Easy Chicken and Shrimp Wanton | my go-to dumpling recipe!

Everybody loves dumplings! And when it comes to dumpling fillings, I always gravitate to this as a tried and tested base. These chicken and shrimp wanton (wonton/wantan) dumplings are one of my favourite things to have knocking around the back of my freezer too.

My go-to filling is a blend of chicken and shrimp or prawns. Chicken makes up the base protein, and the shrimp adds sweetness while alleviating that… ‘fishy’ flavour that chicken can have, ironically enough.

Homemade wontons might sound like a weekend project, but these chicken and prawn wontons come together surprisingly quickly. I often make a batch when I have some chicken and prawns in the fridge, then freeze the extras for easy lunches and dinners throughout the week. They’re delicious boiled in soup, tossed with noodles, or deep fried until golden and crispy.

This is one of those recipes that feels a bit special, but is actually incredibly practical once you’ve done it a few times.

What this dish is

These are simple homemade chicken and prawn wontons made with a lightly seasoned mince wrapped in thin wonton skins. The filling is blended until smooth but still slightly textured, giving you juicy, flavourful dumplings that can be boiled, fried, or frozen for later.

Think of this as your base wonton recipe—a versatile filling that works across soups, noodle bowls, or crispy fried snacks.

Key ingredients

Protein

Chicken and prawns form the base of the filling and give the wontons their signature texture and flavour.

• Chicken: Use either chicken breast for a leaner filling or chicken thigh for a slightly juicier, more flavourful result. The chicken provides structure and body to the filling.

• Prawns: Peeled and deveined prawns add sweetness and a natural bounce to the texture. This helps alleviate the ‘fishiness’ of chicken, and prevent the filling from feeling too one-dimensional.

Together, the combination of chicken + prawns creates a well-balanced filling that’s savoury, slightly sweet, and juicy!

Seasoning

This is a light seasoning mix designed to enhance the natural flavour of the protein rather than overpower it.

• Sesame oil: Adds aroma and that classic dumpling fragrance.

• Spring onion:
  Brings freshness and a mild onion sweetness.

• Cornstarch:
  Helps bind the filling together and gives it a slightly bouncy, juicy texture once cooked.

• Salt
  Enhances overall flavour and seasons the protein evenly.

• White pepper
  Adds gentle heat and that traditional wonton-style warmth.

• Water: just a dash, and only if needed, to loosen the mixture slightly and help everything combine into a sticky, cohesive filling. Adjust according to how moist the chicken is.

Wrappers

The wrapper is what holds everything together and gives wontons their signature silky texture once cooked.

• Wonton wrappers (about 24–30 pieces): Store-bought square wonton skins work best for consistency and ease. They are thin enough to cook quickly, but sturdy enough to hold the filling without breaking.

1. Make the filling

• Place the chicken and prawns in a food processor.

• Pulse 5–10 times until finely minced but still slightly textured. You don’t want it completely smooth; we want a bit of texture for that juicy bite.

• If you don’t have a food processor, then you’ll have to use some muscle! Run a knife through the proteins on a cutting board, and mince as finely as possible.

• Place about 1 heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of a wonton wrapper.

• Lightly wet the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold and seal according to your preferred wonton shape. See video tutorial for visual reference on how to fold!
  
• Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.

2. Season and mix

• The minced mixture is then combined with sesame oil, spring onion, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and a small splash of water.

• Mix until it becomes sticky and cohesive—this is what helps the filling hold together inside the wrapper.

3. Wrap the wontons

• Place a small amount of filling (about 1 teaspoon) in the centre of each wrapper. Wet the edges lightly with water, then fold and seal into your preferred shape.

• Don’t overfill—this helps prevent tearing and leaking during cooking. I know it’s tempting!

How to Fold Wantons

• Folding the wantons would appear to be the most intimidating part of this recipe, but trust me it is not – at least not for the basic wanton shape. The easiest shape would to simply wet the edges, and fold the wanton skin in half.

I prefer this shape:

• It’s also very easy to accomplish: Simply wet the edges, fold it in half just so the tips touch, and fold in and mush the sides together so it sticks.

• Don’t add too much filling (tempting, I know) because it will tear.

How to Cook

To Boil:

• Cook the wontons in a pot of boiling water for 3–4 minutes, or until they float and the filling is cooked through.

To Deep Fry:

• Heat oil to 175°C/350°F. Deep fry the wontons for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

How to Freeze

• Arrange the uncooked wontons in a single layer on a lined tray and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Cook directly from frozen, adding an extra 1–2 minutes to the cooking time.

• The wontons already have a flour-y layer, so I don’t find that these stick to each other in the freezer too. You can simply place these in a freeze proof tupperware, and easily take out how many pieces you need each time.

• If you want to play safe, however, or perhaps sometimes your filling can be too wet, which might make the dumplings stick to each other, try these:

1. Place a parchment paper over each layer of wanton in the container.
2. Freeze them separately first. Lay them out in a pan and once frozen, then you can pack them together and they should not stick.