Crisp Baked Spelt Wonton Cups with Sweet Chilli Chicken

Spelt wonton cups with sweet chilli chicken are baked shells made from a simple spelt dough, filled with chicken mince, ginger and sticky sweet chilli sauce. The edges turn crisp and the cups are sturdy enough to pick up by hand.

The dough is flour, water, salt and a little oil. There are no wrappers to track down. The texture stays light, not heavy, and the nutty taste of spelt sits well beside the sweet heat.

Bake the empty cups first, for 8 minutes. If you fill raw dough, the bases stay pale and soft under the filling. The pre-bake keeps them crisp.

You can make the shells and the filling up to 3 days ahead. Fill, bake for 8 to 9 minutes, and serve within 20 minutes of baking.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Homemade spelt shells bake crisp with no wrappers needed
Shells and filling both keep for 3 days ahead
One 500 g pack of chicken mince fills 24 cups
The small handheld size suits family tables and casual gatherings

Hands pressing rolled dough squares into a mini muffin tin with corners up, flour dusted on a wooden counter

Ingredient Notes

White spelt flour: White spelt gives a thin, pliable dough that rolls easily. Wholemeal spelt works for up to half the flour, or all of it with 15 ml more water.
Chicken thigh mince: Thigh stays juicier than breast in a small cup. Ground chicken breast also works, and you can stir in 1 extra tbsp of sweet chilli sauce to offset the dryness.
Sweet chilli sauce: Use a Thai-style bottled sauce with visible chilli flecks. Brands vary in sweetness, so taste the filling before it goes into the cups.
Spring onions: The white parts cook into the filling and the green parts go on top at the end. Thinly sliced chives are a fair substitute for the greens.

Platter of wonton cups with lime wedges and cucumber salad on a linen-covered table set for a family lunch

Prep Time 35 mins

Cook Time 14 mins

Rest Time 33 mins

Total Time 1 hr 22 mins

Cooking Method: Mixed

Cuisine: Asian-Inspired

Courses: Appetizer

Difficulty: Easy

Cooking Temp: 190 C

Servings: 6

Estimated Cost: 1.30

Calories: 304

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains gluten (spelt), Contains meat, Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Nut-free

Description

A thin spelt dough bakes into sturdy cups that hold a glossy filling of chicken, ginger and sweet chilli sauce without going soft.

Ingredients

Spelt wonton cups

250 g white spelt flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 tsp fine salt
110 ml warm water
2 tbsp neutral oil (1 tbsp for the dough, 1 tbsp for brushing the tins)

Sweet chilli chicken filling

1 tbsp neutral oil
500 g chicken thigh mince (ground chicken)
4 spring onions (finely chopped, whites and greens kept separate)
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
10 g fresh ginger (about 2 cm, grated)
1 carrot (small (60 g); grated)
80 ml sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice

To finish

1 tsp sesame seeds
spring onion greens (from the 4 spring onions above; thinly sliced)

Instructions

1
Finely chop the garlic and spring onions, keeping the whites and greens apart. Grate the ginger and carrot. Stir the sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and lime juice together in a small bowl.
2
Stir the spelt flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the warm water and 1 tbsp of the oil, then mix and knead on the counter for 5 minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Wrap the dough and rest it for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F (170 C fan) with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
3
Halve the dough. Roll each half on a lightly floured surface to about 1.5 mm thick. Cut 8 cm / 3-inch squares, rerolling the scraps, until you have 24. Cover the squares with a damp cloth.
4
Brush two 12-cup mini muffin tins (5 cm / 2-inch cups) with the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Press a square into each cup with the corners pointing up, then prick each base twice with a fork.
5
Bake the empty cups for 8 minutes, swapping the tins between racks halfway, until the dough looks dry and the corners are pale gold.
6
While the cups bake, heat 1 tbsp oil in a 26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the spring onion whites, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken, break it up, and cook for 5 minutes until no pink remains and it reaches 165 F / 74 C. Stir in the carrot and the sauce mixture, then cook 2 to 3 minutes until glossy and clinging to the chicken.
7
Spoon 1 heaped tbsp (about 18 g) of filling into each cup. Return the tins to the oven for 6 minutes, until the edges are deep golden. Cool in the tins for 3 minutes, then lift out and top with the spring onion greens and sesame seeds. Serve within 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 304kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 70mg24%
Sodium 540mg23%
Potassium 330mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 39g13%
Dietary Fiber 2g8%
Sugars 8g
Protein 22g44%

Vitamin A 300 IU
Vitamin C 3 mg
Calcium 25 mg
Iron 2 mg
Vitamin E 1 mg
Vitamin K 8 mcg
Thiamin 0.2 mg
Riboflavin 0.2 mg
Niacin 6 mg
Vitamin B6 0.4 mg
Folate 20 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.3 mcg
Phosphorus 230 mg
Magnesium 45 mg
Zinc 2.2 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Cook the chicken until no pink remains and it reaches 165 F / 74 C.
Press the dough squares into the tin with corners pointing up for a frilled edge.
Bake the empty cups first, because raw dough under wet filling stays soft.
With one 12-cup tin, keep cut squares covered and add about 14 minutes for the second batch.
Serve within 20 minutes of baking for the crispest edge.

Keywords: spelt wonton cups, sweet chilli chicken, baked wonton cups, spelt appetizer, chicken mince appetizer

Equipment

Two 12-cup mini muffin tins (5 cm / 2-inch cups)
26 cm / 10-inch nonstick skillet
Rolling pin
8 cm / 3-inch square cutter, or a knife and ruler
Instant-read thermometer
Pastry brush

Tips

Roll the dough to about 1.5 mm and cut 8 cm squares, so the corners lift into a frilled edge.
Prick each base twice with a fork before the pre-bake, so the bottoms stay flat and do not puff up.
Brush the tin and cups with a thin film of oil, which gives even colour without making the dough greasy.
Cook the filling until the sauce clings to the chicken, not pooling in the pan, so the shells stay crisp.
Cover the cut squares with a damp cloth while you press the first batch, so the edges don't dry and crack.

Variations

Swap the chicken for finely chopped mushrooms and crumbled firm tofu, cooked the same way, for a vegetarian filling.
Use shop-bought wonton wrappers instead. Press them into the oiled tin, pre-bake for 4 minutes, fill, then bake 4 minutes more.
Add 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and a pinch of chilli flakes to the filling for a deeper, hotter finish.

Storage and Reheating

Spelt wonton cups keep best with the shells and filling stored separately. Cool the empty baked shells fully, then keep them in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate the cooked filling in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

To serve from stored parts, spoon cold filling into the shells and bake at 190 C / 375 F for 8 to 9 minutes. Filled leftovers go in the fridge within 2 hours of baking and keep for 3 days. Reheat them on a tray at 180 C / 350 F for 8 minutes, until the filling reaches 165 F / 74 C and the edges crisp again.

Freeze filled cups once they are fully cool. Spread them on a tray for 1 hour, then bag them for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen at 180 C / 350 F for 12 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Spelt wonton cups with sweet chilli chicken work best warm, as a starter or party snack. Serve them within 20 minutes of baking, while the edges stay crisp and the filling is still glossy.

For a light spelt dinner, plan on 4 cups per person with a cucumber and carrot salad dressed in rice vinegar. The crisp salad balances the sweet filling. Steamed edamame or stir-fried greens also work.

For a gathering, set the cups on a platter with lime wedges and a bowl of extra sweet chilli sauce. Because the shells and filling can be made 3 days ahead, you only bake once guests are close to arriving.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/baked-spelt-wonton-cups-sweet-chilli-chicken/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!