Kristin Maxwell
Published on
Crispy Southwest Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Air Fryer Egg Rolls have a flavorful southwest-style filling in a crispy, crunchy wrapper. Dunk them in a zesty dip and you’re in for a delicious appetizer!
We are a little obsessed with air fryer recipes around here. Some of our favorites: Air Fryer Cream Cheese Wontons, Air Fryer Tater Tots, and Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs. These Southwest Egg Rolls are just the latest addiction!
Crispy Southwest Egg Rolls
If you’ve ever tried Cheesecake Factory’s Southwest Egg Rolls (aka Tex Mex) you know how amazing they are. Now you can make this Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe at home in your Air Fryer!
Like the restaurant version, these egg rolls are filled with a flavorful mixture of chicken, cheese, corn, beans, and a Tex Mex seasoning blend. But they are AIR FRIED for a super crispy exterior that’s a much healthier alternative to deep frying.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Southwest Egg Rolls
- Veggies – Corn, Black Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Jalapeno Pepper, Green Onions
- Shredded Chicken – Shredded chicken breast, leftover rotisserie chicken, anything works.
- Monterey Jack Cheese – Freshly grated off the block.
- Spices – Paprika, Cumin, Chili Powder, Salt
How to Make Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer
Making egg rolls in the air fryer gives the same appearance and texture as one that was deep-fried, with a whole lot less oil! Plus it’s really easy to do.
Make the filling. Mix together veggies, black beans, shredded cheese, chicken, and seasonings in a large bowl.
Assemble. Lay out an egg roll wrapper and add about ½ cup of filling into the center of the square. Brush egg wash around the outer edges of the wrapper. Fold two opposite corners in over the filling, so the points are almost touching. Then fold another corner in so it’s covering the filling and roll the egg rolls until they’re closed, making sure it’s tightly sealed. If necessary, add a little extra egg wash to seal it.
As you roll, place the egg rolls onto a sheet pan lined with waxed or parchment paper. Don’t let them touch or they might stick together.
Air Fry. Brush the egg rolls lightly with vegetable oil. Place a few egg rolls in the air fryer basket, making sure they’re not touching each other and cook at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Use tongs to flip each piece and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Continue to cook in batches until all of the egg rolls are cooked.
Make the Southwest Egg Roll dipping sauce. The zesty dipping sauce that is included with this recipe is quite simple and adds great flavor and creaminess to the crispy egg rolls. In a small bowl, mix together sour cream, Ranch dressing, and Taco Seasoning and you’ve got a simple but zesty, creamy dip.
FAQs
Can you put frozen egg rolls in an air fryer?
Yes! Heat the air fryer to 350 degrees, and air fry for about 4 minutes. Turn up the heat to 400 degrees to crisp the exterior for 2 minutes.
Can I bake these in the oven?
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make this recipe. Prepare the egg rolls as instructed and spray with a little nonstick cooking spray first for a golden color. Bake on a parchment paper lined sheet pan at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Even better if you can use a baking rack over the sheet pan for better air flow.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve with my own zesty homemade dipping sauce (see below). You can also serve with pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce, and/or cheesy queso dip.
Although these work great as an easy appetizer, we love to make them into a meal as well. I serve them with a green salad, a bowl of fresh fruit, and some Oreo Rice Krispie Treats for dessert.
How to Store Leftovers
Allow egg rolls to cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To freeze homemade egg rolls: Cool completely, then arrange on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm; about 3-4 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer safe container and keep frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Reheating Instructions
I recommend reheating egg rolls in the air fryer. Whether they’re these homemade southwest egg rolls or the ones from your favorite take-out restaurant, using the air fryer is the way to go. Reheating in the microwave will just make them soggy.
Air Fryer Reheating: To reheat egg rolls in the air fryer, set the air fryer to 350°F and add 2-4 at a time. Each batch will take around 5 minutes, depending on the size of your air fryer and how many rolls you add to the pan.
I recommend reheating the egg rolls at a lower temperature than when cooking them for the first time. The reason for this is that the interior needs time to warm up and if you have the temperature too hot, the exterior will burn before the filling is warm.
Make Ahead and Freezing
You can also make them ahead of time, or make a double batch and freeze until you’re got a craving.
- Make a double batch of the recipe, and only air fry what you need.
- The rest, arrange on a baking sheet and flash freeze for a few hours or until firm. Then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to bake them, place a few in the air fryer and spray with cooking spray. Set the machine to 400 degrees F and cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 4-6 minutes more.
Expert Tips
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you should be able to fit 5-8 egg rolls.
- Make sure to seal the edges really well with the egg wash.
- Be patient – You don’t want to overcrowd the air fryer, so fry them in batches. They don’t take long and you can keep them warm in the oven if needed.
- Keep a damp paper towel over the rest of the eggs rolls as they wait for their turn in the fryer.
