Growing up, my brother and I always looked forward to Eggroll Night. We’d help our mom make the filling, which included pressure cooking an entire chicken and then pulling all the meat off. She’d lay out all the eggroll wrappers, and we’d do our best to roll them up, stuffing them as full as we could without tearing the wrapper. They were always served with a combination of Dijon mustard and sweet & sour sauce.

There is nothing authentic about these, they are not Chinese or Vietnamese or Thai. They are simply my mom’s American version of eggrolls. And I adore them (and so does my entire family).

I don’t even know where my mom first got a recipe for these or how they came to be. And I’m not sure she would even remember. I just know that for 40+ (ahem) years, I have loved these fried rolls of deliciousness.

Nowadays, I prefer using chicken thighs, but you can also use shredded chicken breast, or even a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken (you will need 2 cups).

Leave the almonds out if you are serving anyone with a nut allergy (like my husband; although I really love the almonds added). And feel free to add other veggies if you like, such as shredded carrot, but this version is my personal fave. And don’t skimp on the Dijon and sweet & sour!

Mom’s Chicken and Veggie Eggrolls

Makes 20 eggrolls; serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (2 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
• 3 packed cups shredded green cabbage, (about 1/2 head)
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
• 5 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup finely chopped water chestnuts*
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, plus more to taste
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• 20 egg roll wrappers (1 package, 1 lb)
• Canola or peanut oil for frying

For serving:
• Sweet and sour sauce
• Dijon mustard

* Note: I usually buy a can of whole water chestnuts, drain them, and chop them; it’s about 2/3 can. Make sure you buy water chestnuts, not chestnuts, these are two different things!

Instructions:
1. In a medium saucepan, add the chicken and enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then immediately turn the heat to low, partially cover, and gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool until cool enough to handle. Shred the chicken, discarding any nasty bits.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, cabbage, mushrooms, green onions, and water chestnuts. Add the soy sauce and toss to combine (add more or less depending on taste). Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours before rolling and frying.





3. Stir the almonds into the mixture. Spread out the egg roll wrappers on a work surface. Divide the mixture between the wrappers, placing the filling near one corner. Roll the corner nearest the filling over the filling, fold in the two opposite sides and then roll it up. Using a little water on a fingertip, wet the opposite corner and seal the eggroll together. Be gentle so that you don’t tear the wrapper, but roll them up as tightly as you can (and don’t overstuff them like my brother and I liked to do!).

Preheat the oven to 200F and place a baking sheet lined with a wire rack onto the middle rack of the oven.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1/3 inch of the oil until shimmering.* Fry the egg rolls in batches, turning occasionally until they are crisp and golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Line the rack with paper towels and keep them in the oven to stay warm while you finish frying the remaining eggrolls.

Serve with sweet and sour sauce and Dijon mustard.

* NOTE: If you are deep-frying other things, you can also deep-fry these in a deep, heavy pot (such as a Dutch oven) filled with 2 inches of canola oil, and heated to 350F.