Chicken Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
These chicken spring rolls are stuffed with juicy chicken, crisp vegetables, and light tender rice noodles. This dish is perfect for a light summer dinner, a beautiful appetizer for a party, or a healthy snack after a workout. {Gluten Free Adaptable}
Servings: 12 big spring rolls
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts about 1 pound / 450 grams
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Nutty Sauce
- 4 heaping tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter
- 4 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (*Footnote 1)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (*Footnote 2)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil , toasted
- 4 slices ginger , about half a thumb
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons homemade chili oil (Optional)
Spring rolls
- Round rice paper wrappers
- 1 English cucumber , cut into strips
- 3 carrots , shredded
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 4 green onions , cut to strips
- 2 cups rice vermicelli , cooked
- 1 small batch cilantro
Instructions
- Chicken
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 C).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dry chicken breasts with paper towel and rub with a thin layer of oil. Season both sides with salt and black pepper.
- Bake for 10 minutes for smaller pieces and 15 minutes for larger pieces, until the chicken is cooked through. (*Footnote 3)
- Set the chicken aside to cool. Slice or shred the chicken right before making the rolls.
- Sauce
- Combine all the ingredients for the sauce with 2 tablespoons of water in a tall cup and mix into a smooth sauce using an immersion blender. (*Footnote 4) Let sit for 10 minutes so the flavors will blend.
- Spring rolls
- Cut and prepare all the ingredients. Add warm water to a skillet or large plate that fits the rice paper wrappers.
- Work on spring roll wrappers one at a time. Dip one wrapper into the water for about 5 to 10 seconds until it turns soft enough to bend, but not entirely soft. The rice paper will soften up while you work on the roll.
- Spread the wrapper on a cutting board or a big plate. On the lower third of the wrapper, add chicken, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, green onion, rice vermicelli, and cilantro.
- Fold the bottom side of the wrapper up to cover all the ingredients. Tuck both sides of the wrapper to seal the ingredients inside.
- Roll the ingredients towards the upper end, until they form a roll. Place the roll on a plate.
- Slice rolls in half. Serve with the nutty sauce as an appetizer.
Notes
- The sauce will taste best if you use Chinkiang vinegar. However you can replace it with rice vinegar to make a gluten-free sauce.
- I like to use syrup in the dipping sauce because it creates a smoother texture. If you do not have syrup, you can use 2 tablespoons of sugar instead.
- The USDA minimum temperature for chicken is 165 F (74 C). However I usually cook chicken breast to 140 or 145 F, when the center just turns white. The chicken will be much tenderer and juicier this way, but also note that it increases the chance of foodborne illness.
- If you don’t have an immersion blender, mince the ginger and garlic and whisk everything together in a medium-sized bowl.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 12 spring rolls, Calories: 153kcal, Carbohydrates: 12.4g, Protein: 14.1g, Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 312mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 3.7g