Thai Basil Chicken Wonton Soup
Delicious homemade Chicken Wonton Soup is the best way to satisfy any craving for Chinese food without having to leave the house. Tender wontons filled with seasoned chicken and Thai basil swim in a clear chicken broth flavored with ginger, soy, and sesame. Don’t skip the chili oil for a bit of spice!
This version is special because it’s loaded with tons of fresh Thai basil. Fresh basil gives the flavor a fresh punch! I always make a huge batch and keep some stored in the freezer for dinner in a flash. Don’t be intimidated–It’s easy to make wontons from scratch and homemade is always best!
What is Wonton Soup?
Wonton soup is a staple in Chinese cuisine. Wonton soup is meat-filled dumplings simmered in a seasoned chicken broth. It’s simple and so comforting. The filling is usually pork or a mixture of pork and shrimp seasoned with green onions, ginger, garlic, white pepper, and soy.
While I try to let the traditional flavors and methods shine, I never claim for my recipes to be authentic Chinese cuisine. I want to highlight recipes and cultures that I love and try to do my best.
How to Make Thai Basil Chicken Wonton Soup
This recipe is simplicity at its best! I love chicken wonton soup for a cozy meal. All the fresh ginger and other nourishing ingredients make this a total immune system booster for combating winter colds.
Tools Needed
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Ground chicken. Opt for dark meat chicken with a bit of fat. If you use chicken breast, the wonton filling will be a bit dry.
- Wonton wrappers. You can find these at most grocery stores or at your local Asian market.
- Scallions. Finely sliced scallions give the filling the perfect onion flavor punch without being overwhelming.
- Ginger. Ginger in the broth and wonton filling adds so much flavor and ginger has tons of health benefits.
- Garlic. Finely grate your garlic on a microplane grater so you don’t get big chunks.
- Oyster sauce. Oyster sauce seasons the wonton filling and adds just a touch of sweetness.
- Egg. Egg is a binder for the filling and adds a bit of heartiness.
- White pepper. White pepper is a staple in Chinese cooking and the flavor is a bit more subtle than black pepper.
- Chicken stock. Homemade is always best!
- Thai basil. Chopped Thai basil is a punch of flavor and is a bit spicier than regular basil.
The Process
- Make the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients and mix really well. Mix until the mixture starts to look stringy and all the ingredients are totally combined.
- Fold the wontons. Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper lightly with water. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling into the center and fold up the edges to make a triangle. Lightly wet the two corners of the triangle and bring them together.
- Make the soup. Saute the minced ginger in a mixture of olive oil and sesame oil for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season the broth with soy sauce and add your wontons. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes and portion into bowls. Top with green onions and chili oil for a bit of spice.
Freezing Chicken Wontons
My favorite part about making wonton soup is that it’s so easy to freeze the wontons for later.
Place your wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag or airtight container and keep for up to 1 year.
Bulking up your chicken wonton soup
This recipe is perfect for customizing to your tastes! Below are some tips for making it even heartier.
- Add some Chinese egg noodles to the soup.
- Throw in some shrimp to the soup for some extra protein.
- Poach an egg in the broth.
- Bulk up the soup with extra veggies like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, and bok choy.
Other Soup Recipes to Try Now
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Thai Basil Chicken Wonton Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Wontons
- 40 square wonton wrappers defrosted
- 1 lb. ground chicken dark meat
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 green onion stalks finely sliced
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped Thai basil leaves
Broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 8 cups homemade chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- Minced green onions
- Chili oil optional
Instructions
- Combine the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well until the mixture starts to get stringy. I know this sounds weird, but the filling will fall apart if it isn't well mixed.
- Fold the wontons. Start by lightly wetting the edges of the wonton wrapper. Place about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center and fold the edges together to form a triangle. Lightly wet the two corners and bring them together to overlap.
- In a soup pot, heat the olive oil and sesame oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Season the broth with the soy sauce and add the wontons. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes and ladle into bowls. Top with green onions and drizzle with a little chili oil.
Rate & Review This Recipe
Thank you, Jenny! They are in the freezer now:)
Silly question but, can I make and fill the wantons in the morning, refrigerate them, and cook in the broth when I’m ready to serve? Second question….i want to add egg noodles to the soup…should I just add egg noodles to the broth and cook them until al dente or cook separately and add to soup when ready to serve. Thank you!
Not silly at all! I would honestly just freeze them so that the filling doesn’t make the wrappers soggy–then you can just simmer them in the broth from frozen until they’re thawed and cooked through. I always keep a big bag of them in my freezer for quick dinners! You can absolutely cook the noodles in the broth, but I would just add more broth to the pot than the recipe calls for as the noodles will absorb some of it. Or you can cook them separately–dealer’s choice!
Had to try another recipe with Thai basil since I had so much! I was at first a bit intimidated by making wontons but was super easy. This dish came together quickly, I made the wontons the night before. Great flavors from this dish and perfect for cold weather. Will be making again, get to enjoy the leftovers!
Thank you so much for making another recipe!