Copycat Chili's Southwest Egg Rolls Recipe

If you haven't had one already, then you should know that Chili's Southwest egg rolls aren't what you'd find in a typical Chinese-American-style egg roll. For one, the fast-casual Tex-Mex chain's spin on the classic egg roll uses flour tortillas instead of egg roll wrappers. In keeping with that theme, it's also filled with corn, jalapeño peppers, beans, chicken, and cheese. Served with an avocado ranch dipping sauce, the Southwest egg roll is very often a crowd pleaser and the perfect appetizer for a casual get-together. 

If you dream of the taste of Chilis' Southwest egg rolls without having to actually go to Chili's, this recipe from recipe developer registered dietitian Kristen Carli should do the trick.

Why bother making it at home? First, with only 20 minutes of prep time and 10 minutes of cooking time, you can whip up these egg rolls faster than going to Chili's and ordering them. You can definitely save some money, too, while you can opt to use higher quality and fresher ingredients at home. "As a registered dietitian, I love how veggie-packed these are – with beans, corn, spinach, bell peppers, onions, etc!" Carli says. "That is pretty incredible for an appetizer." You can also potentially make these a slightly healthier option by making them in an air fryer, although Carli has not personally tried making this recipe using that particular piece of kitchen equipment.

To make these Southwest egg rolls, you'll need a single 8-ounce chicken breast. You'll also need to dice ½ a red bell pepper and slice 3 green onions, as well as drain and rinse ½ cup of canned black beans.

From the freezer, you'll also need to grab ½ cup of frozen corn and ¼ cup of frozen spinach. You'll need 1 tablespoon of canned jalapeños, 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning, and ½ cup of shredded Mexican cheese. To make the egg roll wrappers, you'll need 8 medium flour tortillas. To make the dipping sauce, you'll need ¼ cup of guacamole and 1 cup of ranch dressing. And last but not least, you'll also need vegetable oil for frying.

To start off your recipe, you need to cook the chicken breast in a large skillet over medium heat, pan-frying the chicken breasts with a small amount of vegetable oil. Cook for 8 minutes on each side.

Of course, you'll want to make sure that the chicken is cooked through. The easiest way to tell that chicken is cooked through is to use an instant-read meat thermometer and check that its internal temperature has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit, which the CDC has deemed the minimum safe internal temperature for poultry like chicken. It's very easy to accidentally overcook chicken, and it's very difficult to eyeball when chicken is fully cooked, so using a meat thermometer really is your best bet. After the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the skillet and cut it into small pieces.

In a large skillet, add the diced bell pepper, green onion, corn, spinach, black beans, jalapeños, and taco seasoning together and cook over medium heat. Stir together, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the frozen spinach is warmed through. 

While your vegetables are cooking, you can also make the avocado ranch sauce. To make it, simply mix the guacamole and ranch dressing together in a small bowl and set it aside for serving later. Of course, you can opt to get fancy with your choice of guacamole or ranch if you want — perhaps with homemade guacamole — but remember that this recipe is all about keeping it simple and tasting like the original Chili's appetizer, so there's no need to worry too much over the particular ingredients if you don't care to.

Up to this point, this recipe has been pretty simple, but now, things are going to get a little more involved when it comes to assembling the egg rolls. Don't worry though, as it's really not all that complicated. 

To make the egg rolls, first lay a tortilla flat on a plate, and scoop 2 tablespoons of diced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the black bean and vegetable mixture, and 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese onto the tortilla. Fold the edges in and roll the tortilla up, much like you would with a larger burrito. Place the roll seam side down on another plate.

After you've built all of the egg rolls, add the vegetable oil to a large pot and warm it up to medium-high heat, at a minimum of 325 degrees. An instant-read thermometer will once again be your friend here. Once it's hot enough, begin adding the egg rolls to the pot. "Be sure to roll up the egg rolls tightly and place seam side down when frying," Carli says. "This will ensure that they do not break open." 

Cook for 4 minutes on each side, or until they turn a golden brown. Once they're cooked, allow the egg rolls to drain for a few minutes, then serve hot with the avocado ranch sauce.