Japanese Chicken and Vegetable Gyoza

Gyoza are one of those dishes that always feel a little special to make at home. There’s something very satisfying about sitting down with a stack of dumpling wrappers and folding each one by hand, knowing that soon they’ll be sizzling in the pan with crispy golden bases and juicy filling inside.

I love this chicken and vegetable version because it’s light, fresh, and full of flavour. The combination of chicken thigh, cabbage, ginger, and scallion creates a filling that’s both savoury and slightly sweet, while the mirin and soy sauce give it that classic Japanese balance. Once the dumplings are pan-fried and then steamed, they become perfectly tender with just the right amount of crispness underneath.

Whenever I make gyoza, it quickly turns into a little kitchen ritual. Sometimes I make them with family or friends, folding dumplings and chatting while the first batch cooks. Served with a simple soy and vinegar dipping sauce, these homemade gyoza are always worth the effort.

Japanese Chicken and Vegetable Gyoza

Delicious homemade Japanese gyoza filled with juicy chicken, cabbage, and vegetables. These dumplings are pan-fried until crispy on the bottom and steamed until tender, then served with a simple soy dipping sauce.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 39 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dumpling Wrappers

• 1 packet frozen gyoza dumpling wrappers defrosted

Filling

• 300 g boneless skinless chicken thigh meat
• 150 g white cabbage
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 small carrot
• 1 scallion about 20 g
• 6 g fresh ginger finely chopped

Marinade

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin Japanese cooking wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• A drop of sesame oil

Method

 

1. Roughly chop the cabbage, onion, carrot, scallion, and ginger. Add them to a food processor and pulse for about 20 seconds until finely chopped but still slightly textured. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the chicken to the food processor and pulse for 15–20 seconds until minced but still textured. Add the chicken to the bowl with the vegetables.
3. Add all the marinade ingredients to the chicken and vegetable mixture and mix well until fully combined.
4. To assemble the dumplings, place a wrapper in your hand and add about a heaped teaspoon of filling to the centre. Wet the edges with a little water.
5. Fold the wrapper in half and pinch the centre together. Create small pleats on each side to seal tightly, making sure the dumpling has a flat base.
6. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Place the dumplings flat side down and fry for 1–2 minutes until the base is lightly golden.
7. Add water to the pan so it reaches about one third of the height of the dumplings. Cover with a lid and steam for 4–5 minutes.
8. Remove the lid during the final minute if needed to allow the remaining water to evaporate and the bases to crisp slightly.
9. Mix all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve with the dumplings.

Notes

• Chicken thigh meat keeps the filling juicy and flavourful.
• Avoid over-blending the filling so it retains a good texture.
• Keep the dumpling wrappers covered with a damp cloth while assembling to prevent them from drying out.
• Gyoza can be frozen before cooking and cooked directly from frozen with a slightly longer steaming time.