Fried Chicken Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Crisp panko-fried chicken wrapped in rice paper with noodles, herbs and crunchy vegetables, served with a savory peanut sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Peanut oil, for frying

• 2 cups flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 25 rice paper sheets (banh trang), 8-inch
• 1/2 lb dried rice vermicelli, cooked and drained
• 8 oz fresh bean sprouts
• 1 small head romaine lettuce, julienned
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
• 1/2 bunch mint, leaves picked
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
• 4 tbsp toasted ground peanuts
• 1 bunch fresh chives
• Peanut sauce: 1 tbsp peanut oil, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tsp chili paste, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1/4 cup hoisin, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup toasted ground peanuts, 1 red chili (thinly sliced)

Directions

1. Brush the chicken with olive oil, place between plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thick.
2. Heat peanut oil to 375F in a wok or heavy pan. Dredge the chicken in seasoned flour, then beaten egg, then panko.
3. Fry the chicken 5 to 6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Drain, rest 15 minutes, then slice into 1/2-inch strips.
4. Soften a rice paper sheet briefly in warm water until pliable. Layer noodles, bean sprouts, lettuce, cilantro, mint, cucumber and fried chicken near one edge.
5. Roll burrito-style, folding in the sides, tucking a chive so it pokes out one end. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
6. For the sauce: heat the oil and saute the garlic, chili paste and tomato paste until the garlic browns. Add the broth, peanut butter, hoisin and sugar and simmer 3 minutes. Cool and top with ground peanuts and sliced chile. Serve with the rolls.

Notes

Andrew Zimmern’s fried-chicken twist on the classic Vietnamese summer roll.