Chicken Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Why You Will Love This Recipe

It's light, healthy
It can be an appetizer or a meal
It contained fresh ingredients and everything is homemade
You can easily make these rolls vegetarian
The peanut sauce is the perfect dipping sauce and can be used in other recipes

What are Spring Rolls?

According to Wikipedia, "spring rolls are a variety of filled, rolled appetizers or dim sum found in East Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Latin American cuisine. The kind of wrapper, fillings, and cooking technique used, as well as the name, vary considerably within this large area, depending on the region's culture."

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.

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.

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.