Chicken and Shiitake Spring Rolls

Ingredients

• 8 sheets Rice paper (round, standard size)
• 2 pieces Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, coarsely chopped)
• 10 g Dried shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated in warm water 10 min then drained and chopped)
• 1 handful Fresh cilantro (stems and leaves, coarsely chopped)
• 1 piece Spring onion (white part only, thinly sliced)
• 1 clove Garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon Sesame oil (aromatic, heat before adding chicken)
• 1 tablespoon Ginger soy sauce (ginger type, for the sauce)
• 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce if allergic to shellfish)
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing) or Chinese yellow wine (optional, adds depth)
• 1 tablespoon Brown sugar (brown sugar)
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (to thicken the sauce)
• 5 tablespoons Water (for the sauce)
• 4 large leaves Iceberg lettuce leaves (flexible, serve as a base for the chicken)
• 1 piece Lime (juice only)
• 1 tablespoon Fish sauce (nuoc mam) (for the dipping sauce)
• 1 tablespoon Soy sauce (for the dipping sauce)
• 1 teaspoon Spicy sauce (Sriracha or similar) (optional, to taste)

Instructions

1. Rehydrate the shiitake

   Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl of warm water and soak for 10 minutes. Then drain and coarsely chop.

   Time: PT10M

2. Chop the chicken

   Cut the two chicken breasts into small dice or quickly run through a meat grinder to obtain a granular texture.

   Time: PT5M

3. Prepare the aromatics

   Chop the cilantro (stems and leaves), thinly slice the white part of the spring onion and chop the garlic.

   Time: PT5M

4. Heat the sesame oil

   Pour 1 heaping tablespoon of sesame oil into the wok and heat over medium‑high heat until very hot.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium‑high heat

5. Cook the chicken

   Add the chopped chicken to the wok. Stir‑fry until nicely browned and breaks apart into small pieces.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: medium‑high heat

6. Add the shiitake and aromatics

   Stir in the rehydrated shiitake, cilantro, spring onion and garlic with the chicken. Sauté for 3 minutes until the vegetables soften.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

7. Prepare the sauce

   In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 5 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Chinese wine and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until fully dissolved.

   Time: PT2M

8. Thicken the sauce

   Pour the sauce mixture into the wok, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes while stirring until the sauce coats the chicken and becomes glossy.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium heat

9. Let cool

   Remove the wok from the heat and let the chicken mixture cool slightly for 5 minutes before filling.

   Time: PT5M

10. Prepare the iceberg lettuce

    Separate 4 large iceberg lettuce leaves, cut them in half and place in a bowl.

    Time: PT2M

11. Soak the rice papers

    Dip each rice paper in warm water for 5 seconds, then lay on a clean, damp kitchen towel to soften.

    Time: PT1M

12. Assemble the rolls

    On each rice paper, place a half lettuce leaf as a base, add a generous spoonful of chicken filling, fold the sides then roll tightly like an egg roll.

    Time: PT10M

13. Prepare the dipping sauce

    In a small bowl, mix the juice of one lime, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon spicy sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

200

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

8 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Rice paper: lettuce leaves, rice cakes
• Instead of Chicken breasts: peeled shrimp, ground beef
• Instead of Dried shiitake mushrooms: fresh shiitake, other dried mushrooms
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: flat parsley
• Instead of Spring onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder (¼ tsp)
• Instead of Sesame oil: peanut oil, sunflower oil
• Instead of Ginger soy sauce: tamari
• Instead of Oyster sauce: soy sauce + sugar
• Instead of Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing) or Chinese yellow wine: dry white wine
• Instead of Brown sugar: brown sugar, honey
• Instead of Cornstarch: potato starch
• Instead of Water: light broth
• Instead of Iceberg lettuce leaves: romaine lettuce
• Instead of Lime: yellow lemon
• Instead of Fish sauce (nuoc mam): soy sauce + salt
• Instead of Soy sauce (for the dipping sauce): tamari
• Instead of Spicy sauce (Sriracha or similar): fresh chopped chili

Equipment Needed

• Wok or large pan
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Food processor or manual chopper (optional)
• Mixing bowl
• Tablespoon
• Teaspoon
• Clean kitchen towel
• Large bowl of water for soaking rice papers
• Small saucepan for the sauce
• Kitchen tongs (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Properly rehydrate the shiitake
• Cook the chicken until it has a granular texture
• Thicken the sauce without forming lumps
• Soak the rice papers just the right amount of time
• Roll the rolls firmly so they hold together

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use slightly chilled chicken for a more granular texture when cooking.
• Add a few fresh mint leaves to the filling for an extra burst of freshness.
• Serve the rolls with crunchy vegetable sticks (carrots, cucumber) for more texture.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the rolls in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper, for up to 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended: rice papers lose flexibility after thawing.

Room temperature: Consume within 2 hours if left at room temperature.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook the chicken and prepare the sauce the day before, then gently reheat before assembling.
• Rehydrate the shiitake several hours in advance and keep them in their soaking water in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the dipping sauce and keep it chilled in a small jar.