Southwest Egg Rolls (Printable)

Crispy fried rolls filled with spiced chicken, beans, corn, and cheese for a zesty handheld appetizer.

# What You Need:

→ Filling

01 - 1 cup cooked chicken breast, finely diced or shredded
02 - 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
03 - 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
04 - 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
07 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

→ Assembly

14 - 12 egg roll wrappers
15 - 1 egg, beaten for sealing

→ For Frying

16 - Vegetable oil for deep frying

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, black beans, corn, red bell pepper, red onion, cheese, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and lime juice. Mix until evenly combined.
02 - Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface with a corner facing you in diamond orientation. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the lower third of the wrapper.
03 - Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both sides. Brush the top corner with beaten egg, then roll up tightly to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.
04 - Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or fryer to 350°F.
05 - Fry the egg rolls in batches without overcrowding for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.
06 - Remove egg rolls and drain on paper towels. Let cool slightly before serving with salsa, guacamole, or ranch dressing.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The filling comes together in about ten minutes but tastes like something you spent all afternoon planning
  • Freezes beautifully so you can always have homemade appetizers ready for unexpected guests
02 -
  • Dry your filling ingredients thoroughly because excess water creates steam and makes the wrappers blister
  • The egg wash seal really does matter so do not skip brushing that top corner
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to check your oil temperature because guessing never works out well
  • Let the filling cool completely before wrapping or you will have wrappers that tear

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