Description
Chicken Empanadas are a delightful culinary adventure waiting to happen in your kitchen. Crispy pastry pockets packed with seasoned chicken will make your taste buds dance with Latin American flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 large egg
Dough Components:
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cup cold water
Filling and Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 cup diced bell peppers
- 0.5 cup frozen peas
- 0.25 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Whisk 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon baking powder in a large bowl. Crumble ½ cup cold, cubed butter into the mixture using your fingertips until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs.
- Beat 1 large egg with ½ cup cold water. Pour into flour mixture and stir until dough forms. Knead briefly on a floured surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes at 40°F.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet at medium temperature (350°F). Sauté 1 small finely chopped onion for 3 minutes until translucent.
- Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon chili powder into the pan.
- Mix 1 ½ cups shredded chicken, ½ cup bell peppers, and ½ cup frozen peas into the skillet. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Pour ¼ cup chicken broth into the filling and simmer 2-3 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- Roll chilled dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut 4-inch diameter circles using a cutter or bowl.
- Place 1 tablespoon filling on half of each dough circle. Fold over and crimp edges with a fork to seal.
- Whisk 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash. Brush sealed empanadas.
- Bake at 375°F for 22 minutes on a parchment-lined sheet until golden brown, or deep fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes helps prevent shrinkage and creates a flakier crust when baking.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute regular flour with a blend of almond and coconut flour to maintain a similar texture.
- Seal the edges of the empanadas tightly with a fork to prevent filling from leaking during baking, ensuring a neat and professional look.
- Experiment with different fillings like vegetarian black bean or pulled pork to personalize the recipe and keep things interesting for your family and friends.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (bake) or 6 minutes (fry)
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 330 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg