Southwestern Egg Rolls

This is one of my very favorite recipes. Amanda made these for a Sunday dinner back when she and Mason lived in Utah, and I was lucky enough to partake. They were so so good, and I knew I had to have the recipe.

I know the ingredient list looks long, but don't let that deter you from trying these. I usually make a big batch and keep them in the freezer. They are easy to grab and take to work, or perfect for a quick weeknight dinner. I've never deep fried them as the recipe directs. I will just bake, or sometimes microwave them, depending on how hungry I am.

Southwestern Egg Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast half
• 2 Tbs minced green onion
• 2 Tbs minced red bell pepper
• 1/3 c frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 c black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 Tbs frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 2 Tbs diced jalapeno peppers
• 1/2 Tbs minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 5 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 1 quart oil for deep frying
  

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook chicken approximately 5 minutes per side, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in green onion and red pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Dice chicken and mix into the pan with onion and red pepper. Mix in corn, black beans, spinach, jalapeno peppers, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until well blended and tender. Remove from heat and stir in Monterey Jack cheese so that it melts.
4. Wrap tortillas with a clean, lightly moist cloth. Microwave on high approximately 1 minute or until hot and pliable.
5. Spoon even amounts of the mixture into each tortilla. Fold ends of tortillas, then roll tightly around mixture. Secure with wet toothpicks. Arrange in medium dish, cover with plastic, and place in the freezer. Freeze at least 4 hours.
6. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil for deep frying to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry frozen, stuffed tortillas for 10 minutes each, or until dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving. (Instead of deep frying, you can bake them in the oven at 425 degrees F for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.)