Juicy chicken, melted Pepper Jack cheese, black beans, bell peppers, and corn seasoned with southwest-inspired seasonings and fried to crispy PERFECTION! You can fry, air fry, or bake these EASY egg rolls which are a Chili's Restaurant copycat. The quick creamy mashed avocado ranch dipping sauce is the perfect final touch!
2cupsshredded Pepper Jack cheeseor shredded Monterey Jack
1cupfresh spinach
½cupcornthaw it if using frozen and drain, drain it if using canned
½cupcanned black beansdrained and rinsed (I use no-salt added)
⅓cupred bell peppersdiced small
2teaspoonlime juice
Wrappers
12taco size flour tortillasabout 4 to 5-inches in diameter OR egg roll wrappers
Avocado Ranch
½cupmashed avocadofrom about half of a large ripe avocado
½cupranch salad dressing
3tablespoonsfresh cilantrofinely minced
2 ½tablespoonssour creamplain Greek yogurt may be substituted
1teaspoonlime juice
½teaspoonsaltor to taste
¼teaspoongarlic powder
¼teaspoononion powder
¼teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Filling
To a large bowl, add the chicken, all the spices, salt, and stir to combine.
Add the cheese, spinach, corn, beans, bell peppers, lime juice, and stir to combine.
Assembly
If you're using tortillas rather than egg roll wrappers, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and heat on high power for 30 seconds to soften them and make them more pliable and less prone to tearing.
Place about 1/4 cup of the filling in the center of the tortilla or egg roll wrapper.
Fold the outsider sides toward the middle and then roll up. Repeat the process until the filling has been used, or about 12 egg rolls
Brush the top edge of each with a bit of water to seal.
After all tortillas are rolled, let them sit for 1 minute before frying to allow the water to stick the edges together. Meanwhile whisk together the dip.
Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce
In a medium bowl, mash the avocado with a fork, add all remaining ingredients, and stir to incorporate. Tip - For a very smooth sauce you can add it to the canister of a high speed blender or blend it with an immersion blender, but this is optional. Set sauce aside.
Cooking
Frying – Traditional frying, with either vegetable or canola oil. This method produces the crispiest and best tasting egg rolls in my opinion. No, it’s not as healthy but they sure taste good and the crispy factor is out of this world. You just really want to sink your teeth into these egg rolls! Add enough oil to a large skillet so it's about 3 deep, and heat it to 375F. You should use a digital clip on thermometer and not guess the temperature. Place 4 egg rolls into the oil, and fry for about 1 minute, flip, and fry for 1 more minute, or until golden brown. Repeat the process in two more batches. Don't overcrowd the pan. Place cooked egg rolls on paper towels.
Air Frying – This method is a runner up for me. Not quite as crispy, but definitely healthier, and your house won’t smell as profusely of fried food after the fact. Heat an air fryer with an XL basket to 375F, place the egg rolls in the air fryer basket, spray them generously with nonstick cooking spray, and air fry for 5 minutes. Flip them over, spray again, and air fry for about 5 more minutes, or until golden brown and ready.
Oven Baking – This method doesn’t produce very crispy egg rolls, however it’s the same “healthiness level” as air frying since you’re only spritzing with cooking spray like in the above method. Preheat your oven to 475F, place the egg rolls on a nonstick baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray them. Also spritz the egg rolls with the nonstick spray and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip them over, spray again, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown and ready.
Notes
*Chicken Options:To save time and make this recipe as easy as possible, store bought rotisserie chicken is what I usually go with.You can also make my easy Poached Chicken recipe and either shred or cube it.Another great one is 20-Minute Perfect Oven Baked Chicken or this 20-Minute Baked Lime Cilantro Chicken has a perfect flavor profile for the southwestern-inspired ingredients.Most any leftover chicken you have on hand will also work. You only need 1 1/2 cups.You can also use shredded or cubed cooked turkey if you have leftover turkey on hand.StorageLeftover egg rolls will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. For best and most crispy reheating results, if you have an air fryer, reheat the leftovers in it. If you don't, you can microwave them, noting they'll lose crispiness. Extra Avocado Ranch Dip will keep airtight for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, but may oxidize and darken as time passes, although the taste should remain unchanged.