Chicken Summer Rolls – Skinnytaste

These basil and mint ground chicken summer rolls are served with a hoisin dipping sauce. They are fresh and light with a wonderful combination of textures and flavors.

Ground chicken summer rolls

I love these fresh Vietnamese-inspired Chicken Rice Rolls made with ground chicken, fresh basil and mint leaves, fresh lime, and raw, crisp cabbage and carrots. Everything is wrapped in a soft rice paper wrapper and served with a simple hoisin dipping sauce. Perfect as a light meal, appetizer or as part of a larger spread for a get together or party. These refreshing summer rolls are slightly spicy, sweet and sour. If you want a shrimp version, try these Shrimp Summer Rolls or Low Carb Summer Roll Bowls with Peanut Sauce.

Are summer rolls healthy?

These summer rolls are packed with lean protein and fresh veggies. It usually has noodles in it, but I left them out to make the buns even healthier and lower in carbs. Two chicken summer rolls with hoisin sauce have less than 300 calories, 30 grams of carbohydrates and 23 grams of protein.

What is the difference between a spring roll and a summer roll?

Both spring and summer rolls (also called salad rolls) are popular in Asian cuisine, but they differ in several ways, including their ingredients, cooking methods, and textures. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences:

• Packaging: The shell of spring rolls is typically made from wheat flour and is thin and crispy when fried. In contrast, summer rolls use rice paper casings, which are translucent, soft, and chewy, and are not cooked.
• cooking method: Spring rolls are fried, resulting in a crispy texture. Summer rolls are not cooked; They are made from fresh ingredients and served cold or at room temperature.
• Ingredients: Spring rolls consist of cooked ingredients such as vegetables, meat and sometimes pasta or rice. Summer rolls are made with fresh, raw vegetables like lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and herbs, along with cooked shrimp, chicken, or tofu. Rice noodles are also commonly added to summer rolls.
• Texture and Flavor: Spring rolls are crispy and served hot. Summer rolls are refreshing and light, served cold or at room temperature.

Ingredients for summer rolls

(see full recipe below)

• Chicken: Buy 93% lean ground chicken (or use ground turkey or tofu).
• shallots: Chop a small shallot.
• Soy sauce: If you are gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
• lime juice: Squeeze three tablespoons of lime juice from one or two limes.
• Sambal Oelek is a hot Indonesian chilli sauce.
• Mint: For the chicken mixture, chop fresh mint leaves.
• Coleslaw: You can buy pre-made cabbage and carrot slaw or you can make your own slaw.
• rice paper: You will need round sheets of rice paper 20cm thick.
• Basil: Place two fresh basil leaves in each summer roll.
• summer roll sauce: hoisin sauce and water

How to make summer rolls

1. Cook the chicken: Cook the chicken mince with the sambal oelek, soy sauce and lime juice, remove from the heat and add the mint.
2. To soften rice paper sheets: Pour hot water into a large, shallow bowl. Place a sheet of rice paper in the bowl for 30 seconds until soft.
3. How to roll summer rolls: Place a soft sheet of rice paper on a plastic board (wood absorbs the liquid too much). Place 2 basil leaves on the top third of the leaf and a third cup of chicken on the bottom third and top with ¼ cup coleslaw. Fold the sides of the sheet over the filling, then roll up like a Swiss roll, starting with the filled side. Rice paper is very forgiving, so don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
4. Complete the remaining roles: Place the roll, seam side down, on a serving platter and cover to keep it from drying out. Repeat the process with the remaining leaves.
5. Make the hoisin dipping sauce: Mix water and hoisin in a small bowl.

Summer roll variations:

Feel free to customize the filling to your liking.

• Add various fresh vegetables and herbs. Other options include lettuce, cucumber slices, bean sprouts, and cilantro.
• Protein: Swap ground chicken for ground turkey or pork. Use tofu for vegetarian summer rolls.
• Spice: If you don’t like spicy summer rolls, omit the sambal. For more spiciness, add a little more or mix some into the dipping sauce. If you don’t have sambal oelek, swap it for sriracha.
• rice noodles: Place a small bundle of cooked rice noodles on top of the veggies for a chewy and filling component.
• Dipping sauce: I made this chicken summer rolls recipe with a simple hoisin sauce. Another great choice is a flavorful peanut sauce with ingredients like peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, and a hint of sweetness. For the peanut sauce recipe, see my Shrimp Summer Rolls. You can also serve them with a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce called Nuoc Cham, which is made with fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, sugar, and chili. Or use a simple, light, sesame-ginger dressing from the grocery store.

What to serve with summer rolls

These easy summer rolls are great as an appetizer, a light lunch, or paired with another dish for a more filling meal. Below are some serving ideas:

How to store summer rolls

Summer rolls are best consumed the day they are made, but will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

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