These chicken spring rolls are crisp, golden and packed with a savory filling of ground chicken, cabbage, carrot, garlic and ginger. The recipe makes eight rolls, four for each of you, so a small saucepan of oil does the frying instead of a big pot. The filling is cooked and cooled before rolling, which means the rolls only need a few minutes in the oil to turn crisp, and the chicken is already cooked through. I wanted a takeout-style favorite that feels doable on a weeknight for two, with a small shopping list and an air fryer option.
Why you’ll like it
- Exactly eight rolls: 8 ounces of ground chicken fills four rolls each, with no tray of extras to freeze unless you want to.
- Quick to fry: the filling is fully cooked first, so each batch needs only 4 to 5 minutes in the oil.
- Crunchy vegetables: the cabbage and carrot are stir-fried just long enough to soften slightly and keep some bite.
- Small pot, less oil: a medium saucepan and about 3 cups of oil is enough for two batches.
- Air fryer friendly: the same rolls crisp in the air fryer with a light brush of oil.
- Budget-friendly filling: cabbage and carrot stretch a small amount of chicken into a satisfying dinner.
What makes it work
A cooked filling. Cooking the chicken to 165°F before rolling takes the guesswork out of frying. The wrapper only has to turn golden and crisp, which happens quickly, instead of staying in the oil long enough to cook raw meat inside.
A cool, dry filling. Warm, steamy filling softens the thin wrappers and makes them tear. Draining the filling in a strainer and letting it cool for 15 minutes keeps the wrappers dry, so they roll tightly and fry up blistered and crunchy.
Short stir-fry for the vegetables. Two to three minutes is enough for the cabbage to wilt and lose its raw edge while keeping texture. Longer cooking releases water, and water is what makes spring rolls soggy.
Steady oil at 350°F. A thermometer in the pot makes the difference between greasy rolls and crisp ones. Frying three or four rolls at a time keeps the temperature from dropping too far in a small saucepan.
How it is sized for two
Most chicken spring roll recipes make 18 to 30 rolls, which is great for a party and a lot for two people on a weeknight. This version uses 8 ounces of ground chicken, 2 cups of shredded cabbage and one carrot, which fills eight slim rolls. That is a hearty dinner with rice or a salad, or a generous appetizer to share.
The smaller batch also changes the equipment. The filling fits in a 10-inch skillet with enough room for the vegetables to stir-fry rather than steam, and the frying happens in a medium saucepan rather than a Dutch oven. Spring roll wrappers usually come in packages of 25 or more, so wrap the unused ones tightly and put them back in the freezer for the next round.
Ingredients for chicken spring rolls
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. A few notes help with shopping and swaps.
- Spring roll wrappers: look for thin, square wheat-flour wrappers in the freezer section, often labeled spring roll pastry or lumpia wrappers. Thaw them in the package so they do not dry out. Rice paper is a different product and will not fry the same way, and egg roll wrappers work but are thicker and chewier.
- Ground chicken: it cooks quickly and breaks into small crumbles that roll neatly. Finely chopped chicken breast or thigh works too.
- Cabbage and carrot: green cabbage gives the classic crunch. A bag of coleslaw mix is a handy shortcut.
- Garlic, ginger and green onions: the aromatics that give the filling its takeout flavor. Fresh ginger is worth it here; 1 teaspoon grated is enough.
- Soy sauce and oyster sauce: soy brings salt and oyster sauce adds a savory, slightly sweet depth. Toasted sesame oil finishes it with a nutty aroma.
- Cornstarch: mixed with water, it makes a simple paste to seal the rolls.
- Neutral oil: vegetable, canola or peanut oil all handle frying at 350°F.
How to make chicken spring rolls
- Cook the ground chicken in a skillet until it reaches 165°F.
- Stir-fry the aromatics, cabbage and carrot briefly.
- Season with the sauces, then drain and cool the filling.
- Roll the filling in the wrappers and seal them.
- Fry the rolls at 350°F until deep golden.
- Rest them on a rack and serve with dipping sauce.
Step-by-step notes
Cooking the chicken. Break the meat into small crumbles as it cooks, so the filling spreads evenly across each wrapper. After 5 to 6 minutes, no pink should remain; an instant-read thermometer should read 165°F.
Cooling the filling. Set a strainer over a bowl, tip in the filling and press it gently with a spoon. Any liquid that drips out would otherwise end up inside the wrapper. Give it the full 15 minutes; it should feel barely warm before rolling.
Rolling. Place a wrapper like a diamond, with one corner toward you. Spread the filling in a short log across the lower third, fold the bottom corner up and over, then fold in both sides like an envelope and roll away from you, keeping it snug. A dab of cornstarch paste on the last corner seals it. Cover finished rolls with a towel so the wrappers do not dry out.