- Leftover filling can be frozen for the next time you make these, or added to a quesadilla or burrito.
More Delicious Appetizers to Try
- Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Crisps
- Spinach Dip
- Antipasto Skewers
- Creamy 5 Minute Chip Dip
If you’ve made this recipe, please come back and leave us a star rating or a comment below. Or, tag us on social media @yellowblissroad or #yellowblissroad for a chance to be featured.
Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls
Air Fryer Southwest Egg Rolls have a flavorful chicken filling in a crispy wrapper. They cook in minutes and are much healthier than fried.
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen or canned (drained)
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely diced jalapeno pepper
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 3 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Egg Rolls
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 12 egg roll wrappers
- Vegetable oil
Zesty Dip
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup buttermilk ranch dressing or light ranch dressing
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn, black beans, bell pepper, jalapenos, green onions, chicken, cheese and seasonings; set aside.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the egg and water.
- Scoop ½ cup of the chicken mixture onto an egg roll wrapper. Brush the egg wash around the outside of the egg roll. Fold in two sides of the wrapper so the points almost touch. Then fold the top in and tightly roll up the egg roll and place on a sheet pan lined with waxed or parchment paper. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken mixture.
- Lightly brush each egg roll with vegetable oil. Place egg rolls in an air fryer and cook at 375°F for 5 minutes. Make sure there is space between each egg roll – cook in batches if needed.
- Use a tongs to flip the egg rolls and continue cooking for 3-5 more minutes or until the exterior is golden brown and crispy. (Cooking times can vary greatly depending on the brand and size of your air fryer. I did four at a time at 375°F and it took between 8-10 minutes total.)
- While the egg rolls are in the air fryer, combine the sour cream, ranch dressing and taco seasoning to make the zesty dip. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Optional Zesty Dip
- In a small bowl, combine sour cream, ranch dressing and taco seasoning for the zesty dip. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve the egg rolls warm with zesty dip on the side.
Notes
Storage: Allow to cool completely before storing. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: Cool completely, then arrange on a baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm; about 3-4 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag or freezer safe container and keep frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
Air Fryer Reheating: To reheat egg rolls in the air fryer, set the air fryer to 350°F and add 2-4 at a time. Each batch will take around 5 minutes, depending on the size of your air fryer and how many rolls you add to the pan.
Do not reheat in the microwave, or they will become soggy.
Make Ahead: Make a double batch of the recipe, and only air fry what you need. Arrange the rest on a baking sheet and flash freeze for a few hours or until firm. Then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to bake them, place a few in the air fryer and spray with cooking spray. Set the machine to 400 degrees F and cook for 6 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 4-6 minutes more.
Nutrition
Serving: 2egg rollsCalories: 221kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 16gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 391mgPotassium: 188mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 619IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 227mgIron: 2mg
This recipe is spot on for the air fryer. I used the basic recipe and measurements. I used 2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese and 1 cup mild cheddar. I used an orange and red pepper. I did add cilantro and lime juice to the mixture. I seasoned my chicken breast and cooked them in a cast iron skillet first and got a good char on the outside. Then shredded the chicken and mixed everything together, wrapped in wrappers as directed and cooked in the air fryer. I did preheat the air fryer and 10 minutes was perfect with flipping the egg rolls at 5 minutes.
I also made the spicy dipping sauce. We used sweet Thai chili sauce as well which I preferred. The sweetness went well with the heat and savoriness of the egg rolls. I had enough egg rolls left over that I am going to wrap and freeze. These will be fantastic heated up in the air fryer and served on Game Day.
I did have a picture to share but did not see a spot to upload to.
Thanks for the great feedback Sharon. So glad you enjoyed these!
Exactly what I’ve been looking for since they took the TGIF ones off the market in the freezer case these were not that hard and came out really great! I will make often❤️
Nice! Love the feedback Jenny, thanks for stopping by.
K.
Best egg rolls ever, I couldn’t believe how delicious these were from my air fryer
I’ll never cook in oil again!!.
Love the feedback Pgreen! Thanks for stopping by.
These were fantastic! The whole family loved them. I used fire roasted canned corn. Definitely will make them again!
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Rachel.
Can you use ground chicken cooked up in place of the shredded chicken?
Yes you could use ground chicken. Be sure to drain as much liquid as possible first.
I tried this recipe tonight but instead of precooked chicken, I used ground turkey and cooked it with the veggies, taco seasoning, mexican cheese, and some cilantro in place of the jalapeños because that’s what I had on hand. Other than the ‘grease’ factor, they were a huge hit, dipping sauce included! We really enjoyed them, but next time I will probably stick to chicken as this will decrease the amount of grease produced. I made 6 larger egg rolls since it was for a meal and not an appetizer. I will make them again!
Awesome feedback Christina! Thanks for stopping by.