CHICKEN & CABBAGE WONTONS
for BC Living “From Scratch” Column
Everyone is starting to gather again, and the prospect of BBQ parties and park potlucks are super tempting. Finger food where everyone can take their own individual portions is a smart way to go, and sure, you could go to the frozen food section and pick up some generic flavourless appies, but it’s super easy to make some from scratch, and you can put whatever you’d like in them.
These are easy to modify to be vegetarian by switching out the chicken for more veggies or crumbled tofu. And to make it vegan, make another binder to use in lieu of the egg white. The sweet and sour sauce on the side cools them nicely, or you can go for a spicier dipping sauce.
Plus, you can bake them, so they’re healthier than their fried counterparts.
Makes ~24 (but can be doubled)
INGREDIENTS
- wonton wrappers
- 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
- 1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
- ½ cup cabbage, shredded
- ¼ cup of water chestnuts, chopped finely
- 2 green onions, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 egg white
- sweet & sour sauce for dipping
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely dice your cooked chicken breast (can pulse in a food processor to make it even easier), and place in a bowl.
Add shredded carrot and cabbage, chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and mix. Then add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and egg white, and stir until evenly distributed.
Preheat the oven to 425 or 450 degrees (if your oven runs hot, choose the lower setting).
Lay out the wonton wrappers and place 2 tsp of the mix into the center. Get a small bowl of water for sealing them and set it next to the wontons. Dip your finger in the water and wet the edges of the wontons, and then roll them into logs, sealing the edge, and pinching the sides until they are closed.
Repeat until the mix is used up. Cover the wontons as you finish them so they don’t dry out.
You can also freeze them at this stage by placing them on a parchment paper lined tray and freezing for about 30 mins, and then place in an air-tight freezer bag to bring out when you want to cook them.
Place finished logs on a greased baking sheet, and spray with cooking spray on the top (or lightly brush with oil).
Bake for 10-15 minutes – you'll have to watch to make sure you don’t burn them, but you want them to be nice and toasty brown, a bit of a bubble and crisp to them.
Plate and serve with dipping sauce – optionally top with some sesame seeds or green onions.
If cooking from the freezer, they may need some extra time, so use the low setting so the insides have enough time to thaw and heat up, and the outsides can cook properly.
ENJOY!
