Skillet Chicken Dumplings.

A quick and easy dinner that mimics the flavors of Asian-style dumplings without all the work. Everything cooks together in one skillet: ground chicken or pork with chili oil, vegetables, and squares of wonton wrappers that soften into tender, dumpling-like bites. It’s not a traditional dumpling, but it has all the same salty, spicy, and warming flavors. Best of all, this skillet version comes together with very little time or effort.

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

Ingredients 

• 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

For Serving 

• jasmine rice
• toasted sesame seeds
• chili oil
• avocado

Kitchen Tools

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.

The Steps

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: 

Sesame Chicken Dumplings in Spicy Broth with Garlic Crisps

Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce

Lastly, if you make these Skillet Chicken Dumplings, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!