Chicken Gyoza Recipe

Drain cabbage

Place the finely chopped Napa cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes to draw out liquid. Squeeze the cabbage firmly in a clean towel or between your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Measure out the drained cabbage — you should have about 1 cup packed. Discard excess liquid.

Mix filling

In a medium bowl combine ground chicken, drained cabbage, sliced green onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon mirin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Mix with a fork or chopsticks until ingredients are evenly distributed and mixture becomes slightly sticky (about 30–60 seconds). Taste a small bit by steaming or pan-frying a teaspoon to adjust seasoning if desired.

Set up an assembly station: a small bowl of water for sealing, a working surface lightly dusted with cornstarch or flour (optional), and a plate to hold finished dumplings. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Place one gyoza wrapper in the palm of your hand. Put about 1 rounded teaspoon of filling (roughly 15–18 g) into the center. Do not overfill.

Dip your finger into the water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling to form a half-moon. Press the center to seal, then make 2–3 pleats on one side, pressing each pleat to the sealed edge so the dumpling holds a pleated crescent shape. Ensure there are no gaps. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. You should get about 38–40 gyoza.

Place finished gyoza on a lightly oiled tray or parchment-lined plate with pleat side up, not touching each other.

Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons neutral oil and swirl to coat surface.

Arrange gyoza in the pan, pleat/flat side up (flat bottom on pan), leaving 1/2 inch between each so they crisp evenly. Cook 2–3 minutes without moving, until the bottoms are golden brown.

Carefully pour 1/2 cup water into the pan (it will sizzle). Immediately cover with a tight-fitting lid to steam. Reduce heat to medium and steam for 4–5 minutes, or until the filling is cooked through and water has mostly evaporated.

Remove lid and continue cooking 1 minute to re-crisp the bottoms. Drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil over gyoza and tilt pan to glaze the bottoms, then transfer to a serving plate using a spatula or tongs.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon chili oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar (if using), and 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds in a small bowl. Adjust vinegar or sugar to taste.

Serve gyoza hot with dipping sauce on the side. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 2 days and reheated in a skillet to re-crisp bottoms.