SOUTHWESTERN EGG ROLLS

These Southwestern Egg Rolls are a family favorite – filled with chicken, corn, beans, spinach and tex-mex spices. Serve with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce.

I got this recipe from my sister, but if you do a google search, you will come up with hundreds of recipes. Most of them are basically the same, so you really can’t go wrong. Don’t skip on the dipping sauce, though, and don’t think that some bottled dressing will substitute, because then you will really be missing out! The recipe says to fry these, but I like to fry them for only a minute or two on each side, put them on a baking sheet, and then let them spend 15-20 minutes in the oven. My other hint is about the tortillas. I used to always make these with the normal flour tortillas you buy at the grocery store, but then my husband introduced me to some tortillas (I find them at Costco) that are raw flour tortillas. You just cook them for a few minutes on each side and then you have fresh tortillas. I think I like these better for a few reasons. First, you can just under-cook them, which makes them easier to work with and they continue to cook during the fry/bake. Secondly, they are a lot thinner than the normal pre-made tortillas. And third – they just taste a whole lot better!!

SOUTHWESTERN EGG ROLLS WITH AVOCADO RANCH DIPPING SAUCE

DESCRIPTION

These Southwestern Egg Rolls are a family favorite – filled with chicken, corn, beans, spinach and tex-mex spices. Serve with Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce.

INGREDIENTS

EGG ROLLS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts,cut into small bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons minced red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced green onion
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 tablespoons diced jalapeños
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 5 8-inch flour tortillas
• vegetable oil, for frying

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 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• dash of dried dill weed
• dash of garlic powder
• dash of pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE EGG ROLLS:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked thorough. Add the bell pepper and onion and cook for another 3 minutes, until the vegetables are just softened.
2. Add the corn, black beans, spinach, jalapenos, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Monterey Jack cheese.
3. Wrap the tortillas in a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high for approximately 1 minute, until soft and pliable.
4. Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold in the ends, then roll tightly around the mixture. Secure with toothpicks, if needed. Place the egg rolls in a dish or on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until cold. (I think they are best when they are refrigerated for 24 hours.)
5. When ready to cook, place a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
6. Heat about 1-inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet until about 350º. Working in batches, cook the egg rolls until browned on each side, then transfer to the cooling rack. When all of the egg rolls are fried, transfer them to the oven to bake for about 15 minutes, until heated through.
7. Alternately, you can just bake these – spray the tops with nonstick cooking spray then bake until warmed through and the tortillas are crispy, 20-25 minutes.
8. Cut each egg roll in half and serve with the Avocado Ranch Dipping Sauce.

FOR THE AVOCADO RANCH DIPPING SAUCE:

1. Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Keep refrigerated.

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