Crunchy Chicken Spring Rolls with Blood Orange Dipping Sauce.
I’m all about the perfect Monday meal right now. Especially one that leaves room for a chocolate square or two.
You know? Light but filling. Something other than a salad. Includes veggies so I feel better about life. Check check check.
Spring rolls rank up there as one of my go-to appetizers and I think it’s because they remind me of tacos. Yes, in one of the more asinine comparisons I have ever made, they are somewhat similar in my brain if only because that means I can stick a bunch of different ingredients inside and wrap them up. And dip them in something.
Also, sidebar, can I get a round of applause for providing a recipe today without cheese. WHAT IS GOING ON.
That’s another reason I’m a spring roll fan. No cheese and I still crave them. It’s like they have magic powers.
I always love spring rolls the most because the rice paper is just so… texture-ally appealing. If that makes sense. I know. It doesn’t. But!
All texture freaks unite. You get me. It’s almost chewy but wrapped around fresh and crunchy ingredients. In this case…
Lots of crunchy chicken.
Mango sticks!
Cucumber sticks. (Eddie hates me for it.)
Some green leaf or butter lettuce.
Cilantro sprinkles.
Lots of lime spritzes.
A whole lot of warm weather wishes.
You can totally add in some avocado but I am having major first world problems over here and am unable to find a decent avocado to save my life. As in, I’ve bought about ten and have waited until they seem perfectly ripe, only to slice open and discover that beautiful rotten I’ve-been-ripened-on-a-truck appearance. Next batch, definitely adding the avo.
If you’re looking for something simple but fun to make in the kitchen for Valentine’s Day – like if you want to make something WITH your significant other (is this possible without killing each other? I do not know how, says this control freak) – this is such a perfect meal.
It takes just the right amount of work (you can even skip the crispy chicken and just use grilled): you can prep the ingredients, assemble the rolls together and then eat them. No having to assemble then cook and wait and be impatient. You know?
I’m totally speaking from experience here. Not that I’m impatient EVER.
Plus! It’s ridiculously festive with the blood orange dipping sauce. Beautifully hot pink and vibrant and oh so delicious. Sort of just want to take a spoon to that and call it a night.
In a perfect world I would love for Eddie and I to be able to cook in the kitchen together, like actually both be cooking and/or prepping but it is just not in the cards for us. It’s one of the places that we don’t jive whatsoever, unless there is a square cardboard box filled with pepperoni and cheese. Maybe when we are old and gray?! Maybe when I gain some patience or he stops turning the oven burner to high in order to cook, well, everything? We shall see.
For now, I’m just rolling these crunchy little bites on my own and serving them up. Impressive and EASY. I dig it.
Crunchy Chicken Spring Rolls with Blood Orange Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 head of green leaf lettuce, 8 leaves torn, washed and dried
- 1 mango, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 rice paper wrappers
blood orange dipping sauce
- 3/4 cup blood orange juice
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick spray.
- Place the eggs in a bowl and lightly beat. In another bowl, please the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Place the chicken on a greased wire rack and repeat. Once the chicken is finished, you can spritz each tender with canola oil spray. Bake for 15 minutes, then gently flip the chicken and bake for 15 minutes more. While the chicken is baking I like to assemble my roll ingredients and make the blood orange sauce.
- Once the chicken is finished, you can either leave the tenders whole or cut them into pieces. I did it both ways!
- To assemble the rolls, fill a round cake pan or skillet with warm water. Dip each piece of rice paper in coat it completely, then remove it (don’t let it sit in the water!). Place the rice paper on a cutting board and top it with the lettuce. Add a piece of chicken, along with the mango sticks, cucumber sticks and cilantro. Start rolling from one end and fold in the sides as you go. The paper will stick together and your roll will hold!
- Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
blood orange dipping sauce
- Whisk all ingredients together in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring it to a simmer and cooker for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let sit until it comes to room temperature. It will thicken a bit more as it cools!
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56 Comments on “Crunchy Chicken Spring Rolls with Blood Orange Dipping Sauce.”
If you can make a recipe without cheese so I can! These look awesome!
Haha. They say the three things woman can’t live without are 1) chocolate 2) peanut butter and 3) cheese. Or at least this is what I was told when I got married. But I’m rethinking that. Spring rolls actually look kind of fun. Nutrish and delish.
this is so very true in my situation.
This is my kind of food! Love all the flavors. I am going to try a gluten free version. Usually spring rolls are naturally gluten free but I like the idea of the crispy chicken. I will start with regular chicken breasts or thighs. The dipping sauce can be made with Tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
love that!!
