Southwestern Egg Rolls

I was totally going to make these for my daughter's Girl Scouts Christmas party the other night.

You know...right before I landed in the hospital and didn't make anything to send with her.  *sigh*

Too bad, because I was really looking forward to making an extra-big batch so that I could freeze a bunch for our family for later.  These guys might just be my favorite appetizer to keep on hand! After assembling the egg rolls I lay them flat on wax paper in the freezer and transfer them to a freezer bag after they have completely frozen.  They're equally as delicious and convenient as bite-size treats made with wonton wrappers.

There is literally nothing I don't like about them!  I mean- what's not to like?

Chicken, black beans, corn, Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeños...yum!

Did I mention that my husband the spinach-hater didn't even notice it was in there?

I love how flavorful these are, and they have the perfect ratio of veggies, meat, and cheese.

When I've made this recipe in the past I've multiplied it many times over so I had enough left over to freeze for later.  Totally up to you- but if you're feeding a group or want leftovers I'd definitely recommend making a big batch!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

From Allrecipes.com

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves- cooked and diced

 1/4 C minced green onion

1/4 C minced red bell pepper

2/3 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 C frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 C diced jalapeno peppers

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1  teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1 1/2 C shredded Monterey Jack cheese

15 Egg roll wrappers

1 quart oil for deep frying

1. Heat 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. Mix chicken 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. Spoon 3-4 Tbsp of the mixture into each egg roll wrapper. Fold ends of egg rolls, then roll tightly around mixture. Moisten seams to seal.

5. In a large, deep skillet, heat oil for deep frying to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry frozen, stuffed egg rolls 10 minutes each, or until dark golden brown. Drain on paper towels before serving.