Description
These Southwestern Egg Rolls are a delicious Chili’s copycat recipe featuring a savory blend of diced chicken, cheese, black beans, corn, and vegetables spiced with taco seasoning, all wrapped in crispy egg roll wrappers and fried to golden perfection. Paired with a creamy avocado ranch dipping sauce, this appetizer is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Egg Rolls
- Enough canola or vegetable oil for frying (cover 2/3 of the egg rolls in pan)
- 1 lb. packet egg roll wraps
- Meat of 2 chicken legs and thighs, skin and bones removed, shredded and diced into small bite-size pieces
- ¾ cup Jalapeño Jack cheese (preferably Cabot brand), shredded
- ½ cup sweet corn, frozen
- ½ cup black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1½ teaspoons taco seasoning mix
- Optional: 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeños or chopped green chiles for extra heat
Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup your favorite ranch dressing
- ½ ripe Hass avocado
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- Juice of ½ lime
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded and diced chicken, jalapeño jack cheese, sweet corn, black beans, red onion, red bell pepper, and taco seasoning. If you want extra spice, add finely diced jalapeños or chopped green chiles. Make sure the chicken pieces are small and uniform for even filling.
- Assemble the egg rolls. Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling just below the center of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, pressing lightly to seal. Fold in one side and press to seal, then repeat on the other side. Moisten the top seam with water and roll it tightly to seal completely. Place the wrapped egg roll seam-side down on a plate. Repeat until all egg rolls are wrapped.
- Chill the egg rolls. Place the wrapped egg rolls in the freezer for 15 minutes to help set the wraps, making them easier to fry without unwrapping.
- Heat the oil. Add enough canola or vegetable oil to a frying pan to cover about two-thirds of each egg roll. Heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- Fry the egg rolls. Carefully place egg rolls in the hot oil without overcrowding the pan. Fry each side for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy, turning with tongs gently to avoid piercings. Cook in batches if needed to maintain oil temperature.
- Drain excess oil. Remove the fried egg rolls with tongs and transfer to a paper towel or paper bag to drain excess oil.
- Make the avocado ranch dipping sauce. In a food processor, blend ranch dressing, ripe avocado, fresh cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a teaspoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Serve. Plate the hot southwestern egg rolls with the creamy avocado ranch dipping sauce for dipping. Enjoy immediately for the best crispiness.
Notes
- For best results, use fresh egg roll wrappers and make sure the filling pieces are bite-sized.
- Freezing the wrapped egg rolls before frying helps them hold their shape and become crispier.
- Use tongs to turn and remove egg rolls to prevent breaking the wrappers.
- If you prefer a spicier kick, add extra jalapeños or green chiles to the filling.
- The avocado ranch sauce can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for up to 2 days, but may darken slightly.
- Serve immediately after frying to maintain crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southwestern American
Keywords: Southwestern egg rolls, Chili's copycat, chicken egg rolls, fried appetizers, avocado ranch sauce, spicy egg rolls
