I've often said that I could very easily make a complete meal out of an order of Thai-style spring rolls; I love 'em!
So cool, crisp and refreshing with their shredded greens, herbaceous basil and mint, and matchstick cucumbers and carrots—chicken spring rolls with their sweet and mildly spicy peanut dipping sauce are the perfect light and healthy meal.
And making them at home is quite fun and easy, the only slight hassle being grappling with the sticky rice paper; so I've got a tasty little solution; one that'll keep all of those zesty and savory-sweet flavors nicely wrapped inside, only in slightly different outer packaging.
Fresh produce begins to become colorfully eye-catching and abundant in the spring; it becomes irresistible. And what's exciting is to find ways to begin to use it more to create lighter, fresher and simpler meals that capture the essence of the season.
Being as big a lover of Thai-style spring rolls as I am, I thought they'd be an amazing inspiration for creating an easy and seasonal sandwich wrap, one that contains all of those bold and popping, nutty and warm, Thai-inspired flavors, but using lavash instead of the traditional rice paper wrapper. It's a total twist (and roll) on a delectable little finger-food appetizer, perfect for work or school lunches, or as a light meal or healthy snack at home.
Sitting down to a plateful of Thai-style chicken spring rolls with a side of peanut sauce at the local Thai restaurant is such a pleasurable way to quell the appetite for a fresh and cool dish. But sometimes, simplicity rules; and swapping out the outside “shell” for a slightly more convenient and sandwich-y one (while keeping all of the inside goodness within) is my preferred way to go.
Thai-Style Peanut Chicken “Spring Roll” Wraps are a scrumptious treat to enjoy anytime you get a taste for those zippy flavors that you so love in the original, only wrapped to create a perfectly delicious and perfectly fresh little spring sandwich—a “roll” with a twist.
Taste what's good and pass it on.
Ingrid
Thai-Style Peanut Chicken “Spring Roll” Wraps with Cool Greens, Cucumber and Carrots, drizzled with a Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce
by Ingrid Beer
Print RecipeYield: Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
• 2 lavash-style wraps
• Chili-Garlic Spread (recipe below)
• ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 4 chicken tenderloins, cooked and cooled, and sliced into thin, matchstick-type strips
• ¼ cup shredded carrots
• 1 persian cucumber, sliced into thin, matchstick-type strips
• 4 fresh, whole basil leaves
• 4 fresh, whole mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
• Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
• Love, sprinkled generously
Preparation:
-Place the lavash wraps in front of you, and spread a very light amount of the Chili-Garlic spread over the entirety of the lavash wraps, getting to edges, as this will help to hold, or “glue”, the ingredients once wrapped.
-Next, add about half of the shredded romaine lettuce to the bottom of each wrap, in a row, and top with about half of the shredded carrots; sprinkle over some of the fresh basil and mint.
-Next, add half of the thinly sliced chicken over top, followed by the cucumber; drizzle a tablespoon or two of the Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce, plus a sprinkle of the chopped peanuts, and roll the wrap upwards fairly tightly, and set it on its seam to close.
-Cut the wraps on the bias, and serve half a wrap per person (or a full one, if for a fuller meal), along with a little extra peanut sauce on the side to dip, if desired; best served fresh, but refrigerate if serving later.
Chili-Garlic Spread Ingredients:
• ¼ cup whipped cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
Preparation:
-In a small bowl, mix the ingredients together until combined; keep cold.
Sweet & Spicy Peanut Sauce Ingredients:
• ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons reduce sodium soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon (or more, if desired) chili-garlic sauce
Preparation:
-Add all ingredients to a small bowl, and whisk to combine and blend until smooth; use immediately, or keep in covered container at room temp for up to 1 day. (Can be refrigerated if there are leftovers, but it may thicken up a little—just allow it to come to room temp to become more fluid.)
Katherine
Mmmmm. These look delightful! I really like the chili-garlic spread idea. That's a twist I haven't seen before in recipes like this one. I can't wait to try them!
The Cozy Apron
Thanks so much, Katherine! Do hope you give these simple and flavorful wraps a try!
Madonna/aka/Ms. Lemon
Do you have a suggestion for soy-sauce replacement? I am soy-sensitive and really miss it.
Madonna
The Cozy Apron
Yes, I do! Try coconut aminos—your can find them at Whole Foods Market, or Sprouts. Very similar, but no soy! 🙂
Joyce
Where can I find the Lavash wraps? Do they sell them at my regular grocery store? Can I substitute flour tortillas? If not, do you have another sub if I can't find the wraps?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Joyce, you should be able to find them in the bread section of the store. I know they're available at Trader Joes, Whole Foods Market and Sprouts—but if you cannot find them, just use tortilla wraps instead. Enjoy!
Joyce
Thanks! I will check at Trader Joe's. I always forget about them.
Charlotte
These were amazing! So good that I plan on making another one tomorrow night to use up the ingredients. I made a more budget/time-friendly version with the following tweaks: I used normal flour tortillas instead of the wraps. I skipped the cream cheese, the chili garlic sauce was strong without it (a little bit of that stuff goes a long way!) so I might mix it with something else that I have on hand. I used Wegmans brand thai peanut sauce but as a dipping sauce, it was cheaper than buying all of the sauce ingredients and can be used again. Finally, I used up some leftover plain rotisserie chicken rather than cooking more for this. Even with the shortcuts, I absolutely love these!
The Cozy Apron
Charlotte, that's excellent! A few shortcuts are perfect for these, and as you had mentioned, you have some leftover ingredients to make more! Thanks for sharing with me!