Mexican Pinwheels Recipe
My yummy Mexican Pinwheels Recipe is a party favorite that’s full of bright, bold flavors you’ll crave! Your guests will ask for seconds and thirds!
No matter what time of year it is, I get excited when I seeĀ pinwheel recipesĀ at a potluck or party. They’re just so fun and easy to eat. Not to mention the flavor possibilities are endless.
Since Mexican food is one of my favorite things to eat, I knew I had to make roll-ups stuffed with those flavors.
These pinwheels are reminiscent of the Southwest Egg Rolls you can order at most restaurants without all the work.
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One of my favorite things about these pinwheels, besides the flavor, is all the colors! These little guys taste as good as they look, and you can customize them with your favorite add-ins.
Love black beans, throw them in the mix!
Prefer ground beef to chicken? Make a substitution.
These pinwheels can also be made ahead of time, covered with plastic wrap, and kept in the fridge until ready to serve. Make-ahead recipes are my favorite when I’m hosting a party! You may want to make a double batch though. These bites go quickly!
Mexican Pinwheels Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 Ā½ teaspoons dried oregano
- Ā½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Ā¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast shredded
- Ā½ cup salsa whichever brand you like
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped (optional)
- Ā½ green bell pepper seeded and diced
- Ā½ red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 3 10-inch flour tortillas
Instructions
- To a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, oregano, garlic powder, and cumin. Use a spoon or spatula to mix everything together until evenly combined.
- Add the cheese, chicken, and salsa to the cream cheese mixture. Stir together until evenly combined.
- Add the cilantro and bell peppers to the filling. Stir until incorporated.
- Lay one tortilla flat on a cutting board. Place 1/3 of the filling in the center of the tortilla. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the filling evenly over the tortilla. (You don't need to go all the way to the sides as they will be discarded later.) Carefully roll up the tortilla, starting with the side closest to you, until you create a log shape.
- Repeat filling and rolling the remaining two tortillas, using 1/3 of the filling for each.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the end off of one of the rolled tortillas so that your next cut is where the filling starts. Cut the tortilla into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch slices. (You should get about 8 pinwheels per tortillas.)
- Place the pinwheels on a serving plate.
- Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- The number of pinwheels will vary based on the size of your tortillas, the amount of filling used, and how thick you cut the slices.
- You can cut down on the prep time by using store-bought rotisserie chicken or using left oven chicken from dinner the night before.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
My two favorite… EASY and DELICIOUS!
Can you make the mixture the night before?
You sure can! Once you mix it up, cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. You may want to let it soften up on the counter for an hour before trying to spread it over the tortillas. I wouldn’t microwave it though. It’ll get melty instead of just softening. š
You can make them and wrap individually in plastic wrap till you need them then cut and put on a platter.Thye are easier to cut and allows the flavors to mix together.
What is the best tortilla for wraps?
Hi Laura! I like to use the non-name brand ones – like La La’s instead of Mission. Any not super puffy flour tortilla will work well.
Could you use chicken from a can?
Hi Antoinette! Yes, you can totally use canned chicken. Just be sure to shred it up first.
I’m pretty sure that canned shredded chicken will work in these also, of course drained well of the water. Or as a protein substitution, you could even use black beans instead of chicken… especially since these are served as an appetizer. As you stated above, the possibilities are ENDLESS! (Even cream cheese with pineapple? Oh and sweetener, of course)
Thank you for posting š
You can absolutely use canned chicken. (I used it for my buffalo chicken dip all the time.) Black beans sound fab too!
Absolute hit! I first made it for Cinco de Mayo at work and they were devoured. Now I have made them with and without chicken for several parties.
Making them a day before hand is no problem at all. Roll them up, wrap them in tinfoil, and leave them in the fridge. If anything it makes them better because the tortilla softens more. š
Easy and delicious! I took these to a potluck, and I brought home an empty dish. Next time I make these, I’ll cut my peppers smaller than I did this time (for easier spreading). No changes needed for this recipe! (My family will tell you that I usually view recipes as suggestions–but not this time!)
As a side note, my tortillas were closer to 8″, so I used four of them, and it worked well.