Chicken Spring Rolls with Creamy Peanut Sauce
Nothing says spring quite like spring rolls! Try these chicken spring rolls with creamy peanut sauce, you won’t believe how easy they are to make.
This blog post is in collaboration with iHerb
When iHerb recently contacted me and asked if I would be interested in collaborating with them and come up with a refreshing, light and spring-inspired recipe using a handful of ingredients that can be found on their site , I didn’t hesitate for even one second: I was MORE than happy to be partnering with one of my ultimate favorite online stores!
Cuz really iHerb? They’re totally awesome! What makes me like them so much, you ask?
First off, as a Canadian, I really, truly appreciate the fact that iHerb helps me source a lot of products that I couldn’t otherwise get my hands on. Indeed, most online “supermarkets” won’t ship to Canada, and when they do, they’ll charge you an arm and a leg to do it. But iHerb, they sell over 35,000 different products and ship to over 160 countries, including Canada of course, for a very reasonable fee, which also happens to include all taxes, customs and import fees. If you’ve ever ordered stuff across borders, you know how painful (and expensive) those unexpected charges can be sometimes.
iHerb also happens to be a Google Trusted Store and their Customer Service team provides support in TEN different languages! HA! I say there’s a very good chance they’ll be able to serve you in your native tongue, should you ever need to talk to them. But ordering through them usually goes without a hitch, so chances are you’ll never actually need to contact customer service…
Needless to say I’ve had nothing but extremely positive and satisfying shopping experiences with them. Ordering is super quick, efficient and easy, and they always make sure that your goods make it to you in one piece, and in a timely manner, too!
Some of the products that I love ordering from iHerb because I’m having a hard time getting my hands on locally include:
- Peanut Butter & Co Smooth Operator Creamy Peanut Butter (have you ever tried that peanut butter? OMG! If you haven’t, you have to! It’s to die for, I swear! You’ll never guess that it was entirely natural!)
- PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter (so tasty, it’ll boost the peanut flavor of any dish while keeping the fat content in check)
- Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos (a marvelous soy-free replacement for soy sauce, so good that I now prefer it to the real deal!)
- Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey (simply the bestest, creamiest honey in the world. I’m totally addicted to it.)
All these ingredients combined inspired me to make these yummy peanut chicken spring rolls with a slightly spicy, creamy peanut sauce.
Cuz seriously, now that the warmer, sunnier days appear to wanna be here to stay, I think it’s finally time to step away from heavy winter foods and focus on lighter, healthier eating for Spring.
And really, can you think of anything that says spring, light and healthy better than spring rolls? I don’t think I can!
If you’re a little worried about your spring roll making abilities, rest assured: they’re really not as hard or complicated to make as you may believe. In fact, I think you’ll be quite surprised at how truly easy they are to prepare.
Of course, I’ll guide you through all the steps… you know me!
Since these are *chicken* spring rolls, of course you’ll need some chicken; about a cup and a half of leftover cooked chicken, shredded.
Throw in a handful of chopped peanuts, too. For some crunch and flavor, you know!
Then, combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a medium sized bowl or large measuring cup and pour about half of that sauce over your chicken.
Mix everything together until very well combined.
Next, you need to make sure that you have all your other filling ingredients prepped, handy and ready to go before you start rolling.
We’re talking about a cup of cooked sushi rice, preferably cooled but warm will work, too.
A large carrot and 2-3 mini cucumbers, julienned, a thinly sliced green onion, and a generous handful of baby spinach leaves.
When you’re good and ready to roll, fill a large shallow bowl with lukewarm water. Try and find one which you can pretty much fit an entire disc in or at least half of it and then rotate it.
Quickly dip a rice wrapper in the lukewarm water. These wrappers are extremely delicate and only require a very quick dip to soften up. Do not leave them in there for too long because they will become way too soft, break down and become impossible to roll.
The wrappers should still be somewhat firm as you take them out of the water; once it lays on the wet prepping surface, it will continue to absorb water and will become soft and sticky in no time.
Always build your spring rolls a non-porous surface such as a large ceramic plate or a glass, stone, smooth plastic or ceramic cutting board, and make sure to keep that surface wet all the time.
Lay your filling ingredients at the top third of the rice paper, starting with a few spinach leaves — the leaves will act as barrier and protect the fragile rice wrappers against eventual tears — followed by a few pieces of carrots, cucumber and green onions.
Top that with a few tablespoons of rice…
…and finally, a few tablespoons of the peanut chicken mixture.
Be careful not to over-stuff the rolls and make sure to leave about an inch on both sides so you can tuck them in later.
