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Chicken Empanadas

Easy Chicken Empanadas

Camila Benitez
Chicken Empanadas are a popular dish in many Latin American countries and are often served as an appetizer or main course. This recipe for Chicken Empanadas, "Empanadas de Pollo," is made with rotisserie chicken making it perfect for a quick, easy weeknight meal. The recipe is simple to follow and can be easily adapted to your tastes. I highly recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a delicious and easy way to make Chicken empanadas.😉
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 46 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 36 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Latin American
Servings 36

Tools

Ingredients
  

  • 24 Homemade or Store-bought Empanadas Disks (If using store-bought, I recommend using Empanada Dough Shell puff pastry Goya Brand).
  • 1 store-bought roasted chicken , shredded into small pieces
  • 500 gr ( approximately 2 Large) Onion, finely chopped
  • 300 gr Green Onion , finely chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper , seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper , seeded and finely chopped
  • 5 Fresh Garlic Cloves , finely minced
  • 1 ½ cup sweet corn , frozen or canned
  • 50 gr. green olives , pitted, sliced
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil or canola oil as needed
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt , to taste
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Knorr chicken flavor bouillon
  • 1 Tablespoon Sweet Paprika
  • 3 teaspoons dried Oregano
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (adjust to your liking)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 4 Hard Eggs , sliced

For the Empanadas dough:

  • 5 cups of flour , spoon into a measuring cup, level off with the back of a knife, and sift
  • 1 cup unsalted butter or salted , room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup cold water

To Brush:

Instructions
 

Make the Empanada Dough:

  • We use our whole wheat empanadas dough recipe. However, if you prefer regular empanada dough, check out our Empanadas Dough recipe.

How to Make Chicken Filling:

  • Shred the chicken meat into small pieces and place it into a large bowl, discarding the skin and bones; set aside. Place eggs in a pot of water on the stovetop with at least an inch of water covering the eggs. Simmer the eggs. Turn on the heat and bring the water to a rolling boil. Simmer the eggs in boiling water for fifteen minutes to get firm whites and egg yolks.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in an ice bath in a large bowl. Cooling the eggs in cold water will halt the cooking process and make handling the eggs easier when peeling.
  • When the eggs are completely cool to room temperature—about fifteen minutes—gently tap the egg on the counter or table to crack the peel. Tap the top end of the egg and the bottom end before tapping the egg's sides to break up the eggshell.
  • Carefully peel the egg, starting from the wide bottom end of the egg to break the air pocket between the egg and the shell. Then, gently peel off the shell to avoid breaking the egg whites. Pat, dry with a paper towel, and places them into a bowl. Using a fork, mince the eggs, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  • Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, knorr chicken flavor bouillon, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, paprika, ground black pepper, cumin, and the white part of the green onion.
  • Cook until the onion and peppers softened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the sweet corn and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until warm through.  Remove from heat, add the green part of the green onion and olives, and mix until well combined. Transfer the cooked vegetable mixture into a medium mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
  • Once the vegetable mixture has cooled, toss it into the large bowl with the shredded chicken. Add the minced hard-boiled eggs and carefully mix to combine everything; taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Assemble Chicken Empanadas:

  • Position 2 racks in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F—line 2 large baking sheets with parchment or dust with flour; set aside. Once the chicken mixture has cooled, spoon about 2 spoonfuls in the middle of each empanada disc, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge; Avoid reaching the edges with the filling because oiliness will prevent a good seal.
  • Moisten the tip of your finger with a small amount of water and moisten the edges of the circle with your finger around half the border, then fold the dough over and press the edges together to seal and create a half-moon shape. Pleat the edges or crimp with a fork, removing any air pockets as you go. Repeat with the remaining rounds and filling. Let the empanadas rest in the fridge until you're ready to bake.

Bake Chicken Empanadas:

  • In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolk (do not beat until ready to bake) with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream, whole milk, or water, and a pinch of salt and sugar. Lightly brush the top of the chicken empanadas with the egg mixture; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake. Bake the empanadas in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes, until golden on top. Serve Chicken empanadas warm with chimichurri sauce and a side of yuca, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

How to Store & Re-Heat
To store: Allow them to cool down to room temperature after baking. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic or aluminum foil. Store the empanadas in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes if thawed or 20-25 minutes if frozen. Alternatively, you can reheat them in a microwave by placing them on a microwave-safe plate and heating them for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high or until hot. However, this may result in a slightly softer crust.
You can also reheat them in a toaster oven or stovetop, but heat them evenly and avoid burning the filling or crust. Once reheated, serve the empanadas immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or sides.
Make-Ahead
Chicken empanadas are a great make-ahead option for busy weeknights or entertaining guests. To make ahead, prepare the empanada filling and dough as directed in the recipe. Once the filling has cooled to room temperature, assemble the empanadas by placing a spoonful of filling in the center of each dough disc and folding the edges to a half-moon shape. Place the assembled empanadas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them for 1-2 hours or until firm.
Once the empanadas are frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook the frozen empanadas, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the empanadas for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and crispy. You can immediately have a delicious and convenient meal or snack by making and freezing empanadas.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Empanadas
Amount per Serving
Calories
186
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
 
0.2
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Cholesterol
 
60
mg
20
%
Sodium
 
228
mg
10
%
Potassium
 
171
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
18
g
6
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
10
g
20
%
Vitamin A
 
548
IU
11
%
Vitamin C
 
10
mg
12
%
Calcium
 
27
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

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