Chicken Wonton Soup
This clear, gingery soup uses homemade chicken wontons, mushrooms, and bok choy. Keeping the filling cold, sealing out air, and simmering rather than aggressively boiling are the keys to intact wrappers and juicy centers. Assemble the wontons before heating the broth so the soup can be finished without long pauses.Equipment
- Large bowl and small bowl
- Sheet pan lined with parchment
- 6-quart pot with lid
- Instant-read thermometer
Yield: 4 servings, about 20 wontons
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
8 ounces ground chicken, kept cold
2 scallions, finely chopped, divided
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, grated
20 square wonton wrappers
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 baby bok choy, sliced, stems and leaves separated
Shape the wontons
- Mix the chicken, half the scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic just until combined. Keep the bowl cold while working.
- Place 1 level teaspoon filling in the center of one wrapper. Moisten the edges with water, fold corner to corner, and press firmly around the filling to expel air. Bring the two side corners together and seal with another dab of water. Set on the lined pan and cover with a barely damp towel. Repeat.
Cook the soup
- Bring the broth and mushrooms to a gentle boil. Add the bok choy stems and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Lower the wontons into the broth one at a time. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring gently once so they do not stick.
- Check the center of the largest wonton with an instant-read thermometer. The chicken filling must reach 165°F/74°C. Add the bok choy leaves and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar, taste the broth, and garnish with the remaining scallions.
Cues and troubleshooting
One teaspoon of filling is enough: overfilled wrappers split as the meat expands. Pressing out trapped air also prevents ballooning. Keep unused wrappers covered because dry edges crack instead of sealing. If a seam opens, remove that wonton rather than stirring the loose filling through the broth.
A rolling boil can tear the wrappers and cloud the soup. After adding the wontons, wait for the broth to return to a simmer naturally. Wontons floating at the surface are not proof that the chicken is safe; use the temperature of the center as the endpoint.
Storage and substitutions
Ground turkey can replace chicken but must also reach 165°F/74°C. Finely shredded napa cabbage can replace bok choy. For more heat, serve chili crisp separately rather than seasoning the whole pot.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers and use within 3 days. Reheat soup to 165°F/74°C. The wrappers continue absorbing broth, so for make-ahead meals store cooked wontons and broth separately. Uncooked wontons may be frozen in a single layer, transferred to a sealed container, and cooked from frozen until their centers reach 165°F/74°C.
