soften, about 4–5 minutes. Sprinkle flour and pepper into the pot and cook, stirring, until the flour at the bottom of the pot begins to turn golden, about 2 minutes. 

Gradually stir in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to scrape up the flour and make sure it incorporates with the broth without clumping. Stir in shaoxing wine, soy sauce, bay leaves, and dried oregano. When the soup begins to bubble, turn heat to the lowest setting and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until carrots are almost the desired tenderness. 

Add peas and evaporated milk. Stir together and season with salt to taste. Turn up heat to high and gently add the dumplings, making sure they are fully submerged in the liquid. Allow the dumplings to cook through, about 4–5 minutes.

Spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets enough of all the goodies, especially the dumplings. Optionally, garnish with fresh herbs before serving.

Thank you so much to Filippo Berio for sponsoring this recipe! Visit their website to learn more about their authentic olive oils, made to the highest quality standard of excellence and craftsmanship.