Homemade Chicken Spring Roll

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My Chicken Spring Roll recipe combines all the best flavors and textures into one delicious bite. Perfect for snacking or as a savory side, each chicken spring roll is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with savory flavor. Forget takeout — you can make spring rolls with chicken in under 30 minutes without ever leaving your kitchen!

titled image for chicken spring rolls


 

Chicken Spring Roll

Recreate your favorite Chinese appetizer with a handful of simple, fresh ingredients!

This chicken spring rolls recipe is simple to make and a great way to use up some leftover chicken, whether it’s rotisserie or from last night’s dinner.

It’s also such an easy (and tasty!) way to get more veggies onto your plate, especially with picky eaters.

Even your littlest eaters will love the savory flavor, crispy texture, and a bowl of dipping sauce!

For more Asian-inspired recipes, try this quick and easy pasta salad or my delicious Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef.

Both make plenty to feed the whole family or enjoy as leftovers!

adding spoonful of chicken and veggie filling to egg roll wrapper

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Chicken – Feel free to use leftover shredded chicken instead of making it fresh, or use boneless, skinless thighs if you prefer dark meat.
  • White Cabbage – Sometimes labeled green cabbage, this is the tightly packed round variety that most people are familiar with.

    Because so little is needed for this chicken spring roll recipe, you may want to look for a small package of bagged shreds (or use the rest for my unstuffed cabbage rolls).
  • Egg Roll Wrappers – These are made from wheat flour instead of rice flour and are meant to be cooked instead of eaten raw.

    Depending on the brand, they may be found in the refrigerated or frozen section of your local grocery store or Asian market.

    I’m using egg rolls wrappers instead of spring roll wrappers because I prefer the taste and texture!
beginning to roll filling in egg roll wrapper

How to Shred Cabbage

Start by removing any tough or damaged outer leaves. Place the cabbage on a cutting board, stem side down, and cut into four even wedges.

Hold each wedge upright and cut at an angle to remove the stem. Then, make thin shreds based on which tools you have available.

  • With a sharp knife: Lay each wedge on one of the flat sides and slice across it widthwise starting at the narrow end.
  • With a mandolin slicer: Adjust the blade to the correct thickness, then place the base of one wedge against the slicer and run it over the blade.

    You may need to finish the narrow ends with a knife so you don’t cut your fingers.
outer corners of egg roll wrapper folded into center

How To Roll Spring Rolls with Chicken

  1. Lay out a wrapper: Place one wrapper on a smooth surface so it looks like a diamond, meaning the pointed ends are facing up, down, and to each side.
  2. Add filling: Spoon some of the meat and veggie mixture into the center.
  3. Fold to secure: Fold the bottom point up over the filling until it touches the sheet, then fold each side point into the center.

    The wrapper should be snug around the filling but not so tight that it creates tears.
  4. Roll and repeat: Gently roll up toward the top point to seal. It can help to dab a little water or egg wash on the top point first so it adheres to the surface.

    Repeat until all of the filling and wrappers have been used.

Prep Ahead

  • Cook chicken
  • Shred and chop veggies
  • Make chicken spring roll filling
  • Heat oil for frying

Kitchen Tools You Will Need

  • Non-stick Skillet – Everyone needs a good skillet. I use this almost daily for everything from cooking eggs to browning chicken and ground beef.
  • Quality Knives and a big solid Cutting Board make prepping a breeze and are well worth the investment.
  • Tongs – I love this set of 3, and I use every pair of them. They are so handy and grip amazingly well!
assembled chicken spring rolls before being fried

Serving Suggestions

The best dip for this chicken spring roll recipe is sweet and sour sauce, of course!

Other favorites include sriracha or sweet chili sauce, Chinese hot mustard, or plum sauce. Why not try a little bit of each to find your favorite combo?

You can add a chicken spring roll to just about any plate. With my recipes for orange chicken and fried rice, you don’t even need to bother with takeout!

Or, enjoy a handful as a simple meal or snack! I love to set out a platter for game day with air fryer wings and whatever meatballs sound tasty that day.

They’re always gone in a flash!

flipping chicken spring roll in oil with tongs

Storing and Reheating Chicken Spring Rolls

Once fried and cooled, place leftovers in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

It’s best to reheat spring rolls with chicken in an air fryer so the outside gets nice and crisp again.

Chicken Spring Rolls Recipe FAQ

Can I make Chinese chicken spring rolls ahead of time?

Sure! Prepare the filling in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble and cook.

You could also assemble each chicken spring roll and freeze them instead. Place a single layer of uncooked rolls on a tray lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one.

Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer to a Ziploc bag and store for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours before frying.

How do you cook chicken spring rolls without frying them?

Frying in oil is the best method to get the crispiest, crunchiest texture on your chicken spring rolls. However, it’s possible to bake or air fry them if you want to avoid excess oil!

Prepare the chicken spring rolls recipe as directed, then spray each roll with non-stick spray or brush lightly with oil. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or place them in your air fryer basket.

Bake at 400°F in the oven for 10-15 minutes or at 375°F in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes.

Either way, be sure to flip them halfway through so they crisp up on all sides. Also, don’t overcrowd the pan or basket but leave space between each roll so they aren’t touching.

fried chicken spring roll in bowl of sauce

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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stacked spring rolls with chicken filling, showing inside

stack of chicken spring rolls

Homemade Chicken Spring Roll

Donna Elick
Each Chicken Spring Roll is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with flavor! Make this recipe in under 30 minutes.
5 stars from 1 review
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Method Stovetop
Servings 15 Spring Rolls

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces cooked chicken chicken breast, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
  • 1 tablespoon red onion, minced
  • 2 ounces white cabbage, shredded
  • 2 ounces carrot, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 15 egg roll wrappers wrappers
  • oil for frying

Instructions
 

  • Filling. In a non-stick skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Cook onion, cabbage and carrot until tender, it will take about 3 minutes. Add chicken, soy sauce, mix and season to taste. Remove and set aside to cool down.
  • Spring rolls. Place one wrapper on a cutting board, place 1 tablespoon of chicken filling on the sheet. Fold the bottom part then left and right side. Roll to form spring rolls but not too tight so as not to break the paper. Seal well. Repeat until no wrapper and fillings are left.
  • Pour about 1/2” of oil in a pan and heat on medium heat until hot. Carefully lay spring rolls in the oil by keeping a bit space between them. Don’t overload the pan. Turn occasionally and cook until nicely golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
  • Prepare a plate with paper towels. Transfer rolls on the paper to absorb excess of oil. Repeat step 4 until no more spring rolls are left.
  • Serve immediately, hot with Sriracha Sauce or sweet sour sauce.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 74cal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 111mg | Sugar: 1g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
titled image (and shown): Chicken Spring Rolls

Originally published April 2021, updated and republished February 2024

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6 Comments

    1. Hi Deanna,
      I would think the spring rolls could be air fried. However, we haven’t tested the recipe that way, so you would need to do testing to determine the temperature and time required to air fry them.

      TSRI Team member,
      Becca

  1. 5 stars
    These turned out perfectly. They were savory and delicious, and everybody loved them. I will be using these as appetizers quite frequently.

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