These super crunchy southwest egg rolls are filled with perfectly spiced chicken and melty cheese. Dip in creamy avocado-ranch or queso Blanco for the perfect appetizer.
Egg rolls are life. Can we just all agree that there’s nothing better than a perfectly cooked egg roll? They are crunchy on the outside and filled with all my favorite goodies. Obsessed like I am? Also, try our avocado and Cheeseburger Egg Rolls.
These Southwest Egg Rolls have seasoned chicken, hearty beans, and plenty of melty cheese. We always order them to share when @ Chilis or the Cheesecake Factory. Making them at home is even better because you can customize the ingredients to your tastes.
I’d even argue this copycat is better than anything you’d find at a restaurant! Perfect as an appetizer or main dish. We also love making them for game day! Bonus: The filling also tastes wonderful in burrito bowls, wraps, and quesadillas.
Why I Love These Eggrolls
- Super Crispy: Deep frying these makes them ultra crunchy.
- Flavorful: Seasoned chicken, spicy jalapeno, and veggies make these anything but bland.
- Dip: Dipping makes everything better and this creamy ranch takes these over the top.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Corn: Use Mexciorn or roasted corn for a fun twist.
- Black Beans: You can also use pinto beans.
- Jalapeno: Remove the seeds/membranes if you prefer a milder flavor. Drained diced green chiles are also a good option if you dislike spice.
- Shredded Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre shredded often contains fillers like cornstarch that can interfere with melting. Pepperjack would be a good way to spice it up.
- Cooked Chicken: Rotisserie chicken would work great here too. Chicken thighs can also be used if you prefer dark meat.
- Egg Roll Wrappers: Look for egg roll wrappers in the produce section near the tofu. Be sure to keep them in the package until ready to use as they dry out quickly which can lead to cracks.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil for frying. Any neutral oil like canola or peanut oil works well for frying. Avoid olive oil as it has a low smoke point.
Fun Variations
- Mix Up the Meat: Use ground beef, steak, or even pork carnitas instead.
- Make It Vegetarian: You can simply leave out the chicken. You could also use veggie crumbles or veggie “chicken”.
- Make It Spicy: Add an extra jalapeno, pepper jack, and then top off with a generous amount of hot sauce.
- Dip Dip Dip: Dip in salsa, queso, sour cream, or guacamole instead.
How To Make Southwest Egg Rolls
- Make the Filling: Combine bell pepper, corn, black beans, jalapeno, green onion, chicken, cheese, salt/pepper, chili powder, and cumin.
- Fill Egg rolls: Add ~2 tablespoons of filling to each egg roll. Seal edges with water. Freeze for 2-3 hours.
- Fry Egg rolls: Heat ~1 inch of oil in a deep skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side.
- Make the Dressing: In a food processor, combine ranch and avocado.
Can You Bake Them?
If you’re wanting to cut down on the amount of fat, baking is always an option. Just keep in mind that when you bake them, they are not going to be as crunchy.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Spray the outside with nonstick cooking spray.
Make-Ahead Options
You can prepare the filling ahead of time. You can also fill the egg rolls up to a day ahead. When ready to enjoy just bring to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before frying. Cook just before you are ready to serve them. That way they are fresh and crunchy!
Freezing Instructions
These also freeze well. The key is to freeze them BEFORE cooking them so that the outer layer doesn’t become soggy. Simply follow the recipe up until it is time to fry them. Freeze right before frying. When you’re ready to eat them, all you have to do is thaw and cook! Avoid frying them straight out of the freezer as ice crystals can cause splattering.
Leftovers
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overfill: Fill egg rolls only about ½ of the way full. If you overfill them they will be harder to roll, and may even explode when frying.
- Rolling Tips: Easily roll egg rolls by laying out the wrappers so they are shaped like a diamond with the points pointing down. Fill. Then fold each corner up like the flap of an envelope. Finally, seal the edges with water.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: This can lower the temperature of the oil leading to a soggy result. Fry no more than 3-4 at a time.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: This helps you make sure the oil stays at the correct temperature. if the oil is too hot the outside may burn without heating up the filling. If the oil is too cold the outside may become too greasy.
- Keep Warm: Keep egg rolls warm in a 250 degree F oven while you fry the remaining batches.
Serve With
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Southwest Egg Rolls
Ingredients
For the Eggrolls
- 1 Bell Pepper Diced
- 1 Cup Corn
- 1 Cup Black Beans
- ¼ Cup Green Onions Sliced
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper Seeded and Diced
- 2 Cups Mexican Shredded Cheese
- 1 ½ Cups Cooked Chicken
- 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1 Package Egg Roll Wrappers
- Vegetable Oil For Frying
For the Avocado Ranch
- 1 Cup Ranch Dressing
- ½ Avocado
Instructions
For the Egg Rolls
- In a large bowl, combine bell pepper, corn, beans,jalapeno, green onion, cheese, chicken, cumin, chili pepper, and salt/pepper.
- Fill each wrapper with ~2 tablespoons of filling. Seal with water. Freeze for 2-3 hours.
- In a large deep skillet, heat ~1 inch of oil. Fry eggrolls a few at a time. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
For the Avocado Ranch
- In a blender, combine avocado and ranch. Serve with egg rolls and enjoy!
Notes
- Jalapeno: Remove the seeds/membranes if you prefer a milder flavor. Drained diced green chiles are also a good option if you dislike spice.
- Shredded Cheese: Shred your own cheese if possible. Pre shredded often contains fillers like cornstarch that can interfere with melting. Pepperjack would be a good way to spice it up.
- Cooked Chicken: Rotisserie chicken would work great here too. Chicken thighs can also be used if you prefer dark meat.
- Egg Roll Wrappers: Look for egg roll wrappers in the produce section near the tofu. Be sure to keep them in the package until ready to use as they dry out quickly which can lead to cracks.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil for frying. Any neutral oil like canola or peanut oil works well for frying. Avoid olive oil as it has a low smoke point.
- Don't Overfill: Fill egg rolls only about ½ of the way full. If you overfill them they will be harder to roll, and may even explode when frying.
- Rolling Tips: Easily roll egg rolls by laying out the wrappers so they are shaped like a diamond with the points pointing down. Fill. Then fold each corner up like the flap of an envelope. Finally, seal the edges with water.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: This can lower the temperature of the oil leading to a soggy result. Fry no more than 3-4 at a time.
- Use a Deep Fry Thermometer: This helps you make sure the oil stays at the correct temperature. if the oil is too hot the outside may burn without heating up the filling. If the oil is too cold the outside may become too greasy.
- Keep Warm: Keep egg rolls warm in a 250 degree F oven while you fry the remaining batches.
Nutrition
I made a batch of these egg rolls and they are almost gone! The filling is delicious and the rolls are super crispy!
Yummy! These egg rolls look so delicious and flavorful! My family is going to love these. Sounds so good and excited to try these!
YES!! I so need this! Thank you! This is one of my all time favorite apps! Love that now I can customize this a little!! These are so good!
I love this recipe! I’ve cooked numerous times for different crowds and have never had a negative comment. I love that I can make ahead and then finish up at the last min for the perfect dish. The dip sounds so simple, but everyone raves over it!
Thanks so much for your positive feedback Kerry. Simple is best is my book. I hope you’ll come visit my site again. 🙂
Can these be cooked in an air fryer?
Hi Yvonnda,
I have only tried to recipe as written. I can’t say for sure, but it seems like it would work.
Please let us know if you try it, and how they turn out.