Chipotle Chicken Empanadas – Easier than you think!

Empanadas are fried, baked, or grilled pastry turnovers that originated in Spain. They are popular entrées, appetizers, or snacks in Argentina, Columbia, Chile, and the Philippines as well as Portugal and Spain. In fact, empanar in Spanish means “to wrap or coat in pastry”. Shaped like a crescent moon, empanadas are filled with either a savory or sweet filling.

When we traveled with our entire family to Portugal to celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary, my husband and I stopped at O Momento – Casa De Empanadas, recommended by Trip Advisor as one of the best empanada restaurants in Lisbon. I fell in love with these tasty treats and had to recreate them once we got home. After several attempts, I have learned some invaluable lessons about making empanadas. If making empanadas seems intimidating, I have included “everything I have learned about making empanadas” at the end of the recipe.

Chipotle Chicken Empanadas

Makes 16 empanadas

This recipe makes enough filling for 16 empanadas. If you don’t want to prepare that many, purchase only one box of puff pastry, which is enough to make eight. If you prepare only eight, you will have some leftovers for quesadillas or tacos.

I like serving empanadas with my favorite salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole, or Carol Ann’s Crema.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

½ cup frozen corn, thawed

½ cup red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 cups shredded and diced cooked chicken breast

⅔ cup crushed tomatoes

2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Adobo Sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

2 boxes (17.3-ounces) Pepperidge Farms® frozen puff pastry (4 sheets)

1 egg, beaten

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small skillet, place olive oil over a medium heat. When the oil sizzles, add corn and bell pepper and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, place the corn and bell pepper mixture, green onion, chicken, crushed tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, garlic, and cheese and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Thaw sheets according to package directions. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a floured cutting board, unfold 1 sheet of cold puff pastry. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the sheet into a 12-inch square about ¼-inch thick. Using the flat side of an empanada press, cut 4 (4-inch) circles from the pastry. If you don’t have an empanada press, use a dish as a guide. Use a sharp paring knife to remove the circles from the dough.

If using a press, lightly flour the inside of the press. Place the dough circle into the filling side of the press. Place a heaping soup spoon of filling on the dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the edges of the circle with the egg wash. Close the press by folding it together to seal and crimp the empanada edges. Place on the parchment lined baking sheets.

If you don’t have an empanada press, place the chicken mixture in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 1-inch border. Brush the edges of the circle with the egg wash. Fold the circles over, making half circles. Press gently on the dough to release any extra air. Crimp the edges together with the tines of a fork. Place on the parchment lined baking sheets.

Repeat with the next three sheets until you have 16 empanadas. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 to 20 minutes.

Brush the outside of the empanadas with the egg wash and sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper. If using an empanada press, cut 2 small slits in the empanadas to allow steam to escape. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and browned. Serve hot.

Carol Ann’s Crema:

½ cup sour cream

Zest of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lime

1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce, minced

Salt to taste

In a small bowl, place sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, minced chipotle pepper, and salt and stir to combine.

Tips for making the perfect empanada:

Avoid having a filling that has too much moisture. A really moist filling will make your empanadas soggy. Be sure your filling is cooled to room temperature before you fill the empanadas. A hot filling can make the dough soft and sticky and cause it to tear.

Don’t overfill the empanadas or the filling will seep out. Leave a one-inch border on the outside of the empanada. Brushing the inside border with an egg wash before the empanadas are folded over helps seal the dough.

If you use an empanada press, cut two small slits in the dough before baking. If you are cutting your empanada circles using a dish, press the top of the dough lightly to remove excess air before sealing.

Chilling the dough before cooking your empanadas will help firm up the dough, making your empanadas less likely to break apart while they are cooking. While some cooks fry their empanadas, I prefer baking mine, as the pastry is flakier, yielding an empanada that is a bit healthier with fewer calories.

The hardest part of making empanadas is the assembly. If you want to make them ahead of time, assembled, unbaked empanadas will keep two days in the refrigerator if stored in an air-tight container.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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