Southwest Egg Rolls

Homemade egg rolls with an avocado crema on the side.

5 from 4 votes

Southwest Egg Rolls

These oven-baked Southwest egg rolls are a true fiesta loaded with bell peppers, corn, chicken, and served with a side of avocado crema.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: southwest egg rolls

Servings: egg rolls

Author: Katerina | Diethood

Equipment

Ingredients

For the egg rolls:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion diced
1 medium red bell pepper diced
1 pound ground chicken
1½ cups canned corn drained and rinsed
1½ cups canned black beans drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 package egg roll wrappers
vegetable oil for brushing
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
water for sealing the egg rolls

For the dressing:

½ avocado
¼ cup Mexican crema
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ to 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
salt to taste

Instructions

Prep. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the onions and peppers. Place the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and stir well. Let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Stir the bell peppers into the pan and let them cook for 4 minutes or until softened.
Cook the chicken. Add the ground chicken to the pan, season it with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and let it cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Use a spatula to help break up the meat.
Stir in the corn and beans. Add the canned corn and beans. Mix to combine and let everything cook for another 3 minutes or until warm.
Season the chicken mixture. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Stir well and season with salt to taste. Remove the filling from the heat and set it aside to cool.
Make the egg rolls. Extend an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface. Add 2 tablespoons of filling and 1/2 tablespoon of cheese on the top 1/3 of the wrapper. Wrap the left and right sides inward around the filling. Grab the empty side of the wrapper and fold it over the filling, tucking it in as you roll the egg roll. Moisten the end with water to seal the egg rolls. Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Place the egg rolls on the baking sheet, leaving at least 1 inch of space between them. Brush the egg rolls with vegetable oil before baking.
Bake. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Use kitchen tongs to flip the egg rolls over and brush them with more vegetable oil. Bake for another 5 minutes and flip them over again. Repeat this until golden and crunchy on all sides. The total baking time should be around 15 to 20 minutes.
Make the avocado crema. Meanwhile, add the avocado, crema, cilantro, jalapeño, and milk to a blender. Process the mixture to a smooth consistency. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if needed. Season with salt to taste. Pour it into a small bowl and set it aside.
Finish and serve. Remove the egg rolls from the oven, transfer them to a serving plate, and serve with the avocado crema on the side.

Notes

I used ground chicken for these egg rolls, but feel free to use ground beef or pork, or you could also use shredded baked chicken.
The vegetables in this recipe are the usual mix of veggies used in other tex-mex inspired recipes. If you want to add different types, chop them up the same size, so they cook evenly.
If you don't have Mexican-blend shredded cheese, you can use shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or whatever else you have on hand or prefer.
The Avocado Crema is optional, but I highly recommend it. The cool, smooth creaminess adds a wonderful contrast to the crunchy, spiced egg rolls.
If you want to cook the egg rolls in the Air Fryer, preheat the Air Fryer to 320˚F, arrange the egg rolls in the basket, brush them with oil, and cook them for about 5 minutes; flip them over and cook for 3 more minutes or until golden brown.

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