Chicken Empanada

Ingredients

• 375 g (3 cups)flour
• 50 g (4 tablespoons)sugar
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)baking powder
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon)salt
• 227 g (1 cup), cold and cut into small cubesunsalted butter
• 90–150 ml (6–10 tablespoons), coldwater
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)oil
• 1 medium, choppedonion
• 150 g (1 cup), cut into small cubespotato
• 227 g (½ pound), boiled and shredded or cut into small pieceschicken breast fillet
• 130 g (1 cup), cut into small cubescarrots
• 150 g (1 cup), cut into small cubesred bell pepper
• 120 ml (½ cup)water
• 150 g (1 cup)green peas
• 75 g (½ cup), optionalraisins
• 7.5 ml (½ tablespoon)salt
• 1.25 ml (¼ teaspoon)ground pepper
• 1 egg and 15 ml (1 tablespoon) water, beaten togetheregg

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the onion

   Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the onion, then add the potato, cover and cook until the potato is half cooked.

2. 2

   Finish the filling

   Stir in the chicken, carrots and red pepper. Add ½ cup (120 ml) water, the ½ tablespoon salt and ground pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the peas and raisins, if using, and cook for a few more minutes until the liquid has gone. Drain the filling in a colander and leave it to cool.

3. 3

   Make the pastry

   Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a bowl. Pulse in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Add the cold water a tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the dough holds together when squeezed but is not too crumbly. Bring it together into a ball and divide into 4 equal pieces.

4. 4

   Cut the pastry

   Roll out one piece of dough to no more than ½ cm thick. Cut out rounds with a large cutter or a round object of your preferred size. Repeat with the remaining dough, gathering and pressing the scraps together to cut more rounds until you have used all the dough.

5. 5

   Fill and seal

   Set a pastry round on your palm and spoon some cooled filling into its centre. Fold the pastry over, bring the edges together and pinch to close. Press the edge with a fork to seal it.

6. 6

   Prepare to bake

   Arrange the empanadas in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each one with the beaten egg and water. Make 3–5 small holes in each with a toothpick or fork to let steam escape.

7. 7

   Bake until golden

   Bake at 180°C for 18–20 minutes, until the empanadas look light brown and shiny.

What are chicken empanadas?

Empanadas are filled pastries found in many cuisines, with versions shaped and filled according to local tastes. This recipe pairs a savoury chicken and vegetable filling with a mildly sweet, buttery pastry.

The filling is cooked before the pastries are assembled, so the baking is mainly for cooking and colouring the pastry. Draining and cooling that filling helps keep the pastry easier to seal.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 308 calories, 8g protein, 33g carbs, 16g fat.

The pastry contributes most of the carbohydrates and much of the fat, particularly from the flour, sugar and butter. Chicken provides the main protein, while the vegetables and optional raisins add further carbohydrates; serve an empanada with a generous salad or vegetables to round out the plate.

A flaky pastry depends on cold butter

Cold butter: pulse it into the flour mixture rather than blending it completely smooth. A few small pieces should remain, as the method specifies.

Cold water: add it gradually, stopping when the dough holds together under pressure. The listed range allows for adjusting the amount to the dough's feel.

Cook the filling until fairly dry

Vegetables first: the potato starts cooking with the onion before the chicken and other vegetables go in. Keep the pan covered as directed while the potato becomes half cooked.

Liquid last: simmer the filling until nearly all the added water is gone, then add the peas and optional raisins and cook off the remaining liquid. Draining and cooling the mixture makes it less likely to soften the pastry.

Seal each pastry round firmly

Even thickness: roll the pastry to no more than ½ cm thick and cut rounds from it. Gather the scraps together and reroll them to use the dough.

Tidy edges: keep the filling in the centre, fold the round over and pinch the edges together before pressing with a fork. Small steam holes in the top help release steam during baking.

Look for colour and shine

Egg wash: brush the tops with the beaten egg and water mixture for a shiny, lightly browned finish. Avoid leaving puddles of egg wash on the tray.

Doneness: bake at 180°C for 18–20 minutes, using the recipe's light-brown and shiny appearance as the cue. If the pastries need more colour, allow them to continue baking briefly while keeping an eye on them.

Serve as a snack or light meal

These empanadas can be served warm or at room temperature as a snack or light meal. A crisp salad or simply dressed vegetables make a fresh contrast to the buttery pastry.

Because the recipe makes 16, they also work well as part of a spread: serve them alongside other small savoury dishes and let each person take one or two.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the butter and water cold while making the pastry.
• Add the pastry water gradually, since the dough only needs enough to hold together.
• Let the filling cool before spooning it into the pastry rounds.
• Drain the filling well so excess liquid does not make the pastry soggy.
• Use the fork to press along the full edge of each folded empanada.
• Make 3–5 small steam holes in every empanada before baking.

Variations

• Skip the raisins: leave them out for a less sweet filling.
• Change the shape: cut smaller rounds for bite-sized snacks, keeping the filling portion modest.
• Add herbs: mix chopped fresh herbs into the cooled filling before assembling.
• Adjust the pepper: use a different colour of bell pepper in place of the red one.
• Serve with a dip: offer a simple dipping sauce on the side rather than adding moisture to the filling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Adding too much water to the dough: add it a tablespoon at a time and stop once the dough holds when squeezed.
• Using warm butter: keep it cold so the pastry mixture retains small pieces of butter.
• Filling with a wet mixture: drain the cooked filling and let it cool before assembling.
• Overfilling the rounds: use only enough filling to fold the pastry closed without forcing the edges apart.
• Skipping the steam holes: pierce each pastry 3–5 times so steam can escape as it bakes.
• Leaving the seams loose: pinch the edges closed and press them firmly with a fork.

How to store

Cool the empanadas, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in an oven until warmed through so the pastry can crisp up again.

Frequently asked questions