Chicken And Vegetable Spring Rolls

Is it even Ramadan is there isn’t any fried food?

Although it may seem counter intuitive to indulge in fried foods after a whole day of fasting, samosas, pakoras, and spring rolls are synonymous with iftar (the meal at sunset which concludes the day of fasting) time spreads. Our family has huge fans of keema samosay (minced meat samomsas; recipe coming soon!) and these chicken and vegetable spring rolls.

Like every desi family, I too have my own spin on these Asian-inspired spring rolls. I like using ground chicken as the base, so as to eliminate the process of shredding. With that said, you can by all means use boneless chicken and I’ve included that option on the recipe card as well. Lastly, I know that preparing spring rolls can seem intimidating, but I assure you that the process is incredibly simple, and the end result is so delicious. Totally worth the time and effort 😎

5 from 1 vote

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Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls

Course Appetizer, Iftar, Tea Time

Cuisine Asian, Indian, Pakistani

Keyword Appetizer, Asian, Chicken, Deep-fry, Iftar, Indian, Pakistani, Ramadan, Tea Time, Vegetables

Servings 25 Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chicken
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 cups shredded cabbage (or one 14-ounce package of coleslaw)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 4 spring onions, sliced thin
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
• Salt, as needed
• ¼ cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 12-ounce package spring roll pastry (about 25 sheets), defrosted
• Neutral flavored oil, as needed for deep frying

Instructions

Prepare Filling

1. In a large bowl combine chicken, soy sauce, and black pepper.
2. Heat a large vessel over medium high heat and add the meat. Sautè the meat until browned and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
3. Increase heat to high and cabbage, carrots, spring onions, and bell pepper. Sauté until the vegetables have slightly softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sriracha, salt, and cooked chicken and mix. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
4. Remove as much moisture from the filling as possible by propping one end of the tray on which the filling is cooling up. This will allow any excess moisture to pool at one end and it can be drained.

Assemble Spring Rolls

1. In a small bowl, create a slurry by whisking together water and cornstarch. This mixture will be used to seal the rolls.
2. Open the spring roll pastry and keep the sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel. Fill each roll with a heaping tablespoon of filling, taking care not to overfill each roll and making sure the sides are properly tucked in. Seal the rolls by dabbing the edges lightly with the cornstarch slurry. Place the rolls seam side down on a tray and keep them covered to prevent them from drying out.

Cook Spring Rolls

1. Heat a deep vessel with oil over medium heat. Gently add a few rolls at a time and fry, turning a few times to ensure even browning, until golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Recipe Notes

Ground chicken can be replaced with boneless breast. Simply cook the chicken with soy sauce and black pepper until cooked through and dry. Shred the chicken and add it to the vegetables once they’ve softened slightly.

To freeze spring rolls, simply freeze assembled rolls on a tray in a single layer. Once frozen, rolls can be placed in an airtight container and kept in the freezer. To cook, do not thaw and cook as you would freshly assembled spring rolls (it might need a few extra minutes in the fryer).