Wonton Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 200 g (about 7 oz)bone-in chicken pieces
• 2 clovesgarlic, smashed
• 2 slicesginger
• 1–2 stalksspring onion
• 960–1,200 ml (4–5 cups; about 1 litre)water
• 1½ tbsplight soy sauce
• ½ tspsalt
• 1 tbspsugar
• ¼ tspblack pepper
• ½ tspsesame oil
• ½–1chicken or vegetable stock cube (optional)
• 200 gchicken mince
• ½ cup (about 50 g)spring onions, chopped
• 20–25wonton wrappers
• 1 tspgarlic, finely grated
• ½ tspginger, finely grated
• 1 tsplight soy sauce
• 1 tspsesame oil
• 1 tspsugar
• ¼ tspwhite pepper
• ½ tspsalt
• 2 tspcornflour or potato flour
• 4 servingsfresh or boiled egg noodles
• To tastepak choy, bok choy or another green
• To tastespring onion, for garnish
• 1 tbsprice vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 tbsplight soy sauce
• 1 tbspchilli oil
• 1 tspsugar

Instructions

1. 1

   Start the broth

   Put the water, bone-in chicken, smashed garlic, ginger slices and spring onion in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and let it bubble for 1–2 minutes. If foam rises to the surface, skim it off with a strainer.

2. 2

   Simmer the chicken

   Turn the heat down and simmer the broth for about 45 minutes.

3. 3

   Season the broth

   Strain the chicken and aromatics out of the broth. Stir in the light soy sauce, salt, sugar, sesame oil and black pepper. Add the optional chicken or vegetable stock cube if you want a bolder flavour.

4. 4

   Taste and keep

   Taste the broth and add salt or sugar if needed. Keep it warm.

5. 5

   Use the chicken

   Shred the meat from the bones and return it to the soup, or reserve it to use as a topping.

6. 6

   Mix the filling

   In a large bowl, combine the chicken mince, chopped spring onions, grated ginger and garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, salt and cornflour or potato flour.

7. 7

   Make it sticky

   Mix until all the filling ingredients are combined and the mixture becomes sticky.

8. 8

   Fold the wontons

   Place a wonton wrapper in your palm and put 1 teaspoon of filling in its centre. Wet the wrapper edges with water, fold it into a triangle and press the edges closed. Bring the triangle’s corners together, wet one side, overlap them and press firmly to seal.

9. 9

   Cook and serve

   Boil the wontons in a pot of water for 4–5 minutes. Blanch the noodles and pak choy for 1–2 minutes, until softened. Divide the noodles between bowls, top with wontons and pak choy, then pour in the broth and scatter over spring onion.

10. 10

    Mix chilli sauce

    Combine the vinegar, light soy sauce, chilli oil and sugar in a small bowl. Serve it as a wonton dip or add it to the soup for heat.

What is wonton noodle soup?

Wonton noodle soup is a Chinese-style bowl of filled dumplings, noodles and greens served in broth. Wontons are folded wrappers filled with a savoury mixture, and their exact shape and filling vary across Chinese cooking.

This version uses chicken in both the broth and the wonton filling, with ginger, garlic and spring onion building flavour in each. A simple chilli sauce adds a tangy, spicy option at the table.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 320 calories, 21g protein, 32g carbs, 12g fat.

The noodles and wonton wrappers provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken mince and bone-in chicken contribute protein. Chicken mince and sesame oil provide much of the fat. For a more balanced plate, serve the soup with an extra portion of pak choy or another green.

Building a flavourful broth

Bone-in chicken: simmering it with the aromatics gives the water a savoury base. Skim off any foam that gathers as it first boils, then let the broth simmer gently.

Seasoning: soy sauce, salt, sugar, pepper and sesame oil are added after straining, so you can taste and adjust the broth before serving. The optional stock cube is another way to make its flavour more pronounced.

Getting the filling right

Sticky mixture: mix the mince with the seasonings until it clings together. The flour helps bind the filling, making it easier to portion and wrap.

Small portions: use 1 teaspoon of filling per wrapper, as directed. Too much can make the edges difficult to seal securely.

Sealing the wontons

Wet edges: moisten the wrapper edges with water before folding, then press them together to close the triangle. Bring the corners together and overlap them, pressing firmly to seal.

Keep covered: wrappers can dry out while you work, so keep unused ones covered and wrap the wontons promptly. Check each seam for gaps before cooking.

Cooking each component

Wontons: boil them for 4–5 minutes, as in the method. They should be cooked through; check one if you are unsure, particularly if your wrappers or filling portions differ in size.

Noodles and greens: blanch these for 1–2 minutes, just until softened. Prepare them close to serving time so they do not sit in hot water and become overly soft.

Serving the soup

Build the bowl: put the noodles in first, then add wontons and pak choy before ladling over the warm broth. Finish with chopped spring onion and, if you like, some of the shredded chicken.

On the side: mix the vinegar, soy sauce, chilli oil and sugar into a dipping sauce. Serve it alongside the wontons or stir some into the broth for a spicier bowl.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the broth at a gentle simmer after the initial boil.
• Taste the broth after adding the seasonings and adjust its salt or sugar before serving.
• Use about 1 teaspoon of filling in each wrapper to make sealing easier.
• Press the wrapper seams firmly so the filling stays enclosed during boiling.
• Cook the noodles and greens shortly before assembling the bowls.

Variations

• Use extra greens: swap in another leafy green if pak choy or bok choy is unavailable.
• Add the shredded chicken: return the meat from the broth chicken to the pot or use it as a topping.
• Make it spicier: stir some of the chilli sauce into each bowl to taste.
• Adjust the broth: add the optional stock cube for a more pronounced savoury flavour.
• Choose potato flour: use it in place of cornflour to bind the wonton filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the skimming: foam can cloud the broth, so remove it as it rises during the first boil.
• Overfilling wrappers: too much filling makes sealing harder; use 1 teaspoon per wrapper.
• Leaving seams open: filling can escape while boiling, so press the moistened edges firmly together.
• Boiling noodles too long: they can turn overly soft, so blanch for just 1–2 minutes.
• Letting the broth boil hard: lower the heat after the initial boil and simmer it gently.

How to store

Store leftover broth, cooked wontons, noodles and greens separately in covered containers in the fridge and use within 3 days. Reheat the broth until steaming and warm the other components in it or briefly in hot water; the noodles and greens are best freshly cooked.

Frequently asked questions