Southwest Egg Rolls

These flavorful Southwest Egg Rolls are the perfect party appetizer or easy meal, especially dipped in sour cream or fresh guacamole.

Sometimes we eat these egg rolls as an appetizer. Other times we treat them as a main dish. If we’re feeling extra ambitious, we’ll sometimes make homemade tortillas to make them with! Regardless of how we eat them, they are always delicious. 

Southwest Egg Rolls cut in half to reveal the hearty filling

Eggrolls Bursting with Southwest Flavor!

Guys, I’m totally smitten. These southwest egg rolls have stolen my heart. They are extra crispy on the outside, and bursting with an insane amount of flavor and texture on the inside. Not only are they delicious but they are EASY to make.

Plus, if you don’t enjoy deep fried food, I’ve got you covered. 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!

Southwestern Egg Roll being dipped in guacamole

Ingredient Tips

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.) 😉

Chicken: Follow our guide here to perfectly cook your chicken breast for this recipe!

Spinach: If you only have frozen spinach that will work just fine! Since you are cooking it down all of the excess moisture from it being frozen will evaporate.

To add more heat to your egg rolls, try including:

  • diced jalapenos 
  • green chiles 
  • chili powder

Filling for southwest egg roll recipe

Pan Fry or Oven Fry!

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. 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.

Make sure when you roll the egg rolls up they are tight and the ends are tucked in nice and snug. This will prevent filling from leaking out and oil from leaking in. I may or may not have experience this first hand and it was no bueno. Thankfully I only ruined one.

FRY. When to frying the egg rolls, you have two options:

  1. Add ½ cup of oil to a skillet and pan fry them.
  2. Spray or brush them with oil and bake them on a lined baking sheet in the oven 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. Let the egg rolls cool for 5 minutes before serving them. You can serve them whole or get real fancy and cut them on the diagonal. I whipped up a quick creamy guacamole to dip them in, but they’d also go great with sour cream or salsa

Air Fryer

You can also make these in the air fryer. 

  1. Spray your air fryer lightly with oil
  2. Lightly oil both sides of your egg rolls
  3. Place 3-4 egg rolls in the basket at 390 degrees
  4. Cook one side for 6 minutes and then flip them and cook the other side for another 6 minutes

Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls being dipped in guac

Storing Leftovers

If you can’t fit all of the filling in your “egg rolls”, try eating the leftovers with some tortilla chips as a dip.

Keep any leftover southwest egg rolls STORED in the fridge 3-4 days in an airtight container.

To FREEZE any cooked egg rolls, let them cool completely before wrapping them individually in pieces of foil. You can store multiple foil-wrapped egg rolls in a freezer safe bag. When you’re ready to eat them, bake them again while adding 5 minutes to the bake time.

Keeping the crispy exterior of an egg roll can be really tricky! You can REHEAT egg rolls in the oven for 5-10 minutes. If you aren’t sure the middle of the egg rolls are warmed through, you can always cut them in half.

A hand dipping a Southwest Egg Roll into guacamole

For more dishes with a southwest kick, try:

 

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Southwestern Egg Rolls | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Southwest Egg Roll Recipe

These flavorful Southwest Egg Rolls are the perfect party appetizer or easy meal, especially dipped in sour cream or fresh guacamole.
4.72 from 7 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 Egg Rolls
Calories: 184kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 2 tsp. canola oil - or avocado/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 frying:

  • 8 6" flour tortillas - whole wheat work well too
  • canola oil - or avocado/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.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 410mg | Potassium: 592mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6482IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 234mg | Iron: 3mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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