Chinese Ham and Chicken Rolls (Cheats Version!)
Crispy, golden spring rolls filled with thinly sliced chicken, smoky ham and spring onions. Double-fried for that restaurant-style crunch, these family-favourite spring rolls are perfect for parties, snacks or easy dinners. Serve with homemade Sweet & Sour Sauce for the full Chinese-restaurant experience.
Equipment
- Large saucepan, wok or electric deep fryer
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast fillets, very thinly sliced
- 2-3 spring/green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing Wine)
- 1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 200g shaved double or triple smoked ham (best purchased from the deli counter)
- 1 tablespoon plain flour (for the glue)
- 250g packet (20 sheets) frozen spring roll pastry, thawed (See Notes)
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
Instructions
- Combine the chicken, spring onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Chinese wine, stock powder and white pepper in a bowl. Toss well, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (or up to 24 hours).
- Tear the ham into roughly 20 pieces and keep chilled. In a small bowl, mix the flour with enough water to make a thick paste. Set aside.
- Working one wrapper at a time, gently separate it and place it in a diamond shape (shiny side out). Add a few slices of chicken and a piece of ham to the bottom corner. Fold the corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll tightly. Brush a little flour paste on the final corner to seal. Repeat until you have 20 rolls and keep chilled.
- Heat oil in a wok or deep saucepan to 160°C, filling it about one-third up the sides. (To test the heat, drop in a cube of bread — it should crisp in about 20 seconds.)
- Fry 4–5 rolls at a time for 4–5 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp. Drain briefly on paper towel, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- Increase the oil temperature to 180°C. Fry the rolls again, in batches, for 1–2 minutes until deep golden and fully cooked. Test one to make sure the chicken is cooked through.
- Enjoy immediately with my Chinese Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce or your preferred dipping sauces.
Notes
- COOKS NOTES:
Oven Temps: Oven temperatures are for conventional, if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C.
Measurements: We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon = 5 ml, 1 tablespoon = 20 ml & 1 cup = 250 ml.
Herbs: All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed.
Vegetables: All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified.
Eggs: We use extra-large size and eggs are 55-60 g each, unless specified. - SPRING ROLL WRAPPERS
For the best results, use frozen spring roll wrappers from Coles — they separate cleanly and don’t tear easily. Asian grocer brands work well too. Woolworths wrappers can be used, but they’re harder to separate, so expect a few casualties. For easier handling, thaw the wrappers in the fridge for about an hour to reduce condensation and tearing.