Crispy Fried Chicken Wonton
A crispy fried chicken wonton recipe inspired by Trinidad and Tobago’s rum shop and Chinese restaurant culture, featuring seasoned chicken wrapped and fried until golden and crunchy.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
- 1 teaspoon chili crisp
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- 1/2 lb ground chicken
- 40 –50 wonton wrappers
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 –3 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine, chili crisp for a bit of heat and smoky flavor, and the chopped scallion. I find that by mixing the marinade in advance allows all the wonderful flavors to combine nicely.
- Pour this marinade over the ground chicken and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes. As explained in the video below, I didn’t add any salt as the sodium from all the sauces did the job for me, but you can add about 1/4 teaspoon if you wanted. Additionally, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper can be added.
- It’s now time to prepare the little packages, called wontons for frying. I like making them all before I start frying as they cook very fast. Take a wonton wrapper and wet 2 sides with water (on your fingers), then place about 1 teaspoon of the chicken mix in the center.
- Now press the air out as you seal it and close by folding the dry corners over the wet corners. You’ll be left with a filled triangle package. Wet one of the outer corners with water and pull the other corner to touch, overlap and stick. Sounds a bit confusing, but you can watch the video below to see how simple this is.
- The filling will be enough for about 50 chicken wontons. I did 25 and froze the remaining filling for another day. It will keep for at least 6 weeks in the freezer. Then thaw and use when you're ready to make a new batch of crispy fried chicken wonton.
- Set up your frying station with the wrapped wontons, a wok or any pot with high sides filled with the oil for frying and a tray with a wire rack. I'd recommend not draining on paper towels as the steam created can make the fried wontons go soggy.
- Heat the veg oil or whatever oil you prefer frying these chicken wontons with to 350–375 F and fry in two batches. It will take 4–6 minutes to get golden brown and have the filling cooked perfectly. I'd recommend flipping them after 3 minutes to ensure both sides get that lovely golden colour from being fried perfectly.
- While this recipe is for making crispy fried chicken wonton these can also be added to a simmering pot of chicken stock with a slice of ginger, chopped scallions, soy sauce and garlic, for an amazing chicken wonton soup.
- Serve hot and enjoy with some adult beverages.
Video
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep fried chicken wonton crispy after frying? Place them on a wire rack instead of paper towels so steam can escape and the wontons stay crisp. Can I substitute the filling in fried chicken wonton? Yes, shrimp, pork, or a combination are traditional options used in Trinidad and Tobago. What sauce goes best with fried chicken wonton? A mix of soy sauce, ketchup, and pepper sauce is traditional, while plum sauce is a popular alternative. Can I freeze fried chicken wonton? Yes, both the filling and assembled wontons can be frozen and used later. Can I turn this into soup? Yes, add them to chicken stock with ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce for a flavorful wonton soup. Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!