Chicken Empanadas

Empanada [em-pah-NAH-dah;  em-pah-NAH-thah] Empanar is Spanish for “to bake in pastry.” These Mexican and Spanish specialties are usually single-serving Turnovers, with a pasrty crust and savory meat and/or vegetable filling. They can also be filled with fruit and served as a dessert. Empanadas range in size from the huge empanada gallega, large enough to feed an entire family to empanaditas-tiny, ravioli-size pastries.

chicken empanadas

Leftovers

Empanadas are a great way to use left-over meat and vegetables. The possibilities and combinations are endless. We used a package of refrigerated piecrusts for convenience but you can easily make your own crust. This chicken empanada recipe is fast, easy and affordable. Enjoy.

 


Chicken Empanada

 

Ingredients

  • 3 cups
    chopped, cooked chicken
  • 8 ounce package
    shredded marble cheese
  • 4 ounces
    cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup (jarred)
    roasted red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup diced
    green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon
    ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon
    salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon
    pepper
  • 1 (15 oz) package
    refrigerated piecrusts

Cooking Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients.
  3. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle.
  4. Cut out rounds using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total.
  5. Place one round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made and the empanadas frozen for up to 1 month. Bake frozen empanadas at 400º for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t thaw empanadas, cooking times may vary.) Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.
chicken empanadas