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Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls Recipe
Chili's Southwestern Eggrolls
By Todd Wilbur

Recipe Type: Appetizer
Calories: 810
Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
Recipe Rating: 4.9 (16 reviews)
 

Menu Description: "Smoked chicken, black beans, corn, jalapeno Jack cheese, red peppers and spinach wrapped inside a crispy flour tortilla. We serve it with our avocado-ranch dipping sauce."

Chili's was the first chain to popularize the Southwestern-style eggroll, but as with any successful menu item, clones have been popping up on other major chains' appetizer menus over the past several years. Even though it's more like a small chimichanga than an eggroll, this appetizer is a fabulous creation with monster flavor. A flour tortilla is stuffed with a spicy blend of corn, green onions, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, Monterey Jack cheese and spices; then it's deep-fried. Slice the rolls diagonally, dunk the wedges into a creamy avocado ranch sauce, and you've done your taste buds a solid. Make these several hours before you plan to serve them so that they can freeze before frying (it's a great dish to make a day ahead of a party or event). This freezing step will help the outside fry to a golden brown, but the eggrolls will stay folded, and oil won't seep in. Assembling the eggrolls takes a little time, so if you like these, I suggest making a double batch. Since you'll be freezing them, you'll have extra on hand in the freezer ready to cook with just a little additional effort.

Source: "Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2" by Todd Wilbur.

1 skinless chicken breast fillet
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced green onion
1/3 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 tablespoons diced, canned jalapeno peppers
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash cayenne pepper
3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
five 7-inch flour tortillas
1 egg, beaten
6 to 10 cups vegetable oil or shortening (amount required by your fryer)

Avocado-Ranch Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup smashed, fresh avocado (about half of an avocado)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
dash dried dill weed
dash garlic powder
dash pepper

Garnish
2 tablespoons chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped onion

1. Preheat barbecue grill to high heat.

2. Rub the chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on the barbecue for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.

3. Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat.

4. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and saute for a couple minutes until tender.

5. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan. Cook for another 4 minutes. Stir well so that the spinach breaks up and is incorporated into the mixture.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

7. Wrap the tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot.

8. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tight, but before you finish rolling brush beaten egg on the inside edge of the tortilla. Finish rolling the eggroll, then set the eggroll on the "glued" flap until the egg sets. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls.  Arrange the eggrolls on a plate with the sealed edges down, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

9. While the eggrolls freeze prepare the avocado-ranch dipping sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

10. Preheat 6 to 10 cups of oil or shortening to 350 degrees F.

11. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 10 to 12 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.

12. Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce. Garnish the dipping sauce with the chopped tomato and onion.

Serves 3 to 4 as an appetizer.

        
Cherie'  
Submitted on 02/20/13
The sauce is the best sauce i have ever tasted for tex-mex. I use it in my quesadillas, tacos, everything! I made the egg rolls and food saved the extras, they are great. I baked them in the oven and broiled them just before done to get crispy, it was excellent. I fried some also and they were great as well, if your are not over 30 and watching your weight lol.
Julianna  
Submitted on 02/14/13
I did not freeze mine first and they turned out wonderful. I hoped they would be good because I invited friends over tonight. We are all impressed. Friends want to know when I make them again.
Marianne Smith  
Submitted on 01/25/12
I made this last night, cooked them today. They were just like the restaurant version. I don't have a deep fryer, so I just fried them up in a skillet. Next time I will thaw them out before frying because the insides were still cold. But I finished them up in the microwave, and they were just fine. I also didn't have any parsley, so I used cilantro instead. Yummy!
Stamperln  
Submitted on 11/19/07
Wonderful---Just like the resturant.
Aubrie in Utah  
Submitted on 12/15/06
I made these for my family and they couldn't get enough of them. I used green peppers because I didn't have red peppers and it turned out just as good. I like the avocado in the dipping sauce chunky instead of mashed, but it's good either way.
monaejet  
Submitted on 12/14/06
This is a carbon copy. We have been eating these for years. Now i don't have to drive miles to get them.
wumpy  
Submitted on 03/30/06
We used to get these frozen fro Sams club and from Schwanns although they were under the Fridays name. Tasted the same as Chilis. They no longer carry these and we don't have a local Chilis so we resorted to this. They are great. Lots of prep time but if you make a 4X batch it isn't bad. Only changes we made was to use fresh spinich and cilantro to give that southwestern flavor.
Kat  
Submitted on 02/18/06
These are the bomb! I lost my recipe and was thrilled to see all the recipes brought back and available for single purchase at cheap prices! Thanks Todd!
anna  
Submitted on 12/21/05
This is one of my all time favorites!
Carrie in Orlando  
Submitted on 10/06/05
I've been making these for years. Since the first time I ate them in the restaurant, I had to make them. Copying the item despcription (from their menu) I went home and duplicated them! A year or so later I found your website and tweeked my recipe with your help! Hey we make a great team! They're perfect! My daughter's favorite! My sister says, "why go to Chili's when I can just come here!"
Bri  
Submitted on 09/20/05
Great recipe. I would make double or triple the recipe, just so i could have them anytime. Great for entertaining. Preparation is a little involved.
Dave in CT  
Submitted on 09/16/05
We've been making these since I first found this website years ago. Their g r e a t but labor intensive. We overcame this by making a huge batch, (X 4 or X6), and freezing a bunch. Absolutely worth the effort ! ! !
Lesa  
Submitted on 09/14/05
Excellent...but for a faster version, I used those crispy ready to fill cups you find in the frozen section of your grocery store and drizzled the sauce on top.
mhills02  
Submitted on 09/04/05
Awesome!!! These are just like Chili's. My family loved them. They do take some time since you should freeze for some time before frying. But well worth the effort!! Make double so you have some you can keep in the freezer.
Eva in San Antonio, TX  
Submitted on 08/16/05
Awesome! Just like the real deal! Admit it... you paid off one of the chef's to get the recipe,right? haha!
Hayley in SC  
Submitted on 07/23/05
My husband and I love Chili's eggrolls, and this recipe is very close to the real thing. The only downside that I could find was that it took alot of prep work to get the filling made, wrapped, and then cooked. Otherwise, if you don't mind taking the time, the taste is great.