This dumpling bake is a creamy, one-pan dinner inspired by the viral Trader Joe’s version, made with frozen mini dumplings, shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped bok choy, and a Thai red curry coconut sauce. Finished with chili crisp and fresh lime juice.
Why is this so easy? I kept eating it straight out of the pan.
- Evie P.
Bailey's Thoughts ...
I kept seeing versions of this all over TikTok, and after the third or fourth time it popped up, I finally gave in and tried it. I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high expectations. Then I took a bite, grabbed my phone, and immediately texted my best friend the recipe. I can absolutely see why this went viral. I made a few tweaks along the way, adding rotisserie chicken because my boys like meals with lots of meat, subbing in mini wontons for faster cook time, and dialing up the flavor with garlic, ginger, and a little fish sauce.
Everything goes into one pan and straight into the oven. The dumplings and chicken bake right in the coconut curry sauce while the bok choy softens and soaks up all that flavor, and you don’t have to stir, sauté, or stand over the stove. It comes out bubbling and fragrant, ready for a spoonful of chili crisp and a squeeze of lime. It’s comforting, impressive, and most importantly, doesn’t leave you with a sink full of dishes.
Use frozen dumplings straight from the freezer aisle and don’t thaw them first. Rotisserie chicken is the move here, and the Dorot garlic and ginger cubes save real time without sacrificing flavor. The key is covering the pan tightly for the first bake so everything steams and cooks evenly, then uncovering it at the end so the sauce thickens. If you want a little extra depth, keep the fish sauce, but a splash of soy sauce works just as well and keeps things simple.
Bailey
P.S. If you like quick and easy dinners like this wonton bake, you will love my 4-Ingredient Chicken Pesto Bake.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Garlic cloves: Dorot frozen garlic cubes are strongly recommended for ease, or use freshly minced garlic.
Fresh ginger: Dorot frozen ginger cubes for convenience, or 1 teaspoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger.
Frozen mini wontons: Frozen dumplings or wontons from the freezer aisle will also work, though larger dumplings may need a few extra minutes to cook through.
Rotisserie chicken: Adds extra protein and helps turn this into a complete, filling dinner. Substitution: Omit it entirely for a dumpling-forward dish, or replace with an equal amount of leftover cooked chicken.
Baby bok choy: Adds freshness and a bit of green without needing a separate veggie side. Substitute baby spinach (spinach will wilt more quickly).
Full-fat coconut milk: Creates a rich, creamy sauce that coats everything as it bakes. Substitute light coconut milk for a thinner sauce, or a can of coconut cream diluted with water.
Chicken broth: Loosens the sauce and helps everything cook evenly in the oven. You can substitute vegetable broth or a splash of water if needed.
Red curry paste: Brings most of the flavor and gentle heat to the sauce. Substituting yellow curry paste will work if needed.
Soy sauce: Adds saltiness and savory flavor to balance the coconut milk. Coconut aminos can be substituted at a 1:1 ratio.
Fish sauce: Optional but recommended for depth. It won’t taste fishy once baked. If you prefer to skip it, add an extra splash of soy sauce instead.
Chili crisp: Adds heat and texture at the end. Substitute Chili oil, Trader Joe’s Crunchy Chili Onion, or leave it off if serving kids.
Fresh lime juice: Brightens the whole dish and balances the rich sauce. Substitution: Omit if you don’t have it on hand, or use a small splash of rice vinegar for a similar brightness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Add the dumplings and chicken. Place the frozen mini wontons and chicken into a large baking dish.
- Add the vegetables. Scatter the chopped bok choy evenly over the dumplings and chicken so it cooks down into the sauce.
- Mix the sauce. Whisk together the coconut milk, curry paste, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and fish sauce until smooth.
- Pour and cover. Pour the sauce evenly over everything in the dish, then cover tightly with foil to allow the dumplings to steam.
- Uncover and stir. Remove the foil and gently stir to coat everything evenly in the sauce.
- Finish baking and serve. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce is bubbling, then finish with chili crisp and fresh lime juice before serving.
Variations
Gluten-Free: This recipe is not gluten-free because most frozen wontons contain wheat. Use certified gluten-free frozen dumplings and swap soy sauce for a gluten-free tamari.
Dairy-Free: Already is! The sauce is made with coconut milk and contains no dairy.
Nut-Free: Already is!
Vegetarian: Omit the chicken and fish sauce, and use frozen veggie dumplings. Increase the vegetables slightly to keep it filling.
Kid-Friendly: Skip the chili crisp and use a mild curry paste.
Feed a Crowd: Double the recipe and bake it in two dishes rather than overcrowding one pan so the dumplings cook evenly.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dumplings will continue to absorb sauce as they sit, but the flavor holds up well.
Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The dumplings and bok choy can become mushy once thawed, and the coconut curry sauce may separate.
Reheat: Reheat gently in the oven, covered, until warmed through, or microwave individual portions. Add a small splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
FAQ
No. Add the wontons directly from the freezer. Thawing them first can cause them to fall apart during baking.
Yes. The chicken is optional and can be omitted for a dumpling-forward dish, or replaced with leftover cooked chicken if you have it on hand.
This dish is filling on its own, but it’s great served over jasmine rice or white rice to soak up the extra sauce.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite desserts to serve with this dumpling bake:
Recipe
One-Pan Viral Dumpling Bake (Easy Weeknight Recipe)
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Description
This Wonton Bake is a creamy, one-pan dinner and a twist on the viral Trader Joe’s dumpling bake, made with frozen dumplings, shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped bok choy, and a Thai red curry coconut sauce. Finished with chili crisp and fresh lime juice.
Ingredients
- Frozen mini wontons or dumplings (1½ pounds)
- Shredded rotisserie chicken ( 1½ cups)
- Baby bok choy, chopped (1-2 heads)
- Full-fat coconut milk (1 can, 13.5 oz)
- Chicken broth (¼ cup)
- Red curry paste (1 tablespoon)
- Garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves)*
- Fresh ginger, grated (1 teaspoon)*
- Soy sauce (2 tablespoons)
- Fish sauce ( 1 teaspoon) **
- Chili crisp, for finishing (to taste)
- Fresh lime juice, for finishing (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Add frozen mini wontons or dumplings (1½ pounds) and shredded rotisserie chicken (1½ cups) to a 9"x13" baking dish, spreading them into an even layer.
- Scatter baby bok choy, chopped (1-2 heads) evenly over the dumplings and chicken.
- In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together full-fat coconut milk (13.5 oz), chicken broth (¼ cup), red curry paste (1 tablespoon), garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves), fresh ginger, grated (1 teaspoon), soy sauce (2 tablespoons), and fish sauce (1 teaspoon) until smooth.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the contents of the baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the dumplings are tender and heated through.
- Remove the foil and gently stir to coat everything in the sauce. If things look dry at this point, add a splash of chicken broth (as needed). Return the dish to the oven uncovered for 12–15 minutes, until bubbling and slightly thickened.
- Finish with chili crisp (to taste) and fresh lime juice (to taste) just before serving.
Notes
* Dorot frozen garlic and ginger cubes are a great shortcut here and work perfectly in place of fresh.
**If not using fish sauce, add an additional ½ tablespoon of soy sauce to boost the savory flavor.
Use frozen dumplings or wontons straight from the freezer. Do not thaw before baking.
Full-fat coconut milk creates the creamiest sauce. Light coconut milk will work but the sauce will be thinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 323
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 833.6 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.5 g
- Protein: 22.7 g
- Cholesterol: 54.5 mg
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