Description
Savory chicken empanadas bring Latin American culinary magic straight to home kitchens with golden, flaky pastry and spiced filling. Crisp edges and rich flavors promise a delightful meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Meat:
- 2 cups shredded chicken breast (about 1.5 pounds / 680 grams)
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 10 empanada dough shells (6-inch rounds)
- 1 egg for egg wash
Instructions
- Warm the oven to 375°F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal preparation.
- Pour oil into a large skillet and heat over medium temperature, creating an even cooking surface.
- Sauté onions and peppers, stirring occasionally until vegetables become translucent and tender, approximately 5 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic and chopped cilantro to the skillet, allowing aromatics to release their fragrant essence for 1 minute.
- Incorporate shredded chicken, bouillon, tomato paste, selected seasonings, and water into the vegetable mixture, allowing ingredients to meld and simmer until liquid completely evaporates, roughly 5-8 minutes.
- Distribute filling generously onto each dough round, ensuring even coverage across the surface.
- Whisk egg with water to create a smooth egg wash mixture for sealing and glazing.
- Carefully fold dough rounds over the filling, pressing edges firmly with a fork to create a secure seal.
- Generously brush the exterior of each pocket with prepared egg wash, promoting a golden, glossy finish.
- Transfer stuffed pockets to prepared baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes until achieving a rich, golden-brown color.
Notes
- Choose ground turkey or plant-based protein for a lighter, healthier alternative to chicken.
- Prep ingredients ahead of time to streamline the cooking process and reduce kitchen stress.
- Roll dough thin for crispy, delicate pockets that maximize filling-to-pastry ratio.
- Try different spice blends like smoky paprika or cumin to customize flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Latin American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg