Vietnamese Chicken Spring Rolls/Summer Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn Gà)

Vietnamese Avocado Chicken Spring Rolls (sometimes called Summer Rolls) are an easy and wholesome addition to your diet. Packed with chicken, abundant veggies (with avocado taking the spotlight), and served with delightful dipping sauces, I promise these compact rolls are sure to capture your heart.

🌯 Vietnamese Chicken Spring Rolls – An Easy Yet Wholesome Dish

If you’ve been following my blog, you probably know by now that I have a soft spot for rice papers. Being Vietnamese, we’ve got this amazing talent for rolling up all sorts of goodies in these thin, delicate sheets.

On my blog, I’ve shared Vietnamese classic recipes with rice papers, like Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls) and Bò Bía (Vietnamese spring rolls with Chinese sausages), as well as detailed instructions for wrapping Vietnamese spring rolls (both fresh and fried versions).

My collection of recipes with rice papers goes beyond just rolls. You’ll be surprised by the easy rice paper noodles or the Vietnamese rice paper pizza aka Bánh Tráng Nướng.

This Gỏi Cuốn Gà (Vietnamese Chicken Sping Rolls) is kind of a fusion dish. In Vietnam, we don’t typically include avocado in Gỏi Cuốn, as avocado is often associated with sweet snacks and desserts like Sinh Tố Bơ (Vietnamese avocado smoothie).

However, as a devoted fan of California Rolls (by the way, traditional Japanese maki rolls don’t have avocado either lol), I’ve recently discovered that avocado pairs exceptionally well with savory dishes.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe?

Light and Refreshing: Vietnamese cuisine is famous for its delicate and invigorating flavors, presented in many salad dishes such as Bún Bò Xào (rice noodle salad with beef), Bún Thịt Nướng (rice noodle salad with grilled pork), or Gỏi Gà (chicken salad). These spring rolls are no exception.

Savvy Leftover Solution: I used my honey garlic chicken breast this time to make the spring rolls; however, any cooked chicken such as my Japanese Teriyaki Chicken or Gà Roti (Vietnamese Rotisserie Chicken), can be equally delightful.

After grand celebrations like Christmas or Thanksgiving, it’s also an ingenious way to utilize leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey.

Creating and Savoring Together: Crafting salad rolls turns into a joyful family activity right at the dining table. Simply assemble the spring rolls, dip them in sauce, and enjoy together.

🛒 Ingredients for Chicken Rice Paper Rolls

Making these Vietnamese chicken summer rolls calls for the following essentials:

Rice Papers

Opt for the ones made from both rice flour and tapioca . Varieties made solely from 100% rice tend to be too firm and are better suited for fried spring rolls. On the other hand, those made purely from tapioca lack the distinctive rice flavor (calling them “rice papers” might not be accurate, right?).

Rice noodles

You will need to use thin vermicelli rice noodles. These noodles are gluten-free and readily available at Asian grocery stores. Skip them if you follow a Keto or Low carb diet.

Chicken

Any Asian or Vietnamese chicken recipes on my blog would be perfect for this dish. My personal favorites are Gà Nướng Xả (Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken) and Gà Nướng (Vietnamese Roast Chicken).

But don’t worry if you don’t have that on hand! Leftover rotisserie chicken, roast chicken, or even simple microwaved chicken thighs work just as wonderfully.

Vegetables & Herbs

Rice paper rolls can be filled with almost any kinds of veggies. Just use the ones available in your fridge (don’t forget avocado, it’s the star here). In addition to julienned carrots and cucumbers, mung bean sprouts, lettuce, and red peppers also work just fine.

Don’t forget to incorporate some Vietnamese herbs for a well-rounded flavor. Just a touch of mint, garlic chives or Thai basil could make a big difference.

Dips that Perfect the Bite

Let me stress how crucial dipping sauces are for outstanding spring rolls. While using leftover chicken is fine, having a fantastic dipping sauce is an absolute must!

Hoisin-Peanut Dipping Sauce and Vietnamese dipping fish sauce (Nước chấm) will beautifully pair with these rolls. Moreover, Japanese sesame sauce (Goma Dare) and Thai Nam Jim Jaew are some creative options.

📝 Instructions

Prepare the fillings

• Cook the vermicelli rice noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse with water to remove any starch, and drain them well.

• Peel the avocado, remove the seed, quarter and slice it lengthwise.
• Slice the red pepper into strips.
• Cut the carrots into matchsticks.
• Wash, drain, and shred the lettuce.
• Ensure that other veggies and herbs are thoroughly washed and drained.

Prepare your favorite dipping sauces

• Nước Chấm
• Hoisin-Peanut Sauce
• Nam Jim Jaew

Assemble

• Soften the rice papers: Fill a large shallow bowl with room-temperature water (no warm water here, folks). Take one rice paper at a time and quickly dip it into the water for 3-5 seconds. Shake off any excess water. Place the rice paper onto a dry flat surface with the glossy side facing down.
• Make a layer of lettuce on the bottom third of the rice paper. Arrange rice noodles, herbs, chicken, and veggies on top. Place some slices of avocado onto the opposite end of the rice paper to make them more visible and appetizing.

• Fold the sides inward toward the center. Then, fold the bottom edge of the rice paper over the filling. Roll the rice paper tightly to seal the filling inside.

• Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make more spring rolls.
• Enjoy the chicken spring rolls with your favorite dipping sauce.

🌟 Helpful Tips

• Drain all the fillings well, particularly the vegetables. The water released from the fillings could cause your rolls to become soggy after a while.
• Avoid overloading the filling in your rolls, especially if you are new to rice papers.

🍜 More Wholesome & Refreshing Vietnamese Dishes

Canh Bún (Vietnamese rice noodle soup with crab & water spinach)

A close sister of Bún Riêu (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), Canh Bún is a popular street food in Vietnam, and it’s also my go-to comfort dish during my time in Saigon.

Phở Trộn (Pho Noodle Salad with Chicken)

As a dry rendition of Chicken Phở, this Phở Trộn is light, refreshing, and brings a whole new vibe. If you’re a fan of Bún Gà Nướng (rice noodle salad with grilled chicken), I’m confident you’ll love this recipe.

Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)

A hearty Southern beef stew bursting with flavor and infused with the refreshing fragrance of lemongrass. I adore it just as much as Phở Bò (Beef Phở) or Bún Bò Huế (Hue-style spicy beef noodle soup).