Viral Dumpling Bake with Chicken

close up of a pan of curry dumpling bake with spinach and chicken

Viral Dumpling Bake with Chicken

A protein-packed version of the popular one-pan dumpling bake recipe made with mini wontons, fresh spinach, and shredded rotisserie chicken. A quick and easy one-pan meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 430kcal

Author Amee

Equipment

12" deep oven-safe skillet

Ingredients

13.5 oz can coconut milk
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste *feel free to add a little extra if you like a stronger curry flavor- see notes
3 tbsp soy sauce *can use light soy sauce if you need to cut the sodium a bit
2 tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp fish sauce
2 cups fresh baby spinach packed
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast *can also use diced poached chicken here
30 Bibigo frozen mini chicken & cilantro wontons or dumplings of choice- you can use the larger dumplings and use about half the amount
1-2 tbsp chili crisp or to taste (I use Trader Joe's Crunchy Chilli Onion-it's a mild version and delicious)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
more optional garnishes: fresh Thai basil, fresh cilantro, and finely chopped scallions.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. F.
Place a 12" deep oven-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, red curry paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce, and whisk until all ingredients are combined.
Remove from the heat and toss in the fresh spinach. Stir until just starting to wilt.
Add the shredded chicken and dumplings and stir to combine. Make sure that all of the dumplings are nestled into the sauce.
Cover the skillet with a lid (or foil) and bake for 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the dumplings are tender. Baking time will be slightly longer if using larger dumplings.
Garnish with chili crisp, sesame seeds, and other recommended garnishes if desired.

Notes

Don’t thaw the dumplings first! Adding them straight from the freezer helps them steam gently in the sauce as they bake. Thawed or fresh dumplings will likely become mushy and fall apart.
Double-check that the dumplings are fully submerged in the sauce. This way, they steam properly without drying out as they bake.
Use plain rotisserie chicken. Go for plain, avoiding heavily seasoned rotisserie chicken. You don't want the seasoning to affect the flavor of the dish.
Adjust the heat. Thai red curry paste is where most of the flavor comes from. If you’re sensitive to heat, a brand like Thai Kitchen (my preferred pick) is noticeably milder than Mae Ploy and other Asian market brands.
Lower fat/calories. You can reduce the fat and calories a bit more by swapping the regular canned coconut milk for light coconut milk. I personally prefer the flavor, creaminess, and richness of the full-fat version.
Double the recipe. If you want to double the recipe for 8 servings, prepare the sauce in a large, deep skillet as directed. Add the chicken, simmer for a minute or two, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Pour the doubled mixture into a deep 9x13 baking dish, then add the dumplings and stir until submerged. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Since you are transferring to a cold dish, it will take 5-10 minutes longer to bake. I do this just so I have plenty leftover. 😉

Nutrition