Cameron and I usually switch off with who makes dinner, and when it was my turn last week I made us these Rotisserie Chicken Summer Rolls. He told me 1. That he loved them and 2. These summer rolls tasted like a chicken salad in a roll – which I totally agree with! The weather has been scorching so I didn’t want to fuss with turning on the stove or oven. The rolls are filled with cucumber, carrots, rotisserie chicken, butter leaf lettuce, green onions, basil and dipped in a refreshing tomato basil dressing. #YUMMY They are a great gluten-free option and to make more satisfying, you can always add in rice. If you have never worked with rice paper before, it can be a little frustrating. But, I am going to share with you my tips and tricks to making the best chicken summer rolls every time – without ripping or wasting your rice paper!
What are summer rolls?
Many of us have heard of Fresh Spring Rolls…but what are summer rolls? Think of a summer roll as a salad roll or a fresh variation of the Spring roll. This summer roll is filled with freshly julienned vegetables, chicken and herbs which is all easily recognized through the refreshing Vietnamese rice paper exterior. These chicken summer rolls are visually appealing due to their vibrant colors they scream fresh and they are accompanied with a tomato basil dressing that brings the entire dish together.
What is rice paper?
Rice paper is very thin wrappers traditionally made from rice, water and salt that can be filled with almost anything (cold proteins, veggies, herbs and sometimes noodles). Since they are so thin, the wrappers are almost translucent so you can see whatever is inside. They also have a nice chewiness to them.
What you’ll need to make Rotisserie Chicken Summer Rolls:
You don’t have to limit yourself to the fillings, because the possibilities are endless with summer rolls. This is one of my favorite and simple combinations.
Rotisserie Chicken: I use this for ease, but you can use any chicken you have on hand and shred it. Rice Paper: When buying your rice paper, look for wrappers made with rice or with a combination of rice and tapioca. CucumberCarrotsGreen OnionsFresh BasilButter leaf lettuceTomato basil dressing: tomatoes, lemon juice, basil, mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper
Add variety to your summer rolls by adding in avocado, rice, microgreens, rice vermicelli, mint, Thai basil, ginger, shrimp, pork, etc.
How to make Summer Rolls:
What you need to know before making Summer Rolls:
Preparation is KEY: Mise en Place! Make a work station for all of the ingredients you’ll be placing in the summer rolls. Line them all up using individual bowls or on a baking sheet because you will have to work quickly. Rice paper is fragile and needs to be handled carefully. The rice paper is sold in dried, circular sheets and before using them you will need to rehydrate them (by placing in water) to make them pliable. Softening the rice paper is a skill, but one that can easily be learned. You will need a bowl of lukewarm warm (or even cool temp water is fine), a cutting board and a damp towel over the cutting board. Place the rice paper in the lukewarm water bowl for about 10-15 seconds just until it starts to soften.Then carefully place the rice paper evenly on the damp towel on the cutting board. The moisture from the towel will make the rice paper more tender and prevent it from sticking. When taking the rice paper out of the water you will need to be careful so it doesn’t collapse on itself, and immediately lay it flat on the damp towel. (Don’t be discouraged if you have to throw away a few sheets of rice paper, you’ll get the hang of it!).
