They're baked, not fried...but you'd NEVER know it! A quick and healthy dinner or a fun party appetizer, these Skinny Southwestern Egg Rolls are crispy on the outside, stuffed with a cheesy chicken filling, and perfect for dipping! Plus, with only 106 calories per egg roll, you can indulge your cravings -- guilt free!
Healthy Low Prep Egg Rolls
That's right, friends...a low-calorie, EASY, baked egg roll that my family CANNOT get enough of!
And it gets better...you can prep these in advance, so if you're hosting a party or if you're scrambling to pull together a healthy dinner on a busy weeknight, these will wait for you in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake them. Great sanity saver!!
Ever since Keith and the boys (plus YOU readers!) devoured and raved about my Skinny Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Rolls ages ago, I have been meaning to come up with another twist on the favorite.
I had kind of put it off and forgotten about it, though, until I was struck with new inspiration when Keith and I had a date night dinner at Chili's when we were doing some last-minute Christmas shopping for the kids.
Since the restaurant was crowded that night and we were in a hurry, we sat at the bar for a quick meal.
While sipping our drinks and chatting, we watched plate after plate of appetizers come out to the bar...and most of them included the restaurant's Southwestern Egg Rolls.
And here you have it...my own healthier twist on the obviously popular app at Chili's, which I actually serve for dinner in our house.
A nice salad, some corn, or some chips and salsa all work great as easy sides to round out the meal. And don't forget the salsa, guacamole, and sour cream for dipping!
Tips for Making Eggs Rolls Healthier
- Bake them instead of frying. A ton of fat and calories are reduced by doing this and they're still super crispy.
- Use low-fat cheese.
- Use a light cooking spray to grease a baking tray and spray the top of the egg rolls, this helps you control the amount of oil.
- Add extra veggies to the filling for more nutritional value.
How to Make Southwestern Egg Rolls
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Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, toss together chicken, taco seasoning, corn, beans, and salsa.
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Spoon chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper. Top with about 1 teaspoon of cheese.
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Fold sides toward center and roll tightly. Tip: Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use. Place seam-side down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
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Spray tops of egg rolls with cooking spray (this will help them turn golden brown and crispy in the oven).
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Bake until lightly browned.
Looking for other delicious party food? Try these:
- 4-Ingredient Chicken Taquitos
- Slow Cooker Mesquite Smokehouse Snack Mix
- Crispy {Baked} Dr. Pepper Barbecue Wings
Skinny Southwestern Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely diced cooked chicken
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- ¼ cup corn
- ¼ cup canned black beans drained
- 4 tablespoons salsa plus additional for dipping
- 16 teaspoons 1.33 ounces reduced-fat 4 Cheese Mexican blend shredded cheese
- 8 egg roll wraps I use Nasoya brand, which I find in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store near the vegetarian meats like tofu
- Garnish: sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together chicken, taco seasoning, corn, beans, and salsa.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture on the bottom third of one egg roll wrapper. Top with about 1 teaspoon of cheese.
- Fold sides toward center and roll tightly. Tip: Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use. Place seam-side down on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
- Spray tops of egg rolls with cooking spray (this will help them turn golden brown and crispy in the oven).
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes
- Bake them instead of frying. A ton of fat and calories are reduced by doing this and they're still super crispy.
- Use low-fat cheese.
- Use a light cooking spray to grease a baking tray and spray the top of the egg rolls, this helps you control the amount of oil.
- Add extra veggies to the filling for more nutritional value.
Nutrition
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
My boyfriend would go crazy for these. We love Tex-Mex meals, and I usually make some sort of dish with salsa during the week. This will be great for us too because we're trying to watch what we eat. 🙂
Blair
Yep, they're totally boy-approved Erin! And no need to tell him they're healthy...he'll never know! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
I can never resist a good egg roll. This homemade version looks fantastic! Love the presentation.
Blair
Thanks so much, Gayle! I love a good egg roll, too! Perfect finger food!
Paula
I adore egg rolls and now I don't have to feel guilty about eating them! love this recipe
Blair
Thanks, Paula! No guilt involved, here!
lindsay
i'm still on mission to find GF egg roll wraps. I WANT!! Maybe I will use corn tortillas or rice paper?
Blair
Maybe online Lindsay?! Amazon has everything! You've gotta try these. 🙂
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
I haven't had egg rolls in ages but these healthy alternatives will definitely hit the spot..They are so perfectly golden and crispy, Blair! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
Blair
This is a great place to start, Robyn! Totally crispy and SO delicious!
Chrissa - Physical Kitchness
THOSE are BAKED?! What?! I would have never ever guessed. I'm in love! So easy, and honestly, who doesn't love egg rolls? You're always coming up with awesome yummies Blair!
Blair
Exactly! Who doesn't LOVE egg rolls? They're great finger food for kids, too. 🙂
Rose
Hi, these sound so yummy and healthy! Can't wait to try them...can you tell me if they would freeze well? Thanks!
Blair
Hi, Rose! Yep, I think they would freeze well! You could do it two ways: you could either bake them and then stick them in the freezer to just reheat later, OR I would probably actually prepare them as instructed, spray with the cooking spray, and then freeze on the sheet pan WITHOUT baking them. Once they're frozen solid, you can move them from the sheet pan into a ziploc bag or other air-tight container. Then when you want to cook them, just place on a sheet (while still frozen), spray with a little more cooking spray, and bake as instructed (adding maybe a few minutes to the cooking time since they're frozen). Enjoy!
Rose
Great thanks, yes the second option sounds like a plan! Going to make them this week for sure, can't wait. Thanks again
Blair
Awesome! Let me know if you give it a try. I've never actually frozen these, so I'm curious to see how they turn out. 🙂
Rose
Definitely....will let you know! Thx
Blair
Perfect!
Rose
Hi Blair, thought I would let you know that I made these today after having them in the freezer for a week and they came out perfect! My husband loves them...perfect afternoon snack! Thanks again for the recipe!
Blair
Excellent, Rose! Thanks so much for letting me know! I figured that they would probably work well from the freezer, but I appreciate you being the guinea pig! 🙂
Rose
Hahaha! Anytime...thanks again!
Terri Hammer
Hey Blair, you mentioned you could make these ahead of time but if I wanted to make the night before instead of freezing them, could I make and put in the refrigerator for a night?
Blair
Hi, Terri! I'm not sure, but I worry that the wrapper would get soggy overnight from the liquid in the salsa and veggies. If I were you, I would freeze them right away (even if it's just for 24 hours), and then bake from frozen the next day. 🙂