This easy and nutritious recipe combines crunchy vegetables, fresh apples, and chicken breast wrapped in soft rice paper and served with a creamy peanut sauce. A perfect light meal or snack, packed with antioxidants and vitamins, and customizable with various dipping sauces!

Full Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Vegetable Rolls:

• 1/4 shredded cabbage
• 1/2 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 purple onion, thinly sliced
• 1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 chicken breast
• 4 small-size rice papers
• 3 large-size rice papers
• Washed green vegetables (such as lettuce, spinach, or kale)

For the Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sugar or sweetener
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
• Warm water (to adjust consistency)

Optional Dipping Sauces:

• Sriracha sauce
• Buldak mayo sauce
• Additional peanut butter mixed with sriracha

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Preparing the Vegetables:

1. Cabbage: Tear each cabbage leaf, wash it thoroughly, and shred it thinly. Cutting cabbage and then washing it can cause water-soluble nutrients to wash away, so always clean it before slicing.
2. Carrot: Use chopsticks to hold the carrot steady and slice it thinly. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that’s good for your health.
3. Onion: Thinly slice 1 purple onion. Purple onions are loaded with quercetin and anthocyanins, both powerful antioxidants.
4. Apple: Core the apple and slice it thinly. Keep the peel on as it contains more flavonoids than the flesh. Prepare the apple last since it can brown quickly.

Preparing the Chicken Breast:

5. Chicken: Tear the chicken breast into large pieces and blanch it in hot water for a few minutes. Discard the blanching water afterward.
6. Once the chicken is cooked, shred it into smaller pieces. Avoid shredding the chicken beforehand as it can lose flavor when blanched.

Making the Peanut Sauce:

7. Lemon Juice: Squeeze half a lemon to get about 2 tablespoons of juice. If you’re looking for creative ways to use leftover lemon peels, check out our other videos on MoonyKitchen.
8. Mix: Add 1 tablespoon of sugar (or your favorite sweetener) and 3 tablespoons of peanut butter to the lemon juice. If you’re like me and running low on peanut butter, make sure to scrape every bit from the jar!
9. Soy Sauce: Add 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce to the mix and stir thoroughly. Mix quickly to get a creamy consistency.
10. Adjust Consistency: Gradually add warm water to the sauce to get your desired thickness. A little water goes a long way here, so add it slowly.

Assembling the Rolls:

11. Rice Paper: Soak small rice papers (about 4 pieces) in room-temperature water. Unlike warm water, which makes the rice paper sticky, using room-temperature water keeps the paper smooth and easy to handle.
12. Fill the Rolls: Lay out the rice paper and add your filling—shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, apples, and chicken.
13. Roll: Roll the rice paper carefully, similar to rolling gimbap or sushi. Repeat this process with larger rice papers (3 pieces).
14. Serve: The rolls are now ready to be eaten with peanut sauce or your choice of dipping sauces like sriracha or buldak mayo.

Cooking Tips:

• Prepping the Chicken: Always shred the chicken after blanching to preserve its flavor.
• Handling Rice Paper: Soak rice paper in room temperature water to prevent it from becoming overly sticky.
• Peanut Sauce Consistency: To get the perfect consistency, mix the sauce thoroughly and add water slowly. The sauce should be creamy and thick, but still smooth enough for dipping.

Storage Tips:

• Vegetable Rolls: Store leftover rolls in an airtight container and refrigerate. Consume them within 1-2 days to ensure the freshness of the vegetables.
• Peanut Sauce: The peanut sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight jar. Stir before serving, as it may thicken when chilled.
• Chicken: If you have leftover shredded chicken, you can store it in a container for up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze it for future use.

Nutritional Facts:

• Cabbage: High in vitamins C and K, and rich in fiber, which helps with digestion.
• Carrots: A good source of beta-carotene, which supports eye health.
• Purple Onion: Contains quercetin and anthocyanins, both antioxidants that reduce inflammation.
• Apple: Packed with vitamin C and flavonoids, which boost immune health.
• Chicken Breast: A lean source of protein, ideal for building and repairing tissues.
• Peanut Butter: Adds healthy fats and protein, making the sauce both delicious and nutritious.

FAQs:

1. Can I use other vegetables for this recipe?
   Yes! Feel free to customize this recipe with other vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers, or avocados. You can even add tofu or shrimp for variety.
2. What can I use instead of peanut butter?
   If you have a peanut allergy or want to change things up, you can use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini as an alternative.
3. How can I prevent the apples from browning?
   To keep apples from browning, you can coat them in a little lemon juice before adding them to the rolls.
4. Can I make these rolls ahead of time?
   Yes, but it’s best to assemble them just before serving to avoid soggy rice paper. If you need to make them in advance, keep the rolls in an airtight container, separated by parchment paper, to prevent sticking.
5. How can I make the peanut sauce thinner?
   Simply add more warm water until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.

Conclusion:

This veggie roll recipe is not only quick and easy but also a fantastic way to pack in loads of vegetables. The fresh crunch of the cabbage, carrots, onions, and apples pairs beautifully with the creamy peanut sauce. You can even experiment with various dipping sauces like sriracha or buldak mayo for added flavor. It’s a versatile dish that can be customized to suit your taste preferences, making it perfect for lunch, dinner, or even as a party appetizer. Give it a try and enjoy a healthy, flavorful meal!