Fatima's Fabulous Kitchen

I don't eat to live. I live to eat.

Chicken Spring Rolls

by

Are you ever just completely lost when it comes to figuring out what to bring to a  potluck?

Someone’s bound to bring a sad veggie dip, a soggy casserole, an underseasoned chili – 10 people bring store-bough cookies because they can’t be bothered or can’t cook, one person brings something that’s actually really tasty but by the time you get there it’s all gone…and that’s about it.

I’ve got a great solution for you.

These chicken spring rolls take a bit of effort and time but are so worth it. There are incredibly flavorful, juicy, and the perfect balance of salty, sweet, and hot.

I first start off by making some shredded chicken. I take boneless chicken tenders and simmer them in chicken stock and bay leaves.

For the filling I use about 3.5 cups of veggies for 1 pound chicken. Don’t bother with a knife and cutting-board. Get out your food processor and grind until extremely fine.

The secret to these babies is cooking down everything in a good amount of ginger-garlic paste. This will add tremendous background flavor. I also like to add  in some turmeric and chilli powder (because I am brown) along with some soy sauce and oyster sauce.

My second secret is a bit of msg. Whenever I make anything Indo-Chinese, I always pour a little in. I know some people have reservations about this notorious seasoning – but let me tell you that literally every processed food has msg in it – from chips and crackers to breads and sauces. A little goes along way with flavor enhancement and brings these to the next level.

Lastly, I squeeze in a generous amount of lime juice for brightness and acidity.

Assemble these, fry them up, and serve these up with some good old sweet chilli sauce. Your co-workers or classmates are sure to be impressed.

Print

Chicken Spring Rolls

A super flavorful spring roll - perfect for your next potluck or holiday party!

Ingredients

shredded chicken

  • 2 lbs boneless chicken (may use breast and/or thighs)
  • 1 chicken bullion cube
  • 1 bay leaf

Filling (total yield = 7 cups of veggies)

  • 4-5 medium carrots
  • 1/2 cabbage
  • 1/2 bell pepper (don't use green)
  • 4 green onions
  • 7 tbsp oil
  • 2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce or to taste
  • 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 1/2 tsp chilli powder or to taste
  • 1 tsp msg
  • lime juice to taste

Instructions

Shredded Chicken

  1. In a large pot filled half-way with water, add in your boneless chicken pieces along with the chicken stock cube and the bay leaves. If you don't have chicken stock (halal chicken bullion is sometimes hard to come by) then just add some salt and extra aromatics of your choice (ex - black peppercorns, extra bay leaves etc).

  2. Bring water to a boil then lower to a simmer. After several minutes you will notice a layer of white foam form on the top. Remove with a spoon. 

  3. Allow the chicken to cook and tenderize. This will take at least 1 1/2 hours or even longer. If the water evaporates too quickly, just add more. Once it's done, it should be shredded and tender. 

Filling

  1. Throw in your veggies - bell pepper, carrot, cabbage, green onions into a food processor and blitz until completely fine. You should have a yield of about 6-7 cups of veggies. 

  2. In a large wok or wide pan, add in your oil on medium-high heat. Now add in your veggies. Allow them to cook down for a minute or two.

  3. Add in your turmeric, chilli powder, and ginger-garlic paste. Cook until the rawness of the ginger-garlic paste goes away.

  4. Now add in your shredded chicken, soy, sauce, oyster sauce, and msg. Mix well. Make sure your mixture is dry and doesn't have too much moisture or else you're spring rolls will be soggy!

  5. Add in your lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasonings. You may require more soy sauce. 

Assembly

  1. Take a bunch of thawed spring roll wrappers. Carefully separate each layer without tearing them. (NOTE - these are not the same as wonton wrappers! They are a bit larger in size and thinner. My favorite brand is Spring Home - "TYJ Spring Roll Pastry". You can find these in the asian frozen section of your supermarket!)

  2. Take a spoonful of filling just bellow the center. Form into a log shape and fold the ends tucking the sides like an envelope. (If you are confused, there are plenty of good youtube tutorials that will break this down for you in much better detail than I can describe here!)

  3. Make sure to cover your spring rolls with a damp paper towel or cloth so they don't dry out. 

  4. Bring a wok or large pot with at least an inch of oil to 350 F. Slowly add in your spring rolls and fry until golden brown.

  5. Your spring rolls are ready! Serve with sweet chilli sauce.