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fresh ingredients for Chicken Wonton Tacos

Chicken Wonton Tacos

Crispy fried wonton shells filled with sweet-savory glazed chicken and a zesty lime slaw. An Applebee’s-style copycat for dinner or a party appetizer.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 12 tacos
Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Ingredients
  

For the marinated chicken
  • 1 pound chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, low-sodium if you like
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce, Thai-style
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, for cooking
For the crispy shells
  • 12 wonton wrappers, square or round
  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying (about 1 inch deep)
For the zesty slaw
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage, green or purple
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • ¼ cup red onion, sliced paper-thin
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus extra to top
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
To serve
  • Sesame seeds
  • Thinly sliced green onions
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Lime wedges
  • Extra sweet chili sauce, for drizzling

Method
 

Marinate the chicken
  1. Whisk the soy sauce, hoisin, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic and ginger. Add the chicken, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Fry the wonton shells
  1. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Test with a scrap of wrapper: it should sizzle at once and turn golden in about 30 seconds.
  2. Lower one wrapper into the oil, fold it with metal tongs into a taco shape and hold for 3 to 4 seconds. Release and fry for 15 to 20 seconds more, flipping once, until golden.
  3. Drain the shells upright on a paper towel-lined plate. Don’t stack them while hot.
Cook the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a clean skillet over medium heat. Cook the marinated chicken in an even layer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until glazed and cooked through (165°F). Let it rest briefly.
Make the slaw
  1. Toss the cabbage, carrot and red onion. Whisk the mayonnaise, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, lime juice and sesame oil, then pour it over the vegetables with the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble
  1. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of chicken into each shell, top with slaw, and finish with sesame seeds, green onions and cilantro. Serve right away with lime wedges.

Notes

  • Fry the shells right before serving: they lose their crunch quickly.
  • Don’t overfill the shells, or they may crack.
  • Cooked chicken keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. The slaw keeps 1 to 2 days. Store everything separately.
  • To bake the shells instead, brush with oil and bake at 375°F for 6 to 8 minutes over an inverted muffin tin.