Filled with juicy, well-seasoned chicken and crisp vegetables, these Chicken Spring Rolls deliver everything you want in a spring roll: extra-crispy yet light, non-greasy, and fresh. The flavor skews Indo-Chinese—umami-forward with a touch of heat—so these are more savory and punchy than the average spring roll. The instructions and photos make the process straightforward, so even first-time rollers will feel confident following along.
Chicken Spring Rolls
These fried spring rolls—often called “desi” spring rolls—are a favorite tea-time snack and appetizer. They resemble egg rolls in style, but true egg-roll wrappers (which contain egg) become chewier and form bubbles when fried. For the crispiest result, choose thin spring-roll pastry wrappers.
I originally intended to publish this recipe earlier, but I wanted the filling and texture to reach a specific balance: moist, flavorful shredded chicken; crunchy fresh vegetables; bold Indo-Chinese seasoning; and an unmistakable crackle when bitten. After testing, this version hits those marks and remains easy to prepare.
The assembly requires some steps—similar in scope to making samosas or stuffed breads—but nothing complicated. The filling is juicy and savory, with enough umami to stand up to the crisp wrapper. For extra crispness, you can double up pastry sheets. Allow the rolls to cool briefly after frying so you don’t burn your mouth.
Ingredient Notes
For Boiling the Chicken
- Boil the chicken with salt, garlic, ginger, and a crumbled chicken bouillon cube for built-in flavor. If you prefer, use broth instead of plain water and skip the bouillon cube.
For the Spring Rolls
- Pastry wrappers: Use thin spring-roll pastry sheets (about 8″ x 8″). Avoid wrappers labeled as egg-roll pastry that contain egg; those become chewy and bubbly rather than super-crisp.
- Vegetables: Fresh thinly sliced cabbage gives the best crunch. Shred carrots with a food processor for convenience. Pre-shredded mixes work but may wilt faster, so watch cook time.
- Chili garlic sauce: South-Asian-style chili garlic sauce is sweeter and more rounded; substitute half Asian-style chili garlic sauce plus a little ketchup if needed.
- Bouillon or MSG: Crumbled chicken bouillon or a small amount of MSG adds authentic Indo-Chinese umami. If you omit these, increase soy sauce or salt to compensate.
For the Sealing/Binder
- Flour + water: A simple flour-and-water paste seals the rolls securely.
- Egg: Optional for the binder but adds flavor and a lighter bite. Skipping the egg reduces the amount of leftover binder.
How to Make Chicken Spring Rolls
Prepare the chicken
- Boil and shred the chicken: You can use a pressure cooker/Instant Pot or the stovetop. The important part is to retain a small amount of cooking liquid to keep the chicken moist. For stovetop, add water as needed so the chicken stays moist and doesn’t stick. For Instant Pot, reserve about 1/4 cup of the resulting broth.
Make the filling
- Sauté the vegetables: Heat oil in a large skillet or wok on high. Sauté cabbage, carrots, and scallions just until they soften slightly—cabbage should remain crunchy.
- Add chicken and season: Add the shredded chicken, chili flakes, black and white pepper, salt, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and chicken powder or MSG if using. Cook briefly until combined and mostly dry—there should be no excess moisture. Taste and make the filling boldly seasoned, since flavors will mellow inside the wrapper. Let the filling cool before rolling to avoid trapping steam.
Prepare the binder
- Whisk together egg (if using), flour, and water in a small bowl to form a paste. Keep it at your work station—you’ll have extra, which freezes well for future use.
Assemble
- Shape and roll: Lay a pastry square on the diagonal and place about 3 tablespoons (25–30 g) of filling about 2 inches above the bottom corner. Fold the corner over and roll tightly to halfway, fold the sides toward the center, brush the exposed edge with the binder, and finish rolling to seal. Tighter, even rolls brown more uniformly.
- Prepare oil: While you roll, heat oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot so it reaches roughly 370°F (185°C). Use enough oil to come 1½–2 inches up the sides so rolls don’t sit on the bottom.
Fry the spring rolls
- Fry in batches: Fry in a wide pot so you can move the rolls easily. Keep them moving while frying to ensure even browning. Fry at medium-high heat (about 360–380°F / 180–190°C) for 5–6 minutes, turning often, until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with a chutney or dipping sauce of your choice.
How to Serve, Store, and Reheat
Serve spring rolls fresh for the crispiest texture. They can also be assembled ahead and frozen, fried from frozen, or reheated after frying for convenience.
- To freeze: Assemble rolls, freeze them on a tray until firm so they don’t stick, then transfer to airtight freezer bags. Thaw before frying or fry from frozen with adjusted timing.
- To fry from frozen: Start with oil at low-medium heat (about 115–125°C / 240–260°F). Add frozen rolls, then increase the heat to medium-high to finish frying so they brown without burning.
- To reheat pre-fried rolls: Thaw to nearly room temperature, then air-fry or bake at 350°F until heated through and crisp. This works for refrigerated leftovers as well.
Make it vegetarian
You can easily make a vegetarian version by doubling the cabbage, carrots, and green onions, and adding a teaspoon each of grated ginger, garlic, and vegetable bouillon, plus extra salt to taste. A vegetarian chicken substitute or pre-seasoned baked tofu also works—cook and shred or crumble according to package instructions, then mix into the filling as you would the chicken.
Tried this recipe? If you make these spring rolls, leave a comment with your feedback or upload a photo so others can see your results. The recipe yields about 20 spring rolls and includes prep and cook times to help plan your session.
