This Chicken Empanada Recipe is the Argentinean version. Empanadas are a staple in South America. Though they always feature a savory filling (usually beef or chicken) wrapped in a soft and crusty dough, the recipe differs from country to country. This time, we will guide you through making homemade empanada dough and a delicious and flavorful shredded chicken filling.
Interested in South American cuisine? Then you should try the melt-in-mouth Beef Empanadas, Alfajores Recipe or our Grilled Picanha.
Empanadas de Pollo is the Spanish translation of chicken empanadas and they’re savory pastries filled with seasoned chicken. Commonly enjoyed in many Latin American and Spanish cuisines, empanadas are versatile dishes that can be served as appetizers, snacks, or even main courses. Variations of empanadas exist worldwide, but empanadas de pollo stand out for their flavorful chicken filling.
Why I Love This Recipe
- True authentic recipe
- Packed full of wonderful flavors
- Easy to work with dough
- Great make-ahead and portable
- Baked not fried
- You can make a large batch.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
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Round Cookie Biscuit Cutter, Set 12 Pieces, Stainless Steel, 1inch – 4 1/2inch
Nonstick Copper Cookie Sheet and Copper Coating Baking Pan, 11″ x 16″, Set of 2
Silicone Basting Pastry Brush, Heat Resistant Pastry Brush, Set of 2
Chicken Empanada Ingredients
Recipe ingredients
Boiling water – Using hot water helps to achieve a soft and tender dough.
Butter – It’s the fat you need to get a tasty dough.
Salt – You can reduce it when using salted butter.
All-purpose flour – Regular flour is what works best for this recipe.
Leeks – A key ingredient in the chicken filling. You can replace it with green onions.
Red bell pepper – I prefer red bell pepper, but you can also use green or yellow bell pepper.
Yellow onion – Onion provides moisture to the filling; use white or red onion if desired. With red onion, the filling will be slightly sweeter.
Garlic – Extra flavor boost.
Chicken breasts – I use chicken breasts as they’re easy to cook and shred.
Dry oregano – While we used dry oregano in this empanada filling, you can also use dry thyme.
Sweet paprika – It’s best for mild empanadas. If you want a spicy kick, replace it with regular or hot paprika.
Ground black pepper – Use freshly ground whenever possible.
Olive oil – Go for cold-press extra-virgin olive oil when possible.
Hard-boiled eggs – Adding hard-boiled eggs to empanadas is traditional in Argentina.
Egg for the egg-wash – This is optional but preferable when you want a beautiful golden look.
How to Make Chicken Empanadas
Cook the chicken breasts in a pot with water and salt. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer for about 20 minutes (depending on the size of the breasts). Check if the chicken is cooked through and remove it from the pot. Once warm, shred the chicken using a fork and knife.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the bell pepper and leeks and cook for a few minutes until tender.
Incorporate the shredded chicken, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the stove and add chopped, hard-boiled eggs. Stir to combine.
To make the empanada dough, combine the boiling water with the butter and salt in a bowl and mix until the butter melts. Add the flour and combine. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for 15 minutes until it is very soft.
Roll out the dough and cut circles of 4 ½ inches. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Fill each empanada with a portion of the chicken filling, folding and crimping the edges to seal them. This folding is also known as “repulgue” in Spanish. The easiest way to do this is with a fork. Use the tips of the fork to press on the edges of empanadas gently.
Place the empanadas on a greased baking sheet.
Finally, beat an egg and brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. You can also use just the egg white for a glossy browned finish too. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Baking time will vary from one oven to the other. It’s important to start checking the empanadas at the 10-minute mark.
Tips For Folding Shredded Chicken Empanadas
Watching a tutorial video to learn how to fold empanadas the traditional way is better. The quick and hassle-free hack is to use the tips of a fork to press gently around the edges of the empanadas to seal them properly.
Where Do Empanadas Come From?
Empanadas are originally from Spain, but due to Spanish colonization, they have been a staple food in Latin American countries, including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Venezuela, for centuries.
Recipe Pro Tips!
Storing Chicken Empanadas
Cooked empanadas can be stored in the fridge for up to five days and in the freezer for up to three months.
How To Freeze Empanadas
It’s better to freeze raw empanadas so that they can be freshly baked when ready to consume. You can bake them without thawing them. Preheat the oven to 425F and bake them until golden. If they’re frozen, the cooking time will be longer as they will lower the oven temperature first.
Reheating Empanadas
In an oven or toaster oven preheat to 300F. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
DO YOU LOVE SPANISH FOODS AND WANT MORE?
We love to travel the world with our cuisine and have landed on Spanish foods a few times. Have a look at some more recipes that you can try.
Chicken Empanadas Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 2 leeks Chopped and white side only
- 1 red bell pepper thinly diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1.5 lb chicken breasts
- 2 tsps dry oregano
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 1 egg for the eggwash
Empanadas Dough
- 1 cup boiling water +1 tbsp
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cook the chicken breasts in a pot with water and salt. Once it comes to a boil, let it simmer for about 20 minutes (depending on the size of the breasts). Check if the chicken is cooked through and remove it from the pot. Once warm, shred the chicken using a fork and knife.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil, and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent. Add the bell pepper and leeks and cook for a few minutes until tender. Incorporate the shredded chicken, sweet paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Turn off the stove and add chopped, hard-boiled eggs. Stir to combine.
- To make the empanada dough, combine the boiling water with the butter and salt in a bowl and mix until the butter melts. Add the flour and combine. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead for 15 minutes until it is very soft.
- Roll out the dough and cut circles of 4 ½ inches. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Fill each empanada with a portion of the chicken filling, folding and crimping the edges to seal them. This folding is also known as "repulgue" in Spanish. The easiest way to do this is with a fork. Use the tips of the fork to press on the edges of empanadas gently. Place the empanadas on a greased baking sheet.
- Finally, beat an egg and brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Baking time will vary from one oven to the other. It's important to start checking the empanadas at the 10-minute mark.
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