These egg rolls are better than the ones at Chili’s! Don’t take my word for it, take my family’s praise. Chili’s blends diced chicken, black beans, sweet corn, jalapeño jack cheese and red bell peppers rolled into a flour tortilla and deep fried. They are sliced on the bias and served with a creamy Avocado Ranch sauce. I made mine with egg roll wrappers for a thin and crisy version. Once you make these at home, you won’t enjoy them any other way.
HERE’S HOW I MADE THEM
Start with a rotisserie chicken. I used the meat of two thighs and legs, mostly because I wanted the white meat for my Chicken, Gnocchi and Spinach soup. I shredded the meat then I diced it to have all the ingredients about the same size. Combine the chicken with some sweet corn, black beans, red onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño jack cheese and taco seasoning mix. For added heat, I would add diced jalapeños or green chiles, but my family doesn’t do spicy. They don’t know what they are missing! I serve some hot sauce or diced jalapeños on a side as a good compromise.
Once the filling ingredients have been combined, you can start to wrap the egg rolls. These Nasoya vegan egg rolls are very thin and fry up crispy. I love them! Place a wrap on the counter with a corner facing you. Add about 2 Tablespoons of filling just below the center and fold the bottom up and over the filling.
The tricky part of the egg roll is folding the sides so the filling doesn’t spill out when you fry it. Once you fold one side, press the corner slightly to secure the fold, then fold over the other side. Moisten your finger in water and moisten the top corner. This will help seal the egg roll.
Roll the egg roll over and seal closed. Transfer to a plate, seam side down. Repeat steps until all egg rolls have been made and freeze the rolls for 15-20 minutes.
Note: After flash freezing, you can transfer to a freezer safe bag for up to three months. Slightly thaw before frying. This works great when you’re feeding hungry kids or you’re planning a party. I would make the sauce the day before though.
Add enough canola or vegetable oil to a frying pan to cover two-thirds of the egg roll in oil. Heat the oil to 325°F over medium to high heat. Once the oil is ready, fry the egg rolls in batches. My pan size allowed four egg rolls at a time, so I fried three batches.
Note: Use tongs to add, turn and remove the egg rolls from the pan. You’ll have better grasping control when handling the rolls and avoid and hot oil spatters or burns.
When the edges begin to golden, turn and fry on the other side. Remove once golden and drain on a paper bag.
Allow them to cool enough for you to cut them on a bias (diagonal) and transfer onto a serving plate. You can also serve them whole. Serve with an easy Avocado Ranch Sauce. This recipe yielded 12 egg rolls. If you’re hosting more guests or have hungry savages, double the recipe.
EASY AVOCADO RANCH SAUCE
In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of your favorite ranch dressing, 1/2 Hass avocado, 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, juice of 1/2 a lime and a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Blitz until you have desired consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.
Southwestern Egg Rolls (Chili’s Copycat)
Made with fresh ingredients and wrapped in a thin egg roll wrapper, these egg rolls are better than the restaurant ones. Serve with a creamy Avocado Ranch dressing for a creamy and crunchy bite.
Ingredients
- enough canola or vegetable oil for frying
EGG ROLLS
- 1 lb. packet egg roll wraps
- shred & dice meat of 2 chicken legs and thighs, bones and skin removed
- ¾ cup Jalapeño Jack cheese prefer Cabot brand
- ½ cup sweet corn, frozen
- ½ cup black beans, canned drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- ¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons Taco seasoning mix
- optional: 2 Tablespoons finely diced jalapeños or chopped green chiles for an extra kick
EASY AVOCADO RANCH DIPPING SAUCE
- ½ cup your favorite ranch dressing
- ½ Hass avocado, ripe
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- juice ½ lime
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
MAKING THE EGG ROLLS
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Combine chicken, cheese, corn, black beans, red onion, red bell pepper, taco seasoning in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Note: You want the chicken diced into small bite size pieces so all the ingredients are about the same size. For a spicier version, add finely diced jalapeños or green chiles.
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Place an egg roll wrap on the counter with a corner facing toward you. Add 2 Tablespoons of filling just below the center and fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Lightly press corner down.
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Fold one side and lightly press the corner to seal the fold. Repeat on other side. Moisten your finger in water and moisten the top seam. Flip egg roll over until completely wrapped and sealed. Transfer to plate, seam side down. Repeat until all egg rolls have been wrapped. Place the egg rolls in the freezer for 15 minutes to set.
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Add enough canola or vegetable oil to a frying pan to cover two-thirds of the egg roll. You're not submerging the egg rolls. You may need to fry the egg rolls in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and the egg rolls won't crisp properly.
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Fry on one side until the edges are golden, turn and fry on other side until golden crisp. Egg rolls will take about 5 minutes per batch. It's important to use tongs to handle the egg rolls when placing in the pan, turning and removing. Tongs will give you a better grip without piercing the egg rolls.
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Transfer onto a paper bag to drain excess oil.
EASY AVOCADO RANCH DIPPING SAUCE
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In a food processor, blitz ranch dressing, Hass avocado, fresh cilantro, a good pinch of kosher salt and black pepper until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
Recipe Notes
If making ahead, once flash frozen for 15 minutes, transfer the egg rolls to a freezer safe bag and freeze up to 3 months or until ready to enjoy. Thaw slightly before frying.
