Empanadas de Pollo (or Chicken Empanadas) are savory hand pies filled with an irresistible filling of juicy chicken, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a blend of delicious spices.
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Made with simple ingredients, this easy recipe makes perfect party food for any occasion! 🥳🎉
Your taste buds are going to love the yummy filling and flaky golden pastry!
Table of Contents
Filling Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Ground chicken (or chicken breast chopped into small pieces)
- Ground cumin
- Salt
- Ground pepper
- Onion diced
- Garlic clove, minced
- Tomato, diced
- Chipotle in adobo, finely minced
- Shredded Cheese (mozzarella, monterey jack, colby – anything that shreds well)
- Egg and splash of water
- Bay leaves (optional)
Empanadas are popular all over Latin America, but today we’re making a Mexican version.
Use any cheese that melts well. Chipotle in adobo sauce will make the filling smokey. Swap out for 1 fresh diced jalapeno pepper or 1 teaspoon chili powder.
Dough Ingredients
- All-purpose flour, plus more for shaping and rolling
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, chilled and cubed (or Vegetable shortening)
- Ice cold water
Why not just use salted butter? Because this way we can control the amount of salt. Whereas with salted butter, we don’t know how much salt was added.
🐓 How to Make the Filling
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and ground cumin.
We diced up raw chicken. If available, use ground chicken.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and saute for 4 minutes.
- Then add the onion, garlic, tomato, and chipotle.
- Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes, or until the liquid evaporates.
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
This chicken empanada recipe is a great way to use up leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Just make sure to shredded finely or chop it up well.
🥣 How to Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt.
- Using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until you have fine crumbles.
- Gradually add water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
- It should not be sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Can I use store-bought dough?
Yes, you can use store-bought empanada dough, pie crust, or puff pastry dough if you’re short on time. (I’ve done it myself.)
Rolling Out the Dough
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
- Roll into a log and slice into 12 equal sections.
- Use your rolling pin to roll them into balls and keep them covered, so they don’t dry out.
- Roll and extend each ball on a lightly floured flat surface to about 4 inches in diameter.
Assembling Empanadas
- Using your best judgment, add some cheese to the center of the empanada discs.
- Fill with about ¼ cup of the cooled chicken mixture.
- Fold over until two sides meet and gently press with fingers.
You can crimp with a fork as shown in the pictures, or you can pinch and fold over to create a braided look. Whatever is easiest for you.
⏰ Baking
- Transfer the filled empanadas to a lined baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg with a splash of cold water to make the egg wash.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the unbaked empanadas.
- Transfer to the middle rack in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Turn on the oven light and take a peak at the 22 minute mark. Once they are golden brown, remove from the oven.
For more color, place the chicken empanadas under the broiler for 25-35 seconds.
Let Empanadas de Pollo cool slightly before serving.
To reheat, place in the microwave for 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Or return to a hot oven at 425 degrees F for 7-8 minutes, or until warm.
More Empanadas:
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions
Ah, the age-old debate: baked or fried? In Argentina, for example, it’s a regional thing! Salta is all about baking those golden beauties, while in Tucumán, it’s a fry-fest! Team Baked or Team Fried, which side are you on? 💃🕺
The secret to a top-notch empanada? Flaky, sturdy dough, flavorful filling, and a golden-brown finish whether baked or fried.
Yes, you can cook the empanadas in an air fryer. Cook them at 375°F (190°C) for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Make Ahead: You can prepare the chicken mixture and the dough ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, simply assemble and bake as directed.
- Freezing: Place unbaked empanadas in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the empanadas to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
- Variation: For a spicy kick, add 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the chicken mixture.
Serve With
These easy Empanadas de Pollo are sure to impress your guests. Serve them as an appetizer or a main dish with a little sour cream and salsa. Squeeze on a little fresh lime juice to give them an extra burst of flavor.
¡Buen provecho! 💃🕺
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Empanadas de Pollo
Ingredients
For Empanada Dough
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour (plus more for shaping and rolling)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter chilled and cubed (or vegetable shortening)
- ½ cup ice cold water
For the Chicken Filling:
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ lb ground chicken (or chicken chopped into small pieces)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ onion diced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 chipotle in adobo finely minced
You'll Also Need
- 1 cup Shredded Cheese Monterrey Jack, cheddar, or colby
- 1 egg and splash of water to make egg wash
Instructions
For Dough:
- In a large bowl, add the flour.
- Using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the butter (or shortening) into the flour until you have fine crumbles.
- Add the salt and water.
- Add the water, little by little until the dough comes together. It should not be sticky.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 1 hour.
For the Chicken Filling:
- Heat the oil.
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and cumin.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes.
- Then add the onion, garlic, tomato, and chipotle.
- Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes, or until the liquid from the tomato is gone.
- Set aside until cool.
How to Assemble:
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for a few seconds.
- Roll into a log and slice into 12 equal sections. Roll into balls and keep them covered with a kitchen towel so they don't dry out.
- Roll and extend each ball on a lightly floured surface to about 4 inches in diameter.
- Using your best judgement, add some cheese to the center.
- Fill with about ¼ cup of the cooled chicken filling.
- Fold over until two sides meet and gently press with fingers.
- You can crimp with a fork, or you can pinch and fold over to create a braided look. Whichever you find easiest.
- Transfer filled empanadas to a lined baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg with a splash of cold water.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the unbaked empanadas.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown all around.
- Take a peak at 22 minutes. If they are golden brown, remove.
- To make them browner, press the broiler button and broil for 30 seconds. Remove immediately!
- Cool slightly before serving.
o.k. Looked so good, I had to try them. My entire family loved them. Even the picky ones. Definitely trying again!
Thank you for trying this recipe for Empanadas de Pollo. I love hearing that even picky eaters liked it. 🙂
This very famous in our country! Empanada is just everyone’s favorite including me! I had a chicken empanada before and it was so good!
I love them too. Hope you try out this empanadas de pollo recipe. You won’t be disappointed!
Wow! This is one of my all-time snack foods! This Empanada chicken recipe looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! A perfect treat for everyone!
Yes, I agree! Empanadas are a great treat for everyone!
These empanadas were super delicious! The pictures you posted with the recipe were very helpful when making.
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad the empanadas de pollo came out delicious.
This recipe was so good! Easy to make and my family loved it. Homemade is always the best!
That is great to hear! And I agree. Homemade empanadas for the win!