Pork and Chicken Wonton Soup with Noodles and Veggies

The flavors in this soup are ah-mazing! Don’t be intimidated by making homemade wontons. They come together quickly and are great for little hands to help. This recipe will make extra wontons and we’ve noted below how to save frozen or cooked.

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients:

Wontons:

1 lb ground chicken

1 lb ground pork

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 scallions, minced

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Juice of 1 lime

50 wonton wrappers

2 Tbsp canola oil

Broth:

1/4 cup canola oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium shallots, diced

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 quarts chicken broth (roughly 8 cups)

8 oz bag lo mein or soba noodles

Garnish:

Fresh spinach

Shredded carrots

Fresh mushrooms, sliced

Scallions

Chili oil

Directions:

Combine first ten ingredients (ground chicken through lime juice) in a large bowl. Mix well.

Line two cookie or baking sheets with parchment paper. Begin to prepare wontons using mixture and wonton wrappers. You will also need a small bowl of water. Place 1 Tbsp of mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and rub along all edges of the wonton. This will ensure the wontons stay closed. Start by bringing two opposite corners of the wonton wrapper together and pinch at top. Repeat with remaining two opposite corners. Pinch entire top of the wonton wrapper together to make a small bundle. Line completed wontons on baking sheet. Repeat until all are complete. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, add oil, shallots and garlic. Heat over medium high heat.  Cook 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden brown and you can begin to smell the garlic. Turn heat down to medium.  Whisk in the next seven ingredients (salt through red pepper flakes). Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add broth and turn heat up to high. Bring to a boil.

While waiting for broth to boil, cook wontons. Heat a large nonstick skillet to high heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil. Place wontons in the bottom of the pan with 1” in between, flat side down. You will have to work in batches to cook all of them.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom of wontons are lightly browned. Add 3/4 water or extra broth to the bottom of the pan. Turn heat down to medium and cover with lid. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed. Scoop out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Repeat with remaining wontons until all are done. Alternatively, if freezing some, lay unused wontons on a sheet tray in a single layer and freeze until solid. Then move frozen wontons to a freezer safe storage container and use them within 1 month. 

Once broth is boiling, add noodles. If serving immediately, cook noodles in broth for 5-7 minutes until soft.  Turn heat off and ladle into soup bowls. Add 3-4 wontons to each bowl.  Top with vegetables and serve. If making ahead or to freeze, cook noodles separately or in broth just before serving.  Garnish as desired.

Note, when saving leftovers, I like to store the soup and cooked wontons separately as it prevents the wontons from getting soggy. Reheat together or separate!