My Go-To Frozen Dumplings Just Got a Delicious New Twist, and I’m Stocking Up
Sometimes (and unfortunately), there simply isn’t enough time in the day to whip up a meal from scratch. It’s a common occurrence in my case. I commit to too many outings with friends during the week, and my schedule ends up jam-packed. I don’t make it to the grocery store as often as I should, and the weekends are usually my only opportunity to put a decent amount of effort into my dishes. That’s why I’m a fan of quick and easy meals during weekdays, especially ones that can be mailed straight to my door.
In fact, I’ve been an even bigger fan of them lately, because I’m currently on crutches with a leg injury. I couldn’t spend longer than 20 minutes at the stove even if I wanted to — standing on one leg for even that long is tough — so my options are pretty limited. Thankfully, I was already stocked up on MìLà’s new potsticker-style dumplings beforehand, and I’ve been eating them multiple days a week. I was already obsessed with the brand’s signature (and popular) soup dumplings, but these have proven to be even better. Keep reading to find out why!
Chicken Potstickers (50 PC)
MìLà
$32.99
Buy Now
What are the MìLà Potsticker-Style Dumplings?
Firstly, if you haven’t yet heard of MìLà, you may know of the brand under another name. In 2018, co-founders (and husband and wife) Jen Liao and Caleb Wang initially launched it as a brick-and-mortar shop called Xiao Chi Jie in 2018. They pivoted and renamed their brand MìLà during the pandemic, offering direct-to-consumer Chinese food nationwide. Since then, they’ve earned thousands of rave reviews — including mine. (I can’t get enough of the dan dan noodles as well as the pork soup dumplings.)
Unsurprisingly, MìLà’s latest release is just as impressive. The potsticker-style dumplings are the brand’s first foray into non-soup dumplings, available with ground chicken or beef filling. It also includes cabbage and green onion inside the dumpling skin. MìLà’s team of chefs set out to “capture the flavor and feel of homemade” and ended up with “a recipe so spot-on that even [their] Chinese grandmothers approve.” From frozen, you can pan-fry, steam, or boil them, and they’ll be ready in minutes.
Why I Love MìLà’s Potsticker-Style Dumplings
These frozen dumplings are on par with any that I’ve ever ordered at a restaurant. On top of being packed with flavor — there’s just the right amount of onion in both cases, plus a bit of soy with the beef — they’re also the perfect size. Not a single bite was lacking in filling. I had no complaints about the soup dumplings when I tried them, but I definitely had to be more careful with them to make sure I didn’t accidentally puncture the skin. The potsticker-style ones, on the other hand, are significantly sturdier. They’re even more effortless than the soup ones, which I love.
Instead of just steaming them in a basket, you can also toss them in a pan or boil them. I haven’t gotten around to trying the latter, but they turned out fantastic using the former two methods. Personally, I prefer pan-frying them, which took a little over 10 minutes overall — they seemed more thoroughly cooked. The process was simple: Add a bit of veggie oil, heat them on medium-low for about five minutes, add water and cover, and wait another six to eight minutes. Voilà!
Even if I wasn’t injured and able to stand in my kitchen for long stretches at a time, I’d be eating these just as often, as delicious and trouble-free as they are. It’s certainly cheaper than takeout. One bag includes 50 dumplings, so if you get five meals out of that, each one is under $10. What a steal!
Buy: MìLà Potsticker-Style Dumplings, $32.99
