Chilis Southwest Eggrolls Recipe

I’ve been chasing the perfect crunchy, slightly spicy handheld for a while, and these Southwestern-style egg rolls scratched that itch. After a week of slow, cozy meals (I even leaned on some techniques from slow-cooker chicken recipes for the shredded meat), I wanted something bright, fast, and dunkable.

A quick note on the core idea: think shredded cooked chicken folded into a melting pool of Monterey Jack with black beans and corn, brightened with cilantro and lime, and given a kick by jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, and a whisper of cayenne. I used about eight ounces of already-cooked, shredded chicken so the filling didn’t need long cooking; if you start from raw breast, poach or roast it first and shred when cool.

What I used (compact, not a strict shopping list)

• Shredded chicken — roughly 8 oz.
• Vegetables/legumes: about half a cup each of black beans (rinsed) and corn; a third-cup of thawed chopped spinach; a quarter-cup diced red bell pepper; a quarter-cup sliced green onion; one diced jalapeño (adjust heat to taste).
• Herbs & aromatics: two tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro and roughly 1½ teaspoons fresh lime juice in the dip.
• Spices: three-quarters teaspoon ground cumin, three-quarters teaspoon chili powder, a half teaspoon of salt (I adjusted), and a quarter teaspoon of cayenne.
• Cheese and wrappers: one cup shredded Monterey Jack and ten to twelve egg roll wrappers.
• Fats: two tablespoons olive oil for sautéing the filling and enough neutral oil for frying.
• For the dipping sauce: half a cup of ranch, one ripe avocado mashed, two tablespoons buttermilk, two tablespoons chopped cilantro, a scant quarter teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, and onion powder, plus the lime juice mentioned above.

How I built the filling
I heated two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet until it glimmered, then added the bell pepper, green onion, and jalapeño to soften and lose their raw edge. After a couple of minutes I stirred in the corn, black beans, and the chopped thawed spinach—no need to squeeze every bit of moisture out, just chop and add. The spices went in next: cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne; I toasted them briefly to bloom the flavors, then folded in the shredded chicken and the shredded Monterey Jack so the cheese could begin to cling to the other ingredients. At that point the mixture is warm and cohesive but not soupy. Finish with the chopped cilantro and taste for salt and heat.

Wrapping — a little trick I like
Lay a wrapper diamond-shaped in front of you. Spoon a modest amount of filling (about two tablespoons) near the lower corner, fold up, then fold the sides in snugly, and finish by sealing the top corner with a water or egg wash dab. Don’t overfill; I learned the hard way that too much makes sealing messy and frying hazardous. Ten to twelve wrappers yields about a dozen egg rolls depending on how generous you are with the filling.

Frying vs. baking vs. air-frying
I traditionally pan-fry in a shallow pool of neutral oil until each side is golden brown, turning carefully so the seam faces down first to seal. If you prefer less oil, brush them with oil and bake at 425°F for 12–18 minutes, flipping once. An air fryer at 390°F for about 8–10 minutes also gives excellent crunch with less fat. When I’m hosting casual gatherings, I sometimes pair these with something chilled and simple; a light sweet finish like the 2-ingredient Ninja Creami watermelon sorbet recipe balances the heat nicely.

The avocado-ranch dip (simple, creamy, tangy)
I mash one ripe avocado until mostly smooth, stir in half a cup of ranch, then thin with two tablespoons of buttermilk until it reaches a dippable consistency. Fold in two tablespoons of chopped cilantro, about 1½ teaspoons of lime juice, and season with a quarter teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Chill briefly so the flavors meld; it’s even better after 30 minutes.

Serving and timing
These are best eaten hot and freshly fried for the perfect crunch. I plate them with the avocado-ranch on the side and a lime wedge for anyone who wants extra brightness. If I’m prepping for later, I dry-cool the cooked egg rolls on a wire rack, then freeze them single-layer on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag; reheat from frozen in an air fryer at 375°F until warmed through and crisp.

A few small tips I gathered while making them

• Keep the filling cool before wrapping so the wrappers don’t get soggy.
• If you want more veggie heft, double the spinach (it mostly melts away) or add a little diced tomato for freshness—just don’t add watery ingredients that will leak.
• For less clean-up and lighter texture, the air fryer route is my go-to on weeknights.
• If you need to feed a crowd, I’ll sometimes make the filling a day ahead and wrap right before frying.

A quick troubleshooting FAQ (short)

• My wrappers split while frying: you overfilled them or folded too loosely. Use less filling and press seams firmly.
• Too oily: drain on paper towels and reduce frying time/temp slightly; consider baking.
• Dipping sauce too thick: add more buttermilk or a squeeze of lime.

Conclusion

If you want to compare a similar copycat take on these flavors, I found a useful reference at Southwestern Egg Rolls (Chili’s Copycat) – Savored Sips. One limitation I noticed is that when I use leftover shredded chicken that’s very moist, the egg rolls are harder to crisp perfectly—draining or lightly drying the meat first helps a lot.

Southwestern-Style Egg Rolls

Crispy, slightly spicy egg rolls filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and bright veggies, perfect for dipping.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 12 pieces

Course: Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine: American, Southwestern

Calories: 150

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Filling Ingredients

• 8 oz shredded cooked chicken Use already cooked chicken for quicker prep.
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed Can use canned black beans.
• 1/2 cup corn, thawed Frozen corn is suitable.
• 1/3 cup chopped spinach, thawed Fresh spinach can be doubled for more veggie content.
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 1 ea diced jalapeño Adjust heat according to taste.
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1.5 tsp fresh lime juice For the filling.
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 10-12 ea egg roll wrappers
• 2 tbsp olive oil For sautéing the filling.
• as needed l neutral oil For frying.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• 1 ea ripe avocado, mashed
• 2 tbsp buttermilk Adjust for desired consistency.
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp salt Adjust to taste.
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp lime juice From filling.

Method

 

Preparation of Filling

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet until it shimmers.
2. Add bell pepper, green onion, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened.
3. Stir in corn, black beans, and thawed spinach. Mix and heat through.
4. Add cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne. Toast spices briefly.
5. Fold in shredded chicken and Monterey Jack cheese, mixing until cohesive.
6. Finish with chopped cilantro and adjust seasoning.

Wrapping

1. Lay an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape.
2. Spoon about two tablespoons of filling near the lower corner.
3. Fold up, then fold in sides snugly.
4. Seal top corner with water or egg wash.
5. Repeat until all wrappers are filled.

Cooking

1. Fry in a shallow pool of neutral oil until golden brown on both sides.
2. Alternatively, bake at 425°F for 12-18 minutes, flipping once, or air fry at 390°F for 8-10 minutes.

Dipping Sauce Preparation

1. Mash avocado until smooth.
2. Stir in ranch and buttermilk until dippable.
3. Fold in cilantro, lime juice, and seasonings.
4. Chill before serving.

Serving

1. Serve egg rolls hot with avocado-ranch dip and lime wedges.
2. If preparing ahead, cool egg rolls on a rack, freeze, and reheat from frozen.

Notes

Keep filling cool before wrapping to avoid soggy wrappers. For a lighter option, prefer air frying. To save time, prepare filling a day ahead and wrap right before frying.