Light Chicken Veggie Spring Rolls (Print Version)
Fresh spring rolls with chicken, crisp vegetables, and zesty dipping sauce. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 7 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
02 - 1/2 tsp salt
03 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil
→ Vegetables
05 - 1 medium carrot, julienned
06 - 1/2 cucumber, julienned
07 - 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 1.75 oz bean sprouts
09 - 4 large lettuce leaves, torn into smaller pieces
10 - 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves
11 - 2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
→ Wrappers
12 - 8 rice paper wrappers (8.5 in diameter)
→ Dipping Sauce
13 - 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free option
14 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
15 - 1 tsp sesame oil
16 - 1 tsp honey
17 - 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
18 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
19 - 1 tsp chili flakes optional
# Steps:
01 - Season chicken breast evenly with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat sesame oil in skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in pan and cook 4-5 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165°F and meat is opaque throughout. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before slicing into thin strips.
02 - Julienne carrot and cucumber into matchstick-sized pieces. Slice bell pepper into thin strips. Fill large shallow dish with warm water for rice paper wrappers. Arrange all prepared ingredients on work surface for easy assembly.
03 - Dip one rice paper wrapper into warm water for 10 seconds until pliable but not mushy. Remove and lay flat on clean, damp kitchen towel or cutting board. Wrapper should remain slightly tacky for proper rolling.
04 - Layer small handful of lettuce in lower third of wrapper. Top with chicken slices, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, bean sprouts, mint, and cilantro. Fold bottom edge tightly over filling, fold in sides, then roll forward into compact cylinder. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
05 - Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, minced garlic, and chili flakes in small bowl until honey dissolves completely. Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days.
06 - Arrange spring rolls on serving platter. Serve whole or cut diagonally in half. Accompany with dipping sauce in small bowl for dipping. Best served immediately at room temperature.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between cool crisp vegetables and warm savory chicken creates this perfect bite that feels substantial but not heavy
- Once you get the folding technique down, these become one of those impressive-looking appetizers that secretly take almost no time
02 -
- The first few rolls might look awkward, but by the fourth or fifth you'll develop this rhythm and they'll start looking restaurant-perfect
- If your wrappers keep tearing, they're probably soaking too long, pull them out a few seconds earlier next time
03 -
- Leftover dipping sauce keeps beautifully in the fridge for a week and makes an incredible salad dressing
- The key to restaurant-worthy rolls is uniform knife cuts, so take your time with the vegetable prep