Kick Off Chinese New Year Right With 3 (Kinda) Traditional Recipes

Chinese New Year is finally here, and this time around, it’s the year of everybody’s favorite animal — the dog!

Whether you’re hosting a party or just spending a quiet evening at home to ring in the Chinese New Year, homemade Chinese food appetizers are definitely in order. Nothing screams, “Happy Chinese New Year!” quite like chicken wonton cups, spicy chicken wings and some dumpling action, and we’ve got some super-simple recipes that will be so easy for you to whip up in your own kitchen. Sure, you can probably find these apps in the freezer aisle, but the flavor is five million times better when you make everything from scratch using the best ingredients possible.

Add in some red lanterns and sparkler fireworks, and you’ve got yourself a celebration.

Chicken Wonton Cups

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 – 12 minutes
Makes about 24 servings

24 wonton squares
1 1/4 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast
2/3 cup Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup shredded purple cabbage
1/4 cup shredded Napa cabbage — any green cabbage will work
1/4 cup matchstick carrots
1 tablespoon scallions
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup crushed peanuts

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and generously spray 2 mini-muffin tins with cooking spray (24 cups).
2. Take each wonton square and carefully press it into the mini-muffin molds. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden-brown and crispy.
3. Prepare the Thai Peanut Chicken Salad by adding the chicken, purple cabbage, Napa cabbage, matchstick carrots, scallions and cilantro to a bowl.
4. In a small bowl, mix Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce and peanut butter together.
5. Add sauce to the salad mixture and toss until salad is coated.
6. Add equal amounts of the Thai Peanut Chicken Salad to each cup and sprinkle a little of the remaining crushed peanuts and cilantro over each as garnish. Serve immediately.

Chinese 5 Spice Chicken Wings

Prep time: Wings need to marinate overnight
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes about 12 wings

For the Wings

1 1/2 pounds chicken wings (roughly 12 pieces of chicken)

For the Marinade

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 1/3 of the sauce for later use.
2. Place the chicken wings in airtight container and add the remaining marinade. Let the wings marinate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
5. Top the baking sheet with a baking rack and lightly spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Drain the excess marinade from the chicken and discard the marinade.
7. Bake the chicken pieces on the upper-middle rack for 30 minutes.
8. Remove the chicken from the oven and add it to large bowl. Add the reserved sauce to the bowl to coat the wings.

Baked Chinese Dumplings

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Makes about 12 dumplings

1/2 pound ground pork
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
2 teaspoons Kikkoman® Sesame Oil
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 pack pot sticker/dumpling wrappers

1. Combine the ground pork, chopped scallions, ginger, Kikkoman® Less Sodium Soy Sauce and carrots in large bowl and mix.
2. To make the dumplings, place a small spoonful of the pork filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper.
3. Dab a little water with your finger around the edge of the wrapper and then fold and pleat the dumpling accordingly. Repeat the same for the remaining dumplings.
4. Arrange the dumplings in a cast-iron skillet with Kikkoman® Sesame Oil and sear. Once the dumplings are light brown, add 1/4 cup of water. Place a lid on the skillet and steam it in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

This post is sponsored by Kikkoman®.