We’ve never actually made a fried “wonton” before. Sure, I have had my fair share of all kinds of restaurant-made wontons. I was having some serious mental blockage this week on recipe making. Sometimes this happens, just like anything else. It’s like writer’s block for home cooks. Zach helped me out with this recipe, and it did not disappoint. He can be super creative when he puts his mind to it =). The best part about this recipe is the mango, habanero sauce, and there are so many uses for it. It’s so sweet, yet so spicy. It’s just perfect with this fried wonton recipe. This recipe is perfect for entertaining. They are the perfect little appetizer, and once you get going, it really is one of the easiest foods to make out there. We paired this with a perfectly crisp, Summer beer. The pairing couldn’t be more special.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Tidbits:
1. Frying certainly doesn’t come easy, and sometimes it can be tedious trying to get the oil to just the right temperature. Don’t get frustrated. This just comes with getting to know your personal stove. Each stove is different. Gas is obviously the easier of the two to work with because you can adjust the heat quickly. If you are using electric (like we are unfortunate enough to have to use), then getting the temperature just right is just going to take a bit more time. Be patient though. It will eventually get there =). You could also just go out and buy a deep fryer…like we did.
2. Fried wontons are very diverse. You can fill them will just about anything you wish. Zach had this spectacular idea of stuffing them with something Mexican-ish. It did not disappoint. Use this recipe as a base and fill with whatever you please! Don’t skip the sauce though. The sauce is seriously the best part.
3. You will need about an hour to let the mango, habanero sauce reduce. Although, once it starts to reduce, it will really get going. Keep an eye on it once it gets to this point. You don’t want it to reduce to nothing!
We just kind of happened upon the beer pairing for these wontons. We bought a 12-pack of Bridgeport, and their seasonal was added into the mix. Bridgeport Brewing’s Summer Squeeze is truly the perfect summer brew. It’s crisp and refreshing, and even though I’m not always the BIGGEST fan of Blonde Ales, this is a great one. You don’t want something too robust for this beer pairing. This recipe is both sweet and spicy. A beer that is light, yet still full of flavor, is the perfect way to go!
So if you are wondering why there are two different shapes of wontons; this is Zach’s attempt at making “cool wonton parcels.” They are super cute, but the triangle form will work just find =).
Have a great day everyone!
 |
 |
This isn''t your traditional fried wonton recipe. This recipe goes Mexican-style with chicken green chili wontons with mango, habanero sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 3 cups mango nectar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 habanero peppers, seeds and stem removed, halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 lb chicken breast, fully cooked and shredded
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 jalapeños, seeds and stem removed, diced
- 2 chilies, anaheim, seeds and stem removed, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 can green chilies
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 18 wonton wrappers
- vegetable oil, for frying
- cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, mango nectar, honey, habaneros, salt and pepper over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer for approximately 1 hour or until the sauce is reduced form 4 cups to 1 cup. Once it has reduced, keep warm on the stove until ready to serve.
- For the green chili sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeños and anaheim chilies. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 or until the veggies are tender. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute. Whisk in the flour and stir until the flour has just begun to brown. Whisk in the canned green chilies, white wine vinegar and chicken broth, and stir until the flour has dissolved. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth (be careful as the sauce is still hot). Once smooth, transfer back to the saute pan and keep warm over low heat. Stir in lime juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked chicken and toss to combine.
- Heat a couple of inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium to medium high heat. Using a thermometer, heat to 350 degrees F.
- While the oil is heating up, assemble your wontons. Take a wrapper and place a teaspoon of the chicken green chili into the center. Dampen the edges of the wrapper with water and fold over sealing the edges together, forming a triangle. Set aside and repeat this step for the rest of the wrappers. Place 3-4 wontons into the oil and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until brown. Remove and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat this step for the rest of the wontons.
- Serve immediately with the Mango/Habanero sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Cutting Board * Sharp Knife * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Large Sauce Pan * Heavy Bottomed Dutch Oven * Large Saute Pan * Heavy Wooden Spoons * Whisk * Thermometer * Tongs * Paper Towel-Lined Plate *
