Air Fryer Chicken Dumplings (Print)

Golden chicken pockets cooked in an air fryer with a savory sesame soy dip.

# Components:

→ Dumpling Filling

01 - 10.5 oz ground chicken
02 - 2 spring onions, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
05 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
06 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
07 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Dumplings

10 - 24 round dumpling wrappers
11 - Water for sealing

→ Sesame Soy Dipping Sauce

12 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
13 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
15 - 1 teaspoon honey
16 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
17 - 1 teaspoon finely chopped spring onion
18 - 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken, spring onions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, white pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
02 - Place a dumpling wrapper in the palm of your hand. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into the center. Moisten the edge of the wrapper with water. Fold the wrapper over the filling to form a half-moon shape, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Pleat if desired. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
03 - Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 3 minutes.
04 - Lightly brush or spray both sides of the dumplings with oil. Arrange dumplings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they do not touch.
05 - Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and cooked through.
06 - While dumplings are cooking, mix all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
07 - Transfer hot dumplings to a serving plate. Serve immediately with sesame soy sauce on the side.

# Chef Secrets:

01 -
  • No frying oil means less cleanup and that guilty feeling afterward vanishes completely.
  • The sesame soy sauce tastes like restaurant quality but takes two minutes to assemble.
02 -
  • Overstuffing leads to burst dumplings and filling leaking into your basket, a mistake I've made more than once.
  • Frozen dumplings actually cook better than fresh because the filling stays tender while the wrapper crisps, so batch-freezing pays off.
03 -
  • Flip dumplings halfway through cooking even though the air fryer swirls air—this ensures even golden browning on both sides.
  • Brush oil onto dumplings rather than spray if you have time, since it distributes more evenly and controls the amount better.
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