Frying. Heat the oil to 350°F and slide in three or four rolls. Turn them now and then for even color; after 4 to 5 minutes they should be deep golden and blistered. Let the oil come back to temperature before the next batch.
Tips for the best results
- Keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel while you work so the edges stay pliable.
- Roll the rolls snugly; air pockets can puff up and let oil inside.
- Use a thermometer and adjust the burner between batches to stay close to 350°F.
- Drain the finished rolls on a wire rack rather than a plate so the bottoms stay crisp.
- Serve them within a few minutes of frying, when the wrappers are at their crunchiest.
Variations
- Air fryer: brush or spray the rolls lightly with oil, arrange them in a single layer and air fry at 390°F for 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Chicken strips: thinly sliced chicken breast works in place of ground chicken; cook it the same way until it reaches 165°F, then chop it small.
- Coleslaw mix: use 2 cups of bagged coleslaw mix in place of the cabbage and carrot to save on chopping.
- Egg roll wrappers: they work in a pinch; the rolls will be larger, thicker and chewier.
What to serve with them
Spring rolls for two can be dinner or a shared starter, and a plate of them in the middle of the table makes a simple night in feel like takeout without leaving home.
- Sweet chili sauce for dipping, or a little soy sauce with a few drops of sesame oil.
- Steamed rice or fried rice to make them a full meal.
- A quick cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar for something cool and crunchy.
- Stir-fried green vegetables on the side.
Make-ahead, storage and reheating
Make ahead: the filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge. Roll the spring rolls just before frying so the wrappers stay crisp.
Leftovers: refrigerate cooked rolls within 2 hours in a covered container and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat them on a rack in a 375°F oven or in the air fryer until crisp and hot through to 165°F; a microwave makes them soft.
Oil: let the frying oil cool completely in the pan before you strain it for reuse or discard it.
Crisp on the outside, savory inside and made just for two. Set out the sauce, pass the plate and enjoy them hot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make chicken spring rolls in the air fryer?
Yes. Brush or spray the rolls lightly with oil and air fry them at 390°F for 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway. They come out crisp, with a slightly drier crunch than fried rolls.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes. Cook and cool the filling, then keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Roll and fry the spring rolls just before serving.
What is the difference between spring roll and egg roll wrappers?
Spring roll wrappers are thin and fry up light and blistered. Egg roll wrappers are thicker and chewier; they work, but the rolls will be heavier.
Why cook the filling before rolling?
A cooked filling means the chicken is done before it goes into the oil, so the rolls only need a few minutes to crisp. It also lets you drain away moisture that would soften the wrappers.
Print
Chicken Spring Rolls for Two
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 spring rolls
Description
Crispy chicken spring rolls for two: a quick chicken, cabbage and carrot filling with garlic, ginger and oyster sauce, rolled into 8 rolls and fried in a small pot.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil, plus about 3 cups for frying
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 medium carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 square spring roll wrappers (about 8 inches), thawed
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- Sweet chili sauce, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, for 5 to 6 minutes, until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F.
- Add the garlic, ginger and green onions and stir for a few seconds, then add the cabbage and carrot. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the cabbage wilts but still has some crunch.
- Stir in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Tip the filling into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let it cool for 15 minutes, pressing lightly to drain any liquid.
- Lay a wrapper on the counter with one corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 1/8 of the filling across the lower third, fold the bottom corner over it, fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Brush the top corner with the cornstarch mixture and press to seal. Repeat to make 8 rolls, keeping finished rolls covered with a towel.
- Pour about 3 cups oil into a medium heavy saucepan (at least 1 1/2 inches deep) and heat to 350°F. Fry the rolls 3 or 4 at a time, turning, for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
- Lift them onto a wire rack or paper towels and let them rest for 2 minutes before serving with sweet chili sauce.
Notes
Equipment: 10-inch skillet, medium heavy saucepan, instant-read or deep-fry thermometer, slotted spoon or spider, wire rack or paper towels, fine-mesh strainer
- Air fryer: brush or spray the rolls lightly with oil and air fry at 390°F for 10 to 15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
- Use square wheat-flour spring roll wrappers (often labeled spring roll pastry or lumpia wrappers), not rice paper. Egg roll wrappers also work but are thicker and less crisp.
- Keep a thermometer in the oil and adjust the heat between batches so it stays near 350°F.
- The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; roll just before frying.
- Wrap unused spring roll wrappers tightly and return them to the freezer.
- Doneness: The chicken filling is done when no pink remains and it reads 165°F.
- Doneness: The rolls are done when the wrappers are deep golden, blistered and crisp all over.
- Refrigerate leftover rolls within 2 hours in a covered container and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a rack in a 375°F oven or air fryer until crisp and hot through (165°F).
- Cook the chicken filling to 165°F before rolling.
- Do not leave the filling or cooked rolls at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Let the frying oil cool completely in the pan before straining or discarding it.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
