Macheesmo

I know. It’s summer. These are spring rolls. I’m not confused as to what the season is. I think these are named spring rolls not because of the season but because they put a spring in your step!

Okay. Maybe not. I really have no idea. Maybe it’s because spring rolls always have lots of fresh veggies, which these definitely do.

But these Sriracha chicken spring rolls are also packed with spice and substantial enough to eat as a light summer dinner. They are crisp, with some snap to them, and just spicy enough to wake up the tastebuds.

Hello tastebuds! Are you there? It’s me. Sriracha chicken spring rolls!

Sriracha Chicken Spring Rolls

by Nick

Serves:

10-12 spring rolls

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Just a moment please...

Print Recipe

Chicken spring rolls seasoned with loads of garlic and sriracha and rolled with bunches of fresh vegetables. This works great for a meal or appetizer!

Ingredients

1 pound chicken, sliced in strips

2 tablespoons sriracha

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Spring roll materials:

Rice paper wrappers

Lettuce

Carrots, sliced or grated

Red pepper, sliced

Bean sprouts

Fresh mint

Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 lime, juice only

Pinch of sugar

Dash of sesame oil

Show Directions

1) In a medium bowl, combine sliced chicken, sriracha, minced garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir together well and let sit for a few minutes.

2) In a cast iron skillet or large heavy skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat until the strips are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. They should get slightly browned on the edges and the sauce should get sticky. Remove from heat.

3) Prep all the other spring roll fillings: slicing peppers and carrots, washing herbs and sprouts, and chopping lettuce.

4) TO make a spring roll: Get a large plate and fill it with hot water. Add a single rice paper wrapper to the plate and flip for a few seconds until the wrapper turns flexible.

5) Transfer the soaked wrapper to a clean surface. Place some lettuce in the middle and top with a chicken strip or two. Then top with all the other veggies.

6) Working at one end, fold the edges of wrapper up over the center and then roll the wrapper up and over the fillings, almost like a burrito. Keep some tension on the wrapper as you roll it so it stays nice and tight.

Repeat until your fillings are used. Serve with dipping sauce. It can be helpful to cut spring rolls in half for easier dipping.

Chicken Spring Rolls

The Sriracha Chicken

The marinade for this chicken packs a punch! Before cooking the chicken, I recommend slicing it up into strips which will make it easy to stuff in the rolls later. Then just stir it together with all the delicious marinade stuff.

You don’t need to marinate this chicken for long, but a few minutes will do it good. You could, of course, prep it hours in advance also.

Cook the chicken in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until the strips are cooked through and charred in places. The marinade will turn into a sort of sticky sauce on the strips. So good!

Making the Spring Rolls

While the chicken cooks, take your time prepping the other ingredients for the spring rolls. You want nice even strips of red pepper and carrot so they roll nicely. It’s good chopping practice!

If you’re too lazy to chop, you can also just grate the veggies on a box grater.

Working with one rice paper wrapper at a time, set it on a plate with hot water and let it sit for a few seconds. Flip it a few times to make sure it is evenly soaking. After 10-15 seconds it should be nice and flexible.

Transfer the rice paper to a clean surface and start stacking up the fillings. I like lettuce first, then chicken, then veggies and herbs. Be sure to leave some room around the edges so you can roll the wrapper.

Once it’s stuffed, tuck the ends in to the center and roll it into a tight cigar. As you roll it, try to keep some tension on the roll so it stays really tight.

Once you get the hang of it, you can do these pretty quickly. While the rice paper looks really fragile, I think you’ll find that they are sturdier than they look. You can pack them full and roll them tightly.

I like to slice mine in half to show off the filling and make for easier dipping.

As with any spring roll, the veggies you use are up to you. Feel free to customize to your liking, but man are these worth making. Betsy and I ate them for dinner one night and I had a few for lunch the next day as they keep great in the fridge.

Healthy, filling, and perfect for summer!