These delicious Southwest Egg Rolls are fried to perfection and are filled with chicken, corn, peppers, beans, spices and more! Serve them with salsa, sour cream or guac.
These aren’t your traditional Chinese Egg Rolls! In fact, this savory filling is rolled up in a flour tortilla. For extra southwest flare, dip in some homemade Chipotle Ranch.
A Southwestern Take on Egg Rolls
If you love egg rolls, you have to try this Southwest version! They are extra crispy on the outside, and bursting with an insane amount of flavor on the inside.
Not only are they delicious but they are EASY to make. Plus if you don’t enjoy deep fried food, no worries. The oven “fries” them beautifully. No oil to clean up, no splatters all over your range, no burns, no mess!!
They make a great party appetizer or a fun dish the entire family will enjoy. You can freeze them and pop them in the oven when you need them or you can bake them and reheat the leftovers the following day. Speaking from experience here!
How to Make Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
FILLING. You’ll start by making the filling. Everything is made in one pan. Yes, just one pan. You want the chicken and the vegetables to be cooked properly before you roll them in the tortillas that way any excess moisture evaporates and you’re not left with a hot mess. Literally.
ROLL. Then, you roll the filling in the tortillas. I used a mix of whole wheat and regular flour tortillas and I could not tell the difference between the two. I doubt your kids will be able to either. Make sure when you roll the egg rolls up they are tight and the ends are tucked in nice and snug.
BAKE. You have two options for frying the egg rolls:
- Add ½ cup of oil your to a skillet and pan fry them.
- Spray or brush them with oil and bake them on a lined baking sheet until golden brown and crispy.
Both methods are great options. The first is definitely more messy and finicky, but it’s a lot quicker. The second is more time consuming but is also a “set it and forget it” approach, which I personally love.
SERVE. Serve the egg rolls up with sour cream, your favorite salsa, or some creamy guacamole dip. No matter how you serve them, these southwestern egg rolls are sure to be a hit. We couldn’t get enough of them!
Recipe Tips
Keep these tips in mind when making these Southwest egg rolls…
- You can cook your own chicken breast for this, use leftover chicken or even meat from a rotisserie chicken.
- One way to help keep the filling from oozing out when you pan fry it is to toss them in the freezer for 30-40 minutes before frying them.
Leftovers can be STORED in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
You can also wrap each Mexican egg roll with plastic wrap and place them in a Freezer Ziploc. Store them in the freezer for 1-2 months.
REHEAT them in the oven or microwave.
for more egg roll recipes, check out:
- Classic Fried Egg Rolls
- Copycat Cheesecake Factory Egg Rolls
- Avocado Bacon Egg Rolls
- Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls
Southwest Egg Roll Recipe
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 2 tsp. canola, avocado or grapeseed oil
- 1 chicken breast cut into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1/3 c. frozen or fresh corn
- 2 tbsp. minced red bell pepper
- 3 tbsp. minced green onion
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 c. black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 c. loosely packed fresh spinach, chopped into roughly 1 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
- 3/4 c. grated cheddar, colby jack, or pepper jack cheese
For rolling and frying:
- 8 6-inch flour tortillas whole wheat work well too
- canola, avocado, or grapeseed oil for frying or baking
Instructions
For the filling:
- In a large non-stick skillet set over medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and corn. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the mixture starts to brown.
- Add the bell pepper, onion, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, cumin, and paprika. Mix until combined and continue cooking for 3 additional minutes.
- Add beans, spinach and cilantro. Cook just until the spinach has wilted, then remove from the heat and stir in the cheese.
For rolling and frying:
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 tortillas. Roll up, taking care to tuck the ends snuggly in to create a nice seal and prevent the mixture from oozing out or oil from getting in.
- For pan frying: Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add about ½ cup of oil to the skillet, let the oil get hot. Add 4 rolls at a time (seam side down) and fry until all sides are golden brown. Remove and let rest on a paper towel lined plate before serving. Repeat with remaining rolls.
- For oven frying: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Lightly spray (or brush) all sides of the egg rolls with oil and place seam side down on the prepared sheet. Spray (or brush) the tops of the egg rolls with an extra layer of oil. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with sour cream, salsa or guacamole.
is the texture or consistency of the wrap different if they’re baked? I tend to never fry anything just because of the mess. :/ I know.. it’s sad. LOL
Maybe a little, but they would still be great! And, no worries..I hate making messes!
These egg rolls taste as good as the tradional egg rolls. With a bit of a mexican flair….these will not disappoint!
We are doing a mexican buffet for christmas dinner this year and i totally am going to make these!
These are delicious!! SOmething for my whole family!
I always wondered how to make these at home. The flavor is amazing!
The filling is so tasty!! I will be making these for Cinco de Mayo. They will be a hit!
These were full of flavour and crunch! I loved that I could bake them in the oven instead of frying!
Yes, oven for the win! Thanks for sharing!
I only have frozen spinach, how much should I use in place of fresh?
I’d use about 2 oz. of frozen spinach in place of 2 cups of fresh. You can obviously add more or less depending on how much you like spinach too.
I am so glad I found this recipe, these are SO incredible! I am making them again this weekend!
WOW! These are almost exactly like Chili’s Southwest Egg Rolls! That’s my favorite thing on their menu! So delicious! I am going to be making these a LOT! I love this! Pinning so I can find it easily anytime I need to!
Great flavor and a nice change from tacos. Thanks for including the oven frying instructions.
When you say tortilla shells is that just regular wraps you buy in any store?