Spicy Chicken Egg Rolls
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Shredded chicken tossed with hot wing sauce and sharp cheddar wrapped tight in egg roll skins. Freeze ahead or fry fresh crisp golden brown. Serve with cool ranch or tangy blue cheese dip. Adjust buffalo heat with milder sauce or swap cheddar for pepper jack if you like a kick. Watch for bubbling oil, smell the rich aroma of frying dough; egg rolls crackle and puff when ready. Freezing helps hold shape but wraps tend to dry if stored too long—use parchment between each. Optimal cooking temp between 320 and 345 degrees for even color. Turns out crisp without greasiness if timed right. Proven method after multiple test batches.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
32 min
Servings:
8 servings
#appetizers
#fried snacks
#buffalo chicken
#freezer meals
#American cuisine
Cold kitchen. Pile shredded chicken. Tangy buffalo sauce ready. Sharp cheddar shredded thicker than usual. Mixing bowl dance, spatula scraping edges. Egg roll wrappers stacked neat, a tad dry so careful folding won’t crack. Egg wash sits like glue—critical for holding shape during frying chaos. Oil heats—watch thermometer like a hawk or risk soggy, greasy sticks. Test bubbles before dunking. Sizzle hits ears; aroma of frying dough and melting cheese quick. Golden brown spots pop—color tells all. Crisp bite, a snap that few shortcuts can replace. Freeze these if you want fast snacks but watch freezing times or wraps get burlier, freezer burn attacks. Some tweak with pepper jack or swap chicken for pulled pork—each with own lesson. Frying small batches keeps control, no overcrowding baths down oil temp. Dip options essential, ranch calms, blue cheese bites back. No fooling around here. Mastery over these steps builds reputation in kitchen crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 egg roll wrappers
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons water
- neutral frying oil (canola, vegetable, peanut)
- blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping
About the ingredients
Chicken—leftover rotisserie works wonders, already juicy; if freshly cooked, dry it lightly with paper towel so filling’s not watery. Buffalo sauce—you may halve it or swap for mild wing sauce if heat’s too much or use Frank’s RedHot for classic flavor. Cheddar matters: sharp gives punch while mild melts smoother—experiment but avoid pre-shredded with anti-caking agents as they don’t melt evenly. Egg roll wrappers from Asian market, store refrigerated or frozen—thaw naturally to avoid brittleness. Egg white binds edges; whole egg can be too runny, prevents firm seal. Water dilutes egg white for even spread. Oil choice is vital, neutral oils with high smoke points like canola, peanut, or vegetable best to avoid off-flavors and smoke. Don’t skimp on oil depth or rolls will stick to bottom and fry unevenly. Dip options handle excess spice or dryness, ranch is creamy neutralizer, blue cheese packs punch.
Method
Making the Egg Rolls
- Mix shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, and cheddar cheese in medium bowl until combined but don’t overmix—want some cheesiness pockets.
- Whisk egg white with 2 tablespoons water in small bowl, this acts as glue, skip and wrappers won't seal right.
- Place one egg roll wrapper on clean surface with single corner pointing towards you, brush edges generously with egg wash.
- Spoon about 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture onto center of wrapper—too much and rolls burst when frying, too little leads to dryness.
- Fold corner closest to you over filling, then fold two side corners inward creating envelope shape, roll tightly toward far corner; get snug but leave space for steam to expand.
- Repeat wrapping for all, add egg wash on loose spots to ensure seal or they’ll unravel in fryer.
- Layer wrapped rolls on parchment lined container separated individually to avoid sticking, freeze at least 1 hour before frying, up to 16 weeks max to maintain freshness; freezer burn is real here if wrapped loosely.
Frying
- Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in heavy pan or Dutch oven; monitor with candy/deep-fry thermometer aiming for 320° to 345°F—hot enough to bubble on contact but not burn outside.
- Carefully lower 2-3 egg rolls in oil at once, no crowding, fry 3 to 4 minutes total, turn once halfway; listen for steady crackle and watch for deep golden brown surface without dark spots.
- Drain on wire rack set over tray or paper towels but rack preferred to keep crispiness.
- Repeat in batches until all fried.
- Serve immediately with blue cheese or ranch dips—cool, creamy pairs well with crisp, spicy rolls.
- Freeze leftover cooked rolls for easy reheating in oven to bring back crunch.
Cooking tips
Mixing filling straightforward but folding’s where magic or wreckage happens—lay wrapper corner closest, egg wash wet enough to glue but not drown. Use spoon, not hand, for portion control. Folding ‘like an envelope’ means no gaps, tight seals prevent fillings leaking into oil causing splatter and soggy shells. Rolling firm but not crushing filling lets steam expand without bursting. Freeze uncovered lightly in single layer with parchment between; prevents stuck-together disasters but watch freezer burn—don’t exceed 16 weeks or texture suffers. Heat oil gradually, test temp with thermometer; no stick fingers or guessing. Drops of water in oil should sizzle and pop immediately. Too hot and rolls brown too fast outside but remain raw inside. Turn rolls once to cook evenly both sides, fry until golden, no darker. Drain on wire rack keeps crispness—paper towels soak but steam and soften crust. Freeze-fried rolls reheat well in oven (370°F 8–10 minutes) to regain crunch, microwave ruins texture completely. Keep batches small for safe frying temp; crowding lowers heat causing greasy shell and uneven cooking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Mix filling but don’t overdo it; little pockets of cheddar give texture. Egg wash critical—thick enough to glue, thin means leaks. Watch folding tightness; steam space prevents burst but no gaps to splatter. Roll firm but gentle; crushing filling kills texture.
- 💡 Freeze rolls separately on parchment, single layers only. Stacking equals stuck mess. Freeze time max 4 months—longer? Wraps dry like sandpaper. Before frying, don’t defrost too long; cold stops oil temp tanking when dumped.
- 💡 Oil depth matters. Skip shallow pans; rolls stick and cook uneven. 2 to 3 inches minimum. Use neutral oils high smoke point: canola, peanut, vegetable. No olive or butter. Temp steady 320-345°F; candy thermometer helps. Too hot? Burns outside raw inside. Too low? Grease soaked sloppy shells.
- 💡 Fry small batches; crowding kills temp. Listen for crackle—steady means oil right temp. Dark spots mean oil too hot or left too long. Turn rolls once mid-fry, flips crisp surface evenly. Drain on wire rack, not towels; towels steam, soften crust.
- 💡 Egg white and water mix for wash; whole egg too runny, no seal. Use spoon for filling portion control—three tablespoons approximate; more means busting, less dry. Parchment between frozen wraps stops nightmare. Reheat fried rolls oven only 370°F 8-10 mins; microwave ruins crunch.
Common questions
Can I swap chicken with pulled pork?
Yes, shredded pork works but moisture differs. Adjust folding tightness. Pork tends to be moister, may need less egg wash or longer freeze time. Flavor changes but technique same.
What if rolls burst while frying?
Likely folds loose or too much filling. Also, oil temp too low triggers soggy wrap, then breaks. Fix by smaller portions, tighter seal, proper oil heat. Freeze fully to firm up filling before frying.
How to prevent soggy egg rolls?
Oil temp steady high enough, no overcrowding. Fry in small batches. Drain on wire rack, paper towels trap steam and soften. Freeze rolls beforehand stops soggy, helps hold shape during frying.
Best way to store leftover egg rolls?
Freeze raw wrapped rolls on parchment single layer, up to 16 weeks max. Cooked leftovers freeze fine—reheat oven only. Refrigerate short term but texture degrades fast, soggy or dry outsides.