Now very delicately pull the edge of the rice wrapper away from the work surface and fold it over the filling. At the same time, use your thumbs to gather and tuck the filling under the wrapper.
Slowly start to roll towards you while continuing to hold and tuck the filling with your fingers.
Roll about one complete rotation, then fold in the sides. The rice wrappers are very sticky, so they should stick almost instantly and hold in place just fine.
Continue to roll until the wrapper ends, while always tucking and guiding the filling with your fingers.
Continue making more spring rolls until you run out of filling ingredients; make sure to keep the finished rolls on a non-porous surface while you work on the others. Also, do not let the rolls touch otherwise they will stick together and tear when you try to take them apart.
Slice the finished rolls in half, on a slight diagonal, and serve promptly with the rest of the peanut sauce.
Spring rolls are at their best when fresh, but leftovers can be kept for up to 24 hours if wrapped tightly and individually in plastic film.
And they’re such a fantastic thing to have in the fridge, too! So light, so refreshing, so portable, so delicious, so very spring worthy. Hey, they ARE called spring rolls after all, aren’t they?
Don’t forget to head to iHerb for easy access to many of the ingredients called for in this recipe. Plus new iHerb customers will get $5 off their first order. Five bucks! Ha! Now that’s an offer you won’t wanna miss!
I suggest you go check it out, order what you need to make the Spring Rolls and then get right back here so you can make it happen!
Chicken Spring Rolls with Creamy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 medium 8½" rice wrappers
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- 1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
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- 1 cup cooked sushi rice, cooled
- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
- 2-3 mini cucumber, julienned
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- a handful of baby spinach leaves
For the peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Smooth Operator Creamy Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
- 2 tbsp Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp grated fresh gingerroot
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 dried birds eye chilis, crushed
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a medium mixing bowl or large measuring cup and whisk until well combined.
- Place the shredded chicken meat and chopped peanuts in a large bowl and pour about half the peanut sauce over it. Mix until very well combined.
- Make sure that you have all your other filling ingredients prepped, ready and handy before you start rolling.
- Fill a large shallow bowl with lukewarm water. Try and find one in which you can pretty much fit an entire disc or at least half of it and rotate it.
- Quickly dip a rice wrapper in the lukewarm water. These wrappers are extremely delicate and only require a very quick dip to soften up. Do not leave them in there for too long because they will become way too soft, break down and become impossible to roll.
- The wrappers should still be somewhat firm as you take them out of the water; once it lays on the wet prepping surface, it will continue to absorb water and will become soft and sticky in no time. Always build your spring rolls a non-porous surface such as a large ceramic plate or a glass, stone, smooth plastic or ceramic cutting board, and make sure to keep that surface wet all the time.
- Lay the ingredients at the top third of the rice paper, starting with a few spinach leaves (the leaves will act as barrier and protect the fragile rice wrappers against eventual tears), followed by a few pieces of carrots, cucumber and green onions. Top with a few tablespoons of rice and finally, a few tablespoons of the peanut chicken mixture. Be careful not to over-stuff the rolls and make sure to leave about an inch on both sides so you can tuck them in later.
- Very delicately pull the edge of the rice wrapper away from the work surface and fold it over the filling. At the same time, use your thumbs to gather and tuck the filling under the wrapper.
- Slowly start to roll towards you while continuing to hold and tuck the filling with your fingers. Roll about one complete rotation, then fold in the sides. The rice wrappers are very sticky, so they should stick almost instantly and hold in place just fine. Continue to roll until the wrapper ends, while always tucking and guiding the filling with your fingers.
- Continue making more spring rolls until you run out of ingredients; keep the finished rolls on a non-porous surface while you work on the others. Do not let the rolls touch otherwise they will stick together and tear when you try to take them apart.
- Slice the finished rolls in half, on a slight diagonal, and serve promptly with the rest of the peanut sauce.
- Spring rolls are at their best when fresh, but leftovers can be kept for up to 24 hours if wrapped tightly and individually in plastic film.
Nutrition
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3 Comments on “Chicken Spring Rolls with Creamy Peanut Sauce”
Love Spring rolls! A nice change from salads. An ingredient I use from time to time is mint. I also will do fruit rolls, using very thin slices of of Apple for the outside, just add you used spinach. Great, as a low fat dessert.
Thank for the great tips on assembly.
Thanks for the instruction
Love the addition of mint! I keep forgetting to use mint as an ingredient. It adds so much freshness to everything it touches… I think it would work particularly well in these rolls. Next time, I’m definitely adding some! 🙂
Everything involving peanuts has to be good !
Thanks for sharing