Blood orange looks to me like a hybrid between regular orange and a pomegranate! I wonder what it tastes like ;)
Mango sticks! Always delicious! This looks great!
Your Own Queen
OMG! Wow. I’m totally making these for Superbowl! It hits the sweet spot between asian side dish, fun, easy grab n’ go snack and also hits the “fancy” factor.
Is it delicious to cook meat with fruits? Maybe I have to try sometime
I think I could eat that sauce on everything! yum!
We literally just posted a crunchy chicken wrap on our blog, but never would I have come up with the idea to wrap ’em up in a springroll! That’s just too cute.. And the sauce sounds delicious!
These look incredible! Beautiful and healthy and easy!
I coincidentally pretty much made the same thing last week but because I’m lazy and OCD and lost my mind with rice wrappers, it was a stir-fry. Love citrus with sweet chili (great pork marinade with crushed pineapple). Everything about these flavours together is perfection!
now craving crushed pineapple + pork.
Yeah, I always complain that Connor needs to cook and do more in the kitchen. Than he’ll go into the kitchen to help and will be chopping something, and I’ll quickly go, “NOOOOO. Ok, I’m taking over again.” So, yeah, we’re on the same page there.
I have to basically go into another room if I actually want him to cook something for us. Ha!
i have to leave the house.
These are the most fun and unique spring rolls! Love it!
I love the colors! Spring rolls are my “go-to” when I get tired of salads.
Say whattttt? Blood orange dipping sauce? Great idea, Jessica!
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Your description of cooking with your spouse is spot on for me and my husband. Why does he think everything is cooked on high? Does he think it will magically cook faster? Doesn’t he know it will just burn before cooking!?!?!? He also wanders off in the middle of tasks and HELLO, why is there smoke coming out of the kitchen!? I feel you, girl. *virtual fist bump*
haha so much YES.
Definitely the kind of recipe I crave for! x
http://jessicawoods.fr
Blood orange dipping sauce?! Amazing! That colour alone has me convinced.
i may be partial to blood oranges for the color alone…
I tend to love veggies even more when they aren’t in a salad. These look perfectly bite sized!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
I need these fresh and crunchy spring rolls in my life! Loving that blood orange dipping sauce!
I had my grocery list set for the week, and now I’m going to have to change it so I can make these!
doooo it, so worth it.
I’ve been meaning to make fresh spring rolls for ages – love the Valentines day idea, definitely going to do that! The sauce sounds amazing too – I used to like a peanut sauce with my spring rolls but my toddler is allergic – so I’m always looking for nut-free options :) (P.S. texture-ally is actually a real word! Well, “texturally”. Haha).
ah!! good to know, haha. thanks jenna!
Made these tonight for me and Sgt Man. Absolutely delicious and the perfect flavor combination. The dipping sauce is the best- saved the leftovers to be morphed into some sort of salad dressing for tomorrow night.
That being said, there is a definite spring roll wrapping learning curve. Oops >.<
Thanks for another slam dunk Jess!
so glad you liked them anna! and yes, oh my gosh the first time i think i made spring rolls, pretty sure i went through 2 packs of rice paper.
Oh goodness! This is gorgeous – love the dipping sauce soooo much!
I just stumbled across your blog and I’m completely mesmerized by your recipes. Such lovely colours and flavour combinations. Nice job. I’m gonna keep checking it to see what else you have in store!
thanks so much anja!
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Don’t freak out, but I’ve never had a spring roll in my life! But I’m crazy drooling over that dipping sauce! I think I need these right now.
you need to change that ASAP girl!
Oh my Gosh! I have had blood orange on the mind too! I love colorful food, an edible palette. Yes! This week I had a variety of colors to choose from, so I am struggling. A blood orange sauce for Ahi, scallops, or purple yams? I can imagine your dipping sauce drizzled over Ahi tonight, I have everything. Yum!
um, i want to come to dinner at your house everyday this week!
Your too kind. But welcome if your ever in LA.
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Oh my gosh spring rolls are my life. I can’t get enough of them when I get them. Totally feel you on the avocado issue.
I got one last week that was so sad and pathetic inside. I wanted to cry. I hate to admit this but I’ve actually been buying those little pouches of guac for times like this because meals with avocado in them are a necessity in our house!
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Bring on the rolls – and DAT SAUCE!!! I mean, I might have just fainted.
Omg. I love all things blood orange. Who doesn’t right? So when I saw blood orange dipping sauce, I wanted to drop everything and make these now!
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