These Chicken Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce are easy to make, healthy, and delicious! Made with fresh ingredients, shredded chicken, and dipped in a homemade peanut sauce, these spring rolls will be a go-to light meal or appetizer.
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❤️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
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It's light and healthy.
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It can be an appetizer or a meal.
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It contains fresh ingredients, and everything is homemade.
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You can easily make these rolls vegetarian.
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The peanut sauce is the perfect dipping sauce and can be used in other recipes.
What are Spring Rolls?
According to Wikipedia, spring rolls come in many forms across Asian cuisine, with different wrappers, fillings, and cooking methods depending on the region. This version uses rice paper and is not fried, closer to what's often called a Vietnamese spring roll or summer roll. Inspired by my favorite Thai restaurant, you can fill these with any vegetables or protein you like, and they're easy to make vegetarian or vegan with a few simple swaps.
These spring rolls are a variety made with rice paper, not fried, and definitely inspired by my favorite Thai restaurant, although I believe they are closer to a Vietnamese spring roll. They are fun to make, and you can add any vegetable or meat you like. You can also make these vegetarian or vegan by changing up a few ingredients.
How to Make Homemade Peanut Sauce
Homemade peanut sauce is so easy to make and can be used for so many different dishes. It can be a dipping sauce like in this recipe, a salad dressing, a pasta sauce, and more.
To make this peanut sauce, all you need to do is place the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Once everything is combined, add water to get the consistency you are looking for. Check out the full recipe for my Homemade Peanut Sauce for a full tutorial.
💡 Top Tip
Some cooks prefer to skip soaking the rice paper in water entirely, and instead dampen a cutting board or clean towel, then briefly wet each sheet on both sides before filling. Both methods work, so try what feels most comfortable for you.
How to Make Spring Rolls
Make the peanut sauce first and set it aside. Prepare all of the ingredients to create an assembly line.
Soften the rice papers in a flat saucepan on the stove over low heat with water at about ½" high (you can also use a flat bowl of water, but you may need to reheat during assembly).
Place one rice paper round in the warm water for 1 minute. Remove it and place it on a flat surface.
Start with the lettuce, add the chicken, herbs, peanuts, carrots, and end with the rice noodles on top. Wrap everything in the rice paper like a burrito.
Recipe FAQs
Work on a lightly damp surface rather than a dry counter, since dry rice paper sticks and tears easily. Also avoid overfilling your rolls, a stuffed roll puts more strain on the paper and is much more likely to split.
A dry work surface is usually the cause. Keep your rolling surface lightly damp, and if you're stacking finished rolls, place a lightly damp paper towel between them so they don't stick together.
These are best enjoyed fresh since rice paper can get chewy or stick together if stored too long. If you need to prep ahead, store finished rolls in a single layer with a damp paper towel over them in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat within a day.
Yes, rice paper, rice vermicelli, and the fresh vegetables in this recipe are naturally gluten-free. Just double-check that your peanut sauce ingredients, particularly soy sauce or hoisin if you use them, are labeled gluten-free as well.
Don't worry, this happens to everyone at first. If a small tear happens, you can usually press the torn area back together or wrap a second small piece of rice paper around the outside to patch it.
Yes, this recipe scales up easily. Just multiply the ingredients and keep your rice paper softening station going so you can assemble rolls in batches as you go.
The Easiest Way to Make Shredded Chicken
Shredded chicken breast is a staple in my house because it's fairly inexpensive and you can use it in so many different recipes. I have a quick and easy way to cook and shred chicken.
First, place your chicken breasts in a saucepot and fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and then remove from the heat. Allow the chicken to sit in hot water for at least 20 minutes.
Check for doneness (internal temperature of 165F°), of course, but I always find the chicken is cooked through, soft, and easy to shred.
There are 2 easy ways to shred chicken that I recommend. The first is in your stand mixer. Yes, your stand mixer. All you need to do is place the cooked chicken into the bowl, put on the paddle attachment, and mix, starting on low and going to high, until shredded.
The second way to easily shred chicken is to place it in a plastic bag and use your hands to shred it.
Expert Tips to Make the Best Spring Rolls
- Make sure you soak the rice papers for 1 minute before trying to fill and wrap them. But don't let them soak too long or they will get too soggy and rip.
