Ground Chicken Air-Fried Southwest Egg Rolls

Our family LOVES Mexican food! We eat it in some form almost every week. This is a fun way and tasty way to enjoy it. The ingredient list may look long, but don't be deterred. This recipe is flexible and you may feel free to use whatever veggies you have on hand. Anything you would put in a taco can go into these tasty southwest egg rolls.

Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole, and Mexican rice for a complete meal.

Step 1: If using jalapeno, deseed and finely chop.

Step 2: Heat up a large pan (I love using a well-seasoned cast iron pan) and add 2 tsp. oil to the pan with the garlic and jalapeno. Saute the ingredients until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Step 3: Add ground chicken and half of the garlic salt, cumin, and chili powder (I like to mix the other half of the spices with the vegetable mixture). Saute the ground chicken until cooked. Drain, if needed, and set aside.

Step 4: Dice the red pepper and red onion, and chop the red cabbage, spinach, and cilantro. Reserve 1/2 the cilantro for garnish. Mix the remaining cilantro, garlic salt, cumin, chili powder, and vegetables in a large bowl. Taste the filling mixture and adjust the seasoning, salt, and pepper to your liking.

Step 5: Add the drained and rinsed black beans, corn, cheese, and ground chicken to the vegetable mixture. Mix well.

Step 6: Prepare the air-fryer basket or pan with your favorite cooking spray or oil so the egg rolls don't stick. I used a little olive oil spray.

Step 7: Begin preparing your egg rolls. You'll need a small bowl of water to use when rolling. Lay one of the egg roll wrappers on a clean, dry cutting board with a point downward towards you (so it is like a diamond shape). Add a couple of generous tablespoons of the filling mixture to the bottom third of the wrapper. 

Roll the bottom point of the wrapper up and over the mixture tucking it under the mixture. Next, dip your fingers into the bowl of water so they are damp, and brush them over the right and left corners of the wrapper. Then, fold the left and right sides toward the center and gently press down. The water will help the wrapper stick to itself. The egg roll will look like a little envelope. Continue rolling the egg roll up like you would a burrito. Using your fingers, brush the tip of the wrapper with some water and seal the egg roll.

Step 8: Line up as many southwest egg rolls as will fit on your air-fryer pan without crowding them.

Step 9: Cook the southwest egg rolls at 380℉ for about 7 minutes then turn and cook another 6-7 minutes, depending on your air-fryer and desired crispiness. My family told me my egg rolls could have been air-fried a bit more because they like them crunchier. I also tested baking a batch in the oven at 375℉ for 11 minutes and then turning them and baking for another 5 minutes. Overall, we preferred the egg rolls air-fried.

The center photo below is the air-fried egg rolls at the halfway point. The right half has been turned over so you can see the difference before finishing the air-fry. The far right photo shows half the egg rolls turned over at the halfway point of baking.

Step 10: Remove from the air-fryer and serve hot with salsa, cheese, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, sour cream, and Mexican rice.

NOTES:

• Store any uneaten air-fried egg rolls in an air-tight container. Reheat in the air-fryer for 4-5 minutes at 350F or until desired temp and crispiness.

• The filling mixture can be saved in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days for easy make-on-demand southwest egg rolls.

Recipe by Victoria Cook:

Victoria is a home cook turned host and cook for 100+ episodes of a private cooking show for wellness practitioners and their patients. As a lover of ethnic cuisines, she uses a variety of spices and fresh ingredients to make flavorful healthy meals for her husband and son. She loves to challenge herself with new recipes and if she can make them in an electric pressure cooker, she’s even happier.