Here we are. The first holiday (well, event) that break those resolutions. I mean, really break those resolutions. And I’m here to help you break them with these homemade Buffalo chicken egg rolls.
Watching what’s happening among my friends on social, there’s a lot of #Whole30, veganism, vegetarianism, swearing off dairy, swearing off sugar, swearing off carbs. I confess, I did it, too. But now we’re looking at the Super Bowl, the second day of February, and we’re all ready to throw our hats in the ring and say, bring on the food!
This recipe is also a transition food of sorts. Fusion to be sure, but it’s also here to take us from Super Bowl to Tet, also known as Vietnamese Lunar New Year.
Tet’s a holiday to which I never gave much thought, but I was in Vietnam this time last year, and really got to feel the hoopla. It’s the same feeling as it is here the week before Christmas, with people purchasing trees and decorations, planning menus, and looking forward to a few days off to celebrate with family and friends. I can’t believe it’s only been one year since I went; given the last 365, it seems like a lifetime ago.
I’m taking the lessons learned from the cooking class I took while there and finally sharing some recipes with you! Well, a version of, anyway, and the key component of these egg rolls, and what makes them particularly Vietnamese, is the wrapper.
Any time that I’d previously made spring rolls, I’ve used water to soften the rice paper wrappers. In Vietnam, for fried egg rolls anyway, they use egg whites, which results in a crispy, thin coating that is much less greasy that the egg rolls that we typically find at the corner Chinese bistro. It was eye opening and when I made these for you this week, I was pleasantly surprised that they came out just as I remembered, though completely Westernized with a buffalo chicken filling.
Speaking of the filling, we’ve got the basic components of any Buffalo wings plate: chicken, celery and carrots, all finished off with a blue cheese dressing dip. Because blue cheese, NOT ranch, is the way to do it right.
These take no time to throw together, less time to cook and will be sure to please your game day crowd.
Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Vietnamese-style Buffalo chicken egg rolls recipe has spicy Buffalo chicken, shredded carrots and celery wrapped in a crisp fried wrapper and served with a blue cheese dressing dip.
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce
- 1/4 cup grated carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 egg
- 6 rice paper wrappers
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for cooking
- Blue cheese dressing, to serve
Directions
- Step 1 Place the chicken thighs in a freezer bag along with the hot sauce. Set to marinate in the refrigerator about 30 minutes.
- Step 2 Preheat the broiler to high. Place the chicken thighs spaced out on a foil-lined tray and cook 4 minutes. Flip each piece over and cook another 4 minutes, adjusting the cooking time based on the size of your chicken until the chicken is cooked through but not burnt. Let rest 10 minutes and chop into a small dice. You will need approximately 2 cups cooked chicken.
- Step 3 While the chicken is cooking, slice the celery with a vegetable peeler to create long shaved “noodles.” Cut each noodle in half horizontally. Set aside.
- Step 4 Place the chicken in a bowl and toss with another 2 tablespoons of hot sauce. Add in the carrots and celery and the egg yolk, and mix thoroughly.
- Step 5 Assemble the rolls: soften the rice paper by using your hands to spread the egg white on each until pliable. Take 2-3 TB of chicken filling and place it in the top center of the rice paper wrapper on the side closest to you. Roll tightly until you’ve reached the halfway point, fold in the ends and continue rolling until tight. Place seam side down on a plate, and repeat with remaining rice paper wrappers and filling.
- Step 6 Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet or wok over medium heat until hot (you can tell the oil is ready if you stick a wooden chop stick into the oil and bubbles start to form around it). Gently lower each roll into the oil, a few at a time (careful not to overcrowd) and fry 4-5 minutes until crispy and golden brow, turning each roll occasionally to ensure both sides cook evenly.
- Step 7 Remove and drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining rolls.
- Step 8 To serve cut each egg roll in half (giving you 12 total) and serve with blue cheese dressing to dip.
Pure genius! -Kat
The egg white? Right? It was like an ah-ha moment!
I am not around For the super bowl this year, but I am certainly making these sometime this month!
Awesome! Please let me know if you do and how they come out!