Chicken momos make the perfect starter course and can even be served as a main.
These delicious chicken momos are one of the most popular recipes from my cookbook ‘The Curry Guy Light’. They are absolutely delicious and also filling which is a bonus when you’re trying to eat light. Chicken momos take a little time to make but once prepared, they can be steamed to perfection in just 12 minutes.

You are going to love this recipe! Be sure to try it soon!
What are chicken momos?
These are bite sized snacks from Nepal and Tebet but they have made their way around the globe and are now popular everywhere. I like to think of chicken momos like chicken samosas but so much lighter.
The chicken momo wraps are similar to those used in samosas but chicken momos are steamed and much less calorific.
Working ahead
You can prepare the momo filling a good couple of days ahead of cooking. If you want, you can also prepare the chicken momos a couple of days before steaming.
To do so, lightly dust a plate with flour and place the finished momos on top. Then cover tightly with clingfilm and store in the fridge until ready to steam. This could make things a lot easier if you are serving a group of friends or family.
Can momos be frozen?
Yes, but I recommend preparing the chicken momos and then freezing them before steaming.
Then take them out of the freezer and allow the momos to defrost completely. Steam for 12 minutes and they are ready!
How light are these momos?
Well, as with pretty much everything, you don’t want to go eating 30 of them in one sitting!
These are meant to be enjoyed as a light snack. Enjoy a few and you will still be eating quite light.
What do you serve chicken momos with?
These can be served simply with soy sauce and you won’t be disappointed! The tomato and sesame chutney you see in the photo above is one of my favourites. You will find the recipe for that in ‘The Curry Guy Light’ cookbook.
Chicken Momos
Ingredients
- FOR THE WRAPPERS
- 200g (11⁄2 cups) plain (all- purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
- ⁄4 tsp baking powder
- Good pinch of salt
- 100ml (scant 1⁄2 cup) water
- 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), for dusting
- FOR THE FILLING
- 500g (1lb 2oz) raw chicken breast, finely chopped
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5cm (2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 green chillies, finely chopped 2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
- 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
- 1 stick of lemongrass, finely chopped
- 50g (13⁄4oz) butter
- 1 tsp salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Start by making the wrappers. Sieve the flour and baking powder onto a clean work surface. Make a well in the centre and sprinkle in the salt. Add half the water and mix well with your hands. Add the rest of the water and continue to work until the dough is smooth. Knead well for about 5 minutes, then place the dough ball in the bowl, cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll the dough out with your hands into a long cylindrical shape about 2.5cm (1 inch) in diameter. Cut into 24 or so 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces. Dust with flour and flatten each piece into a circular shape with your hands. Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece into a circle 7.5– 9cm (3–31⁄2 inches) in diameter and 2mm (11⁄2 inch) thick. Dust the circles with the cornflour and stack them on top of each other. Cover the wrappers with a damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
- To make the filling, mix the chicken with all the other ingredients (the chicken shouldn’t look minced, but pretty close to that). When ready to make the momos, take a wrapper, wet the inside circular edge with water, place a heaped teaspoonful of mixture in the centre and make small folds starting from one point on the outer edge of the wrapper in a circular motion until you come back to the starting point. Now hold all the folds together and twist them slightly to seal the opening. Repeat with the rest and transfer the momos to a steamer set at a high heat (you may have to do this in batches) and steam for 10– 12 minutes until the filling is cooked through.
Notes
The calorie and carb count is per momo.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 72Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 753mgCarbohydrates: 8.2gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 7g