- To soften the rice papers, place a large flat saucepan on the stove over low heat with water at about ½" high. I found this was the best way to keep the water nice and warm. You can also use a bowl/plate of water, but you may need to reheat the water during assembly.
- You want the soft ingredients on either side of the rolls when you wrap them so that nothing pokes through. Start with the lettuce, add the chicken, herbs, peanuts, and carrots, and end with the rice noodles on top.
- You can store any leftover peanut sauce in the fridge in a sealed container for 5-7 days.
- Some other filling ideas include cucumber, avocado, lemongrass, and shrimp.
If you get a chance to make this Chicken Spring Rolls with Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes in your inbox.
Chicken Spring Rolls with Homemade Peanut Sauce
Equipment
- large flat saucepan or bowl
Ingredients
Spring Rolls
- 6-8 ounces rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles)
- 2 medium cooked and shredded chicken breasts (about 1½ cups or so)
- 8 leaves butter lettuce (or any soft, large leaf lettuce)
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoon peanuts, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into small sticks
- 8 sheets rice paper
- 8 tablespoon peanut sauce
Instructions
Spring Rolls
- Clean and de-stem the lettuce. Chop the herbs and peanuts and set them aside. Peel and chop the carrots into small sticks. Place the rice vermicelli in a bowl of hot water for 2 minutes and then drain the water. Assemble all of the ingredients in order to create an assembly line.
- To soften the rice papers, place a large, flat saucepan on the stove over low heat with water at about ½" high (you can also use a flat bowl of water, but you may need to reheat it during assembly). For each spring roll, place one rice paper round in the warm water for 1 minute. Remove with tongs and place on a flat surface.
- You want the soft ingredients on either side of the rolls when you wrap them so that nothing pokes through. Start with the lettuce, add the chicken, herbs, peanuts, and carrots, and end with the rice noodles on top.
- Wrap everything in the rice paper like a burrito. Start with the short ends, wrap one side up, and roll as tightly but gently as possible. Repeat with all of the rice paper. Serve with peanut sauce and enjoy!
Notes
- Soak the rice papers for about 1 minute before filling and wrapping. Don't let them soak too long, or they will get too soggy and rip.
- To soften the rice papers, place a large flat saucepan on the stove over low heat with water at about ½" high. This is the best way to keep the water nice and warm. You can also use a bowl or plate of water, but you may need to reheat it during assembly.
- Some cooks prefer to skip soaking the rice paper entirely and instead dampen a cutting board or clean towel, then briefly wet each sheet on both sides before filling. Both methods work, so try what feels most comfortable for you.
- Keep the soft ingredients on either side of the rolls when you wrap them so that nothing pokes through. Start with the lettuce, add the chicken, herbs, peanuts, and carrots, and end with the rice noodles on top.
- Don't overfill your rolls. A stuffed roll puts more strain on the rice paper and is more likely to tear.
- If a rice paper does tear while rolling, don't worry; it happens to everyone at first. Press the torn area back together or wrap a small extra piece of rice paper around the outside to patch it.
- Store any leftover peanut sauce in the fridge in a sealed container for 5 to 7 days.
- Some other filling ideas include cucumber, avocado, lemongrass, and shrimp.
- This recipe scales up easily for a crowd; just multiply the ingredients and assemble the rolls in batches.
- Nutrition facts are for 1 spring roll, no sauce.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Joan H says
Please add the rice vermicelli to the ingredients list.
Emily says
Oh my! This has been fixed, thanks for the heads up!😁
Savannah says
For softening the rice paper you don't need to leave it in the water for a minute. Dampen the whole sheet of rice paper and place it on your cutting board and fill with the ingredients. By the time you are done filling the spring roll, the rice paper will be soft enough for you to fold
I've found when you allow the rice paper to soak for a minute it is harder to use, and far more likely to tear.
Emily says
Hi Savannah, thanks for sharing your experience. I've used rice paper wraps a lot and soaking them was the only way I could get them to work for me. I'll give your method a try and see if I have any luck. And thanks for checking out my recipe!
Sabrina says
Very delicious and healthy too. Love these.
Emily says
Thanks, Sabrina, I’m so glad you liked them!
Addie says
The homemade sauce was so yummy!