Try this Vietnamese Chicken Summer Rolls recipe.
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- --------------------
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast skinless, sliced to thin strips
- 3 seedless mini cucumbers (persian cucumbers sliced to thin strips)
- 1 box of leafy greens (mixed greens or baby spinach….etc
- half lime juice
- around 8 vietnamese tapioca sheets
- [chicken marinade]:
- 2 tbsp red boat fish sauce (alternatively tamari soy sauce or coconut aminos)
- 1 1/2 tbsp asian cooking wine (japanese sake or taiwanese mic
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dry red chilli pepper
- [scallion oil dipping sauce]:
- 1 tbsp shallots minced
- 2 tsp dry chilli pepper
- half bunch of fresh scallions (cut into 3 segments
- 1/2 bsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 up olive oil
- Carbohydrate 1.62922133407667 g
- Cholesterol 108.8621688 mg
- Fat 15.8816411676586 g
- Fiber 0.368008336679888 g
- Protein 35.717629096095 g
- Saturated Fat 4.56143022408836 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (183g)
- Sodium 410.56449741286 mg
- Sugar 1.26121299739679 g
- Trans Fat 1.40682599054578 g
- Calories 301 calories
Step-by-step
- Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes (I leave mine in the fridge overnight for extra flavor!)
- Heat the saute pan with 1 tbsp EVOO and saute the chicken over medium to medium high heat until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Heat ¼ cup of EVOO over medium high heat, add in garlic, shallots, ginger, dry chilli pepper, and kosher salt. Lightly stir fry until fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic).
- Season with more salt if desired.
- Add the white segments of the scallions to the saute pan. Pan fry until slightly translucent.
- Then add the other two segments of the scallions for another 20 seconds.
- Pour everything into a bowl and get ready to prepare the rolls!
- Fill a large flat bowl with warm water, dip one tapioca sheet very carefully and gradually for about 1 minute, until soft. Lay tapioca paper on a clean flat plate.
- Arrange about a small handful for mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, and 4 to 5 pieces of chicken on the bottom third of the sheet. Keep about 1 inch uncovered on each side.
- Fold uncovered sides inward from left to right and from right to left, then tightly roll the rice paper outward (away from you).
- Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Cut into smaller segments (like sushi rolls) or just grab the entire roll (like a translucent mini burrito) and dip in the scallion sauce and enjoy!
Why do some rice paper wrappers tear immediately upon contact with water while others remain rubbery and impossible to bite through? Achieving the correct balance of elasticity relies entirely on water temperature and hydration time. Lukewarm water softens the tapioca starch gently without dissolving it completely, whereas boiling water creates a sticky, unmanageable mess. Submerge each sheet for approximately sixty seconds until pliable, transferring it to a damp cutting board to halt the softening process before rolling.
Balancing Crispness and Pliability
Contrasting textures define this dish. Sliced Persian cucumbers and leafy greens provide a crisp, aqueous crunch that offsets the savory, tender chicken breast. Because moisture inside the wrapper rapidly breaks down the starch over time, assemble these rolls just before serving rather than hours in advance. Storing wrapped rolls in the refrigerator causes the tapioca paper to harden and dry out.
- If using tamari soy sauce as a substitute for fish sauce, reduce the added salt by half to account for the higher sodium concentration.
- Slice the chicken breast into uniform 1/4-inch strips to ensure rapid, even cooking in the skillet.
- Heat the scallion oil dipping sauce until the aromatics release their essential oils, but remove the pan from the heat before the garlic turns golden brown to prevent bitterness.
