Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (2024)

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by sanna last updated posted 5 Comments

These baked chicken empanada aremade of a tasty chicken filling with mildly sweet vegetables and enclosed in a cheddar cheese crust. These are so good and so worth every effort.

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Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (1)

These baked chicken empanada are my favorite savory indulgence. I love empanadas because there is a perfect ratio of the crust to filling. Not to mention, I am a lover of anything flaky and buttery (a.k.a. pastries!).

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (2)

I posted this chicken empanada recipe for the first time two years ago, and now I am posting it again with an even better recipe that I really fell in love with. You guys, my heart delights in its deliciousness.

The crust is now a cheddar cheese pie crust. Still flaky. Still buttery, but now with a hint of cheese in every bite. Can you imagine? I was so excited with just the thought of that.

The filling is made even tastier and a bit sweeter as I would like. Together, they make up one dang good empanada recipe that is so good they will be gone in a flash.

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (3)

How to Make Baked Chicken Empanada?

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add the shredded cheddar cheese. Using your fingers, rub the cheese into the powders until a coarse meal is formed.

Add the cubed butter and using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the ingredients until a coarse mixture with tiny bits of butter is formed.

Add 5 tbsp of water and stir the dough until it is moist enough cling together when pressed with your fingers. If the dough is too crumbly, add another tablespoon of water.Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (4)

With your hands on the bowl, gently mix the dough until it clings together and gather it into a ball. This dough will still be crumbly but it should form into a ball when pressed together.

Wrap this in plastic and chill it in the fridge for two hours to overnight.

After chilling, allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 5-8 minutes. On a floured board, roll the dough into 1/4 inch thickness. Use a circle cutter with about 5 inches in diameter to cut as many circles as you can.

Gather the scraps and roll it out again, and cut more circles. Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (5)

Spoon about a tablespoon of the filling into the center of the circle dough. Fold the dough in half, covering the filling. Press the ends together, then fold them inwards to seal (seal them well so they don’t open while baking).

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Arrange the pastries on a large baking pan.

Bake!

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F. Chill the pastries in the fridge while the oven is heating up. Once the oven is ready, brush the pastries with the egg wash.
  • Bake the chicken empanadas at 400 F for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (6)

Freezing the Chicken Empanadas
  • The empanadas can be frozen for up to two weeks (without brushing with egg wash). Dust with a little flour, seal in a freezer bag or tight container.
  • To bake, preheat oven to 400F, brush empanadas with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown. You do not need to thaw prior to baking.

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (7)

Need more lunch recipes? Also, try:
  • 5-Ingredient Lemon BBQ Chicken
  • Chicken BBQ Pizza
  • Pork Binagoongan
  • Burger Steak with Mushroom Gravy
  • Rosemary Chicken with Garlic

Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (8)

Baked Chicken Empanada

These baked chicken empanada are made of tasty chicken filling accompanied with mildly sweet vegetables and enclosed in a flaky cheddar cheese crust.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chicken filling, meat turnovers, pastries

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

chilling of dough: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 pieces

Calories: 294kcal

Author: sanna

Equipment

Ingredients

For the crust

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese grated
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into little cubes then chilled
  • 5-6 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling

  • 2 pieces chicken breasts boneless, skinless
  • 1 small carrot diced
  • 1 small potato diced
  • 1/4 cup frozen green peas
  • ½ cup raisins
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 cup cooking liquid from boiling the chicken
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 2-4 tbsp cooking oil

For the egg wash

  • 1 large egg beaten

Instructions

For the crust:

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add the shredded cheese and use your fingers to rub them into the powders until a coarse mixture forms.

  • Add the cubed butter. Use a pastry blender to cut them into the mixture until the mixture looks like a coarse meal with some bits of butter here and there. Pour 5 tbsp of ice water and use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture until it clings together. If the dough is still very dry and loose, add 1 more tablespoon of water. Using your hands into the bowl, press the dough together and gather it into a ball. The dough should still be a bit crumbly but clings when pressed together. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the fridge for 2 hours to overnight.

For the Filling:

  • Place the chicken breast in a small pot. Cover it with enough water and let it boil. Lower heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool. Reserve the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken into chunks using two forks. Set this aside.

  • Heat cooking oil in a large skillet. Cook the garlic and onion until soft. Add the carrots and potatoes and toss around for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and let simmer and cover. Cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Add the chicken, peas, and raisins and toss the ingredients around. Add sugar and soy sauce and stir them in. Add salt and pepper. In a small cup, dissolve cornstarch in the remaining 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Pour the mixture into the skillet and stir, until the ingredients are lightly coated with a thick sauce. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Turn off heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool.

Assembly

  • Take the dough out of the fridge and let stand for a few minutes at room temperature. On a floured surface, roll dough to about ¼ inch thick using a rolling pin. Using the rim of a round bowl, a cookie cutter or anything round of about 5 inches in diameter, cut circles from the flattened dough.Gather the scraps and roll it out again. Cut more circles and repeat until all the dough is used up.

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center of circular dough and fold in half, covering the filling. Pinch the edges and fold it inwards to seal. Refrigerate the empanadas for about 15 minutes. Brush the surface of empanadas with egg wash. Bake at 400 F for 15-20 minutes or until empanadas are lightly golden.

Notes

Make sure to seal the empanadas well to prevent them from opening during baking.

Freezing the Chicken Empanadas
  • The empanadas can be frozen for up to two weeks (without brushing with egg wash). Dust with a little flour, seal in a freezer bag or tight container.
  • To bake, preheat oven to 400F, brush empanadas with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until light golden brown. You do not need to thaw prior to baking.

