Meaty Little Pockets of Delicious.
Loaded with shredded chicken, onions, peppers and garlic, these chicken empanadas are fast favorites. Flavored with onion powder, tomato paste and garlic powder, they’re the opposite of fancy and the epitome of savory goodness. A hearty, meaty, Argetinian-inspired chicken-and-veggie filling tucked into a buttery baked crust—chicken empanadas are a hand-held party food / dinner food / anytime food that the whole family will love.
Argentinian Chicken Empanada Ingredients—Simplicity is Key.
Our chicken empanada filling is all about simple ingredients and bold flavors. Nothing out of the ordinary here—in fact, you might have all of these on-hand already! In addition to some olive oil and salt, here’s what you’ll need:
- Shredded chicken breast
- Onion
- Bell peppers
- Garlic
- Cilantro
- Chicken bouillon
- Tomato paste
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Egg
3 Options for Your Chicken Empanada Dough
One of the biggest barriers to making empanadas at home is the question of dough. But it doesn’t need to be! We’ve got three—yep, THREE!—great options for you, and they’re all pretty easy.
- Goya empanada dough shell. If you can find it, this frozen empanada dough is a great store-bought option.
- Store-bought pie crust. A bit of a cheat, but it works!
- Homemade empanada dough. Homemade is always best—if you’ve got the time, try our homemade empanada dough recipe.
How to Make Chicken Empanadas
Now that you know how easy the empanada dough can be, it’s time to actually try your hand at making these delicious Argetinian chicken empanadas! Baked chicken empanadas are a cozy, comforting meal, and (bonus) they’re actually kind of fun to make, too! Here’s how it’s done:
- Make the chicken empanada filling. Start with peppers and onions in a warm skillet, then add garlic, cilantro, shredded cooked chicken, bouillon, tomato paste, onion powder, and garlic powder. The whole lovely pan will simmer away and imbue that shredded chicken and veggie filling with fragrance and flavor.
- Roll out the dough.
- Fill the empanadas! Take care not to over-fill—we recommend about 1/3 of a cup of filling per 6-inch dish of empanada dough.
- Seal the empanadas! Egg wash, and use the tines of a fork to firmly press the edges closed.
- Bake the empanadas! 375° F for 35 minutes.
- EAT the empanadas! The best part! OR, you can eat a few and freeze the rest for later. They freeze beautifully.
Tools You’ll Need:
Did Someone Say Dough? Sign Us Up!
The word ‘empanada’ comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which means to enrobe or wrap in pastry or bread. And who doesn’t love meaty, savory fillings wrapped in a sheet of pastry? This week, we’re swooning over these pockets of deliciousness:
Give Grab-N-Go a Whole New Meaning.
Dinner on the go is no one’s ideal, but sometimes it’s a necessity. Thanks to this easy chicken empanada recipe, though, even dinner on the go can be delicious and homemade. We like to make these and freeze them, for an anytime grab-n-go meal that’s ready when we are. If you try this recipe, let us know! Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
