Ever since I made my first batch of beefy empanadas, I’ve been in love. I love savory finger foods, especially when they’re so easy to customize. Playing around with different fillings and coming up with new combinations of meat, spices, and add-ins is always a fun culinary experiment, and these chicken and cheese empanadas are another winning success. The chicken is hearty and perfectly balanced in flavor, spice, and cheesiness, all wrapped up lovingly in crispy, flakey dough. They’re so easy to make since they use pre-made empanada dough, so all the focus is on making a really tasty filling, which it is.
I could eat gobs upon gobs of this filling all on its own, which in all honesty, I did. But that’s very okay since this recipe makes a generous heap of stuffing. You’ll probably have some left over, which you can use to make quesadillas, taquitos (my recommendation), tacos, nachos, etc. Slap this chicken mixture on literally anything, and it’s going to be amazing. Chicken breasts cook down to tender, shredded goodness in a simple, yet delicious blend of warm spices and tangy tomatoes. Mixing in a healthy dose of shredded jack cheese makes for a creamy and gooey filling once these empanadas bake to their crispy and golden final form.
These empanadas are filling enough to be a meal on their own or a delightful appetizer course. Enjoy them straight out of the oven on their own or serve them with this universally complementary chimichurri and a tasty salad, like this carrot salad, and you’ll want to make them all the time.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium then add in the onion and cook until pale and soft.
Add in the garlic and tomato paste, stirring for a few minutes until fragrant and caramelized.
Stir in the tomatoes 🍅, water, sazón, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, cilantro, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes.
Add the chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet, shred them until no large chunks remain.
Return the chicken to the skillet and stir to evenly coat it in the sauce. Cook for 2-3 more minutes then turn off the heat.
Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. When no longer hot, add in the shredded cheese 🧀 and mix.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat and set aside.
Fill the empanada dough by slightly rolling out each disc and placing a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Brush a little egg wash around the bottom edge of the disc and fold over the top to create a crescent shape, pressing down the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork to secure them, then lay the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Brush the tops of the empanadas with egg wash then bake them for 18-20 minutes, until they are nicely golden brown.
Serve warm with your favorite salsa or dipping sauce, like this chimichurri, and enjoy!
This TREMENDOUS blog is built in Python entailing FOOD recipes cooked/baked by a ROBOT sentient! ~🤖 Disclaimer 👇
As an Amazon Associate, commissions may be earned from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.