Pie crust recipe adapted from The Pie and Pastry Bible from Rose Levy Berenbaum.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Chicken Empanada

Amount Per Serving (1 piece)

Calories 294Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Cholesterol 58mg19%

Sodium 332mg14%

Potassium 198mg6%

Carbohydrates 28g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 1194IU24%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 89mg9%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1194IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

*Affiliate links ( please see disclosure page for details.)

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Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (15)

About sanna

Sanna is a wife and mother of three, living in Alberta, Canada. Her passion for baking, making good food and writing sparked her desire to start Woman Scribbles.

She loves pastries, yoga, reading books and camping during the summer. She loves cilantro, avocado toast, and a real crispy fried chicken.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (16)Renna Capasso says

    Thank you so much for your Chicken empanada recipe, it is so yummy and melt in the mouth. Loved by my family. Definitely will make again and again. Cheers

    Reply

    • Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (17)sanna says

      Aaaw, thanks Renna! I am so glad you liked it!

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Baked Chicken Empanada Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do empanadas taste better baked or fried? ›

Both cooking methods produce delicious empanadas. If you want a healthier merienda, bake them in the oven. If you're working with less time, frying them is the way to go. Try both and ask your loved ones to vote on their favorite.

Are chicken empanadas healthy? ›

While it's quite tasty, it isn't the healthiest meal you can consume. The great news is you can still get your empanada fix with all the flavor, but less calories, fat, and more nutrition with healthier versions.

How long do baked empanadas last? ›

If empanadas have been baked, shelf-life up to 7 days refrigerated (we don't recommend freezing them after baking.)

Can I use baking soda for empanada dough? ›

For the dough

You can buy the pre-made empanada discs but I have included a delicious homemade dough for you to make. Add the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda to a large bowl. Pour in the ¼ cup oil and 1 cup warm water. You can mix this with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer.

Can I bake goya empanadas instead of frying? ›

Famous for their flavorful filling, these Argentinean-style empanadas are made with ground beef perfectly seasoned with GOYA® Adobo All-Purpose Seasoning with Pepper, garlic, raisins, onions, eggs, and chopped olives. Wrap the mixture in GOYA® Empanada Dough-Puff Pastry for Baking and bake.

How do you keep empanadas crispy? ›

How do you keep empanadas crispy? Baking them helps. But dependent upon how much wet meat filling is in the center makes a difference. If fried they tend to absorb moisture from the oil in the crust a bit faster.

How many empanadas should I eat? ›

When the empanada is served us as an appetizer before a meal, it is usual to calculate one or two normal sized empanadas per person. If it is to be the main player in a meal, five or six are considered normal. With a genuine regional empanada from an Estancia in Buenos Aires, it is essential to wrap a napkin.

When should I eat empanadas? ›

Empanadas are so versatile that they can be eaten at any time of day, as a snack or a meal, alone or with a condiment. They are a great grab-and-go food, and since empanadas are handheld, there's very little mess.

Is an empanada a snack or meal? ›

Empanadas can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They can be served as appetizers or snacks, but they can also easily make a full and satisfying meal. Some folks prefer them baked, while other like them fried.

What are three types of empanadas? ›

Argentine empanadas with beef, cheese, or chicken. Chilean empanadas with beef, cheese, or seafood. Mexican empanadas with spicy beef, potato, or pumpkin.

What do you serve with empanadas? ›

Side Dishes
  • Instant Pot Mexican Rice. Are you on the hunt for an easy-to-make, spicy rice dish that pairs perfectly with meat-based empanadas? ...
  • Black Beans And Rice. ...
  • Authentic Homemade Refried Beans. ...
  • Plantain Chips. ...
  • Mexican Black Beans. ...
  • Cilantro Lime Rice. ...
  • Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob. ...
  • Mexican Sweet Corn Cakes.
Mar 9, 2024

Should I freeze empanadas before baking? ›

Freeze the sheet of unbaked empanadas until solid, then transfer into a freezer bag. Frozen empanadas will keep for up to three months and can be baked straight from the freezer. Add a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Fully baked empanadas can also be frozen, though they lose a bit of their flaky texture.

Why put vinegar in empanada dough? ›

Adding a little vinegar to your dough will result in a tender, pliable, and flaky crust because it slightly inhibits gluten development, leading to a crust that is flakier and easier to work with. The great thing about vinegar is that you really only need a little bit of it to help your pie/empanada dough.

Which dough is best for empanadas? ›

Empanada dough is less flaky than pie crust (although you can substitute frozen pie crust dough in a pinch). It has a more tender texture that soaks up the filling without becoming soggy. This dough can be used for baked or fried empanadas, which are both great handheld dishes.

How do you bake empanadas instead of frying? ›

Baked empanadas are easier because you can bake a whole ton at once and certainly lighter without all that deep fried goodness but they don't have quite the same flavor as the fried version. So I leave it up to you! Don't skip the egg wash if baking because it is what helps give the empanadas their color!

Should you thaw empanadas before frying? ›

Pro tip: after buying our Minnesota frozen empanadas, you don't even need to thaw them before cooking them! Our packaging offers instructions for cooking our empanadas, but here's a more in-depth look at how to create a perfectly crisped and golden snack.

What is the difference between an empanada and a fried pie? ›

Fried Pies are Similar to Empanadas

The difference is that empanadas can be sweet or savory, fried or baked. Fried pies are always sweet desserts. There can be slight variations in pastry, however. Empanadas can be flaky and tender, or crispy.

How are you supposed to eat empanadas? ›

The rules of the empanadas etiquette

– Empanadas are finger-food if ever there was. The whole idea of an empanada is to be able to eat something with ones fingers without getting those fingers dirty or sticky. – Hold your empanada by one tip and cautiously bite off the other tip.

References

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