Sometimes the most appealing dinner plan is the one already waiting in the freezer. Ajinomoto’s saucy gyoza and jumbo chicken shumai are two options I’m putting on my radar for exactly those nights.
The Sweet & Spicy Chili Saucy Pork & Chicken Gyoza come with a garlic chili sauce, while the Japanese Jumbo Chicken Shumai come with a soy-and-vinegar dipping sauce. These are two different dumpling styles, so here’s what to look for on the box.
The saucy gyoza bring sweet heat
According to Ajinomoto, these gyoza combine pork, chicken and ginger with a separate garlic sweet-and-spicy chili sauce. The box contains 10 dumplings and a sauce packet, so the sauce is something you add rather than a mystery ingredient already coating everything.
The brand gives a microwave preparation time of under three minutes, with steaming as another option. Follow the directions on your actual package for the amount you’re preparing and your appliance.
The jumbo shumai have a different filling and sauce
The chicken shumai include shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Ajinomoto describes each as a two- to three-bite dumpling, with nine shumai and a soy-and-vinegar sauce packet in a box.
For this version, the brand lists microwave, air-fryer and steaming options. The current Shaw’s product listing also identifies the chicken-and-vegetable filling and included dipping sauce.
Where to look for them
Ajinomoto announced both products in May 2026, naming Albertsons and Ahold as the initial retailers. This is a freezer-aisle find to check for now, rather than a launch happening this week.
The announced suggested price was $7.99 each. Your store’s current price and selection may differ, so use the exact product name when checking locally. Ajinomoto has other dumplings, including pork shumai, and a similar-looking name does not mean you’re getting this chicken version.
I haven’t tasted either one yet, so I can’t tell you how spicy the chili sauce is or which texture I prefer. My own serving idea would be a bowl of rice and something crunchy alongside them, with the sauce added at the table. That sounds like a much more interesting starting point than staring into an empty refrigerator.
