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Cozy Weekend Project: Copycat Chili’s Southwestern Eggrolls

Copycat Chili’s Southwestern Eggrolls

Crispy, golden eggrolls stuffed with seasoned chicken, black beans, sweetcorn, and melted mozzarella, served with a creamy avocado-lime dipping sauce.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g boneless skinless chicken breast, diced into small cubes
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium red bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper finely diced
  • 1 small red onion finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 400 g tin of black beans drained and rinsed
  • 200 g sweetcorn kernels tinned or frozen, thawed
  • 150 g grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 packet approx 12 sheets of eggroll wrappers (look for 20cm x 20cm squares)
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying
For the dip: 1 ripe avocado, 100ml plain yoghurt, juice of 1 lime, a handful of fresh coriander, salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Cook the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high flame. Add the diced chicken and let it sear for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pieces turn a pale gold and you can hear a steady, gentle sizzle. The chicken should feel firm to the touch and release a nutty, browned aroma.
  2. Sweat the vegetables: Tumble in the diced red and green bell peppers, red onion, and minced garlic. Stir everything together and cook for another 5 minutes. The peppers will soften and become fragrant, and the onions will turn translucent, releasing a sweet, savoury smell that mingles with the cumin and paprika.
  3. Season and combine: Sprinkle over the cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir for one minute until the spices are well distributed and the mixture looks deep brick-red. Tip in the drained black beans and sweetcorn, and cook for 2 more minutes, until the beans are warmed through. The filling should be thick, not watery, with a rich, earthy scent.
  4. Cool and add cheese: Remove the pan from the heat and let the filling cool for 10 minutes. Stir through the grated mozzarella. The residual heat will melt the cheese into the mixture, creating a creamy, cohesive filling that will hold together beautifully when rolled.
  5. Assemble the eggrolls: Lay an eggroll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner pointing towards you. Place a heaped tablespoon of filling in the centre. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold in the two side corners tightly. Roll upwards firmly, sealing the top corner with a dab of water. Repeat until all the filling is used. You should see a neat, tight package with no gaps.
  6. Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan to a depth of about 5cm. Heat it over a medium flame until a small piece of bread dropped in sizzles immediately and turns golden in about 30 seconds (roughly 175°C). The oil should shimmer, not smoke.
  7. Fry in batches: Gently lower 3-4 eggrolls into the hot oil, seam-side down. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the wrappers are a deep, even golden-brown. You will hear a satisfying crackle as they hit the oil, and the kitchen will fill with the toasty scent of fried dough. Drain on kitchen paper.
  8. Make the dip: While the eggrolls rest, halve the avocado, scoop the flesh into a blender, and add the yoghurt, lime juice, coriander, and a pinch of salt. Blitz until smooth and pale green. Taste and adjust the salt or lime as needed.

Notes

For a lighter version, you can bake the eggrolls at 200°C for 12-15 minutes, brushing with oil, instead of deep frying.