The classic party appetizer with a Southwest twist. These pretty Southwest Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels are made ahead and are waiting for you in the refrigerator to slice and serve at party time. A great addition to your appetizer menu at any time of year.
Sometimes it is the simplest of recipes that we tend to forget when menu planning. Tortilla pinwheels are one of those simple, no-brainer recipes that should be in the front of your mind when planning a party or gathering of any kind. They meet all of my criteria for keeping things low-stress – they include simple ingredients, they’re quick and easy to put together, and they’re made ahead with very little prep at party time. This gives them a solid place on my “awesome party snack” list.
They are also easy to transport, look oh-so-pretty on a plate, require no utensils, and people love ’em. Need I say more?
To add a Southwest twist you’ll need a can of Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles. These come in a hot version as well but I find when serving a group, it’s best to go mild.
Combine one 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese (I always use reduced fat Neufchatel cream cheese), a little bit of sour cream, the entire slightly drained can of Ro-Tel, a little bit of seasoning salt and fresh ground black pepper. Mix until creamy.
Add some thinly sliced green onion, chopped black olives, shredded cheddar cheese, and a diced jalapeno. I typically seed the jalapeno well but those sensitive to heat can leave it out altogether.
Add 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. You can cook your own (see recipe below for directions) or make it even easier and use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
I love to use different flavored wraps in addition to basic flour tortillas for pinwheels. These Garden Spinach Herb wraps from Mission are really tasty and add some nice color contrast to your plate. Be sure the wraps are at room temperature before assembling the pinwheels.
Spread a thin layer of the chicken mixture over the tortilla, leaving about a 1/2″ border so it won’t squish out when you roll it.
Roll ‘er up! Tightly.
Repeat the process. This recipe will fill five large, burrito size tortillas.
Wrap the rollups individually and tightly with plastic wrap. Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour or two. I wouldn’t recommend refrigerating them for more than a few hours or the tortillas can get a big soggy.
Just before party time, use a sharp knife to slice the rollups into 2″ (or so) pieces. My husband informed me that they look like sushi…now all I can see is sushi…thanks husband.
Ready to serve in nothing flat.
Sign up for my free newsletter for all the latest recipes and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more cooking inspiration!
Southwest Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Neufchatel (light) or regular cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons light sour cream
- 10 ounce can RoTel Tomatoes, drained slightly
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon all-purpose seasoning salt, like Lawry's Seasoned Salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2.25 ounce can chopped olives
- 1 jalapeno, seeded as desired and diced (optional)
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, I use rotisserie chicken
- 5 large burrito size flour tortillas or wraps in assorted flavors
Instructions
- Use a mixer to combine cream cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings. Use a spoon to stir in cheese, green onion, olives, jalapeno (if using), and shredded chicken.
- Divide mixture between the tortillas, spreading out evenly leaving about a ½-inch border at the edge. Roll up tightly. Wrap rollups tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour or until ready to serve.
- Remove from refrigerator and use a sharp knife to slice into 2-inch pieces.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
I’m not an olive fan so I was thinking of adding black beans instead. Do you think that would work? Looks quite tasty!
It might be worth a try! Let me know how it works out for you if you decide to try it 🙂
I did black beans. It’s yummy and they stay in just fine
Great idea!
How many 2″ pinwheels does this make?
You should get about 6 to 7 pinwheels per rollup. Hope that helps!
These look great. I would appreciate it if you could send it to my e-mail address below.
Hello Beverly. It’s easy to email yourself my recipes. Just click on the email icon that appears at both top and bottom of the post along with the social media sharing icons. Thanks!
The recipe I have uses a pack of spicy ranch dressing and some red pimentos.
These look and sound like they would be really delicious. I have a similar recipe, but this sounds better. They would be great to take to our neighborhood parties.
I am going to make these just for snacking on at night while watching tv..They look so, so good, and with some left over chicken, a cinch!!..Tks for sharing!!
Hey, quick question
I want to try to make this for my husbands lunch, do you think there would be a way to keep them from getting soggy if i made them in the morning and he didnt eat them tell his lunch time?
Thanks!
-Alissa
Just be sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. I don’t think there’s much more that can be done. If you can assemble them the morning of – I think they’d be perfect for lunch that day. Even if they are made the night before, I think you’d be okay.
I have found that not rolling meat and sauce pinwheels in plastic keeps them from getting soggy. I’ve been doing these type of appetizers for years. Through trial and error, I found layering paper towel in an air tight container keeps them drier. Sometimes you even need a cocktail pick. Nice for your more particular guests.
I make a similar rollup using smoked salmon.
hi! i dont have a mixer, would using a spoon or blender work?
thanks!
Sure! A spoon will work just fine. You’ll just have to use a little muscle power 🙂 If the cream cheese is slightly softened it will make things a bit easier.
What about canned chicken think it would work?
I do think it would work just fine. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Hey Valerie, the can chicken worked just fine and instead of season salt I used taco seasoning, great recipe thanks for sharing.
That’s great! I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you.
What bout chopped shrimp or crab meat
Darn – the green onions aren’t mentioned in the ingredient list and that’s what I used when shopping.
Hi Diana. The list of ingredients includes “5 green onions, thinly sliced”. It is listed just under the shredded cheese.
it does say green onions
Could I use corn tortillas instead of flour?
Hi Melinda. I would not recommend using corn tortillas. They will not hold their shape in rollup form as well and the texture would just be off. Stick with flour tortillas or soft wraps for this recipe.