Filipino Chicken Empanadas are savory hand pies with a flaky, buttery shell and a delicious pre-cooked filling. They can be fried, baked, or air-fried.
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What is Empanada?
In Filipino cuisine, an empanada is a stuffed hand-held pastry filled with a mixture of ingredients such as meat, vegetables, or even sweet fillings. Typically crimped around the edges, it's deep-fried or baked until golden brown.
These empanadas have similarities to Chicken Pot Pie or Chicken Pastel with its savory filling. The Ilocos region has its unique version of empanada, with a different filling and an orange-colored crust.
Ingredients you'll need
For the shortcrust pastry
For the filling
Notes and substitutions
- All-purpose flour: To substitute, you can use gluten-free flour or replace up to 50% of regular flour with white whole wheat flour.
- Sugar: Filipino empanadas have a slightly sweet crust. You may reduce the amount of sugar if you wish.
- Water: Be sure to use cold water to ensure that the crust is tender and flaky.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken will work. You can also poach a small chicken breast in water and salt.
How to make this recipe
Make the shortcrust pastry
Step 1: Mix 3 cups flour, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (use half for table salt), and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor. Add 8 ounces of butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand.
Step 2: Add 1 egg and ¼ cup cold water, then pulse until combined. Do not overmix. You can also use a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands to make the dough.
PRO TIP: Use cold butter when making the dough and avoid overworking it; doing so can activate the gluten too much, leading to a tough crust instead of a tender, flaky one.
Step 3: The dough should hold together when you pinch it. If it's too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water at a time to achieve the right consistency.
Step 4: Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it in half.
Step 5: Flatten each half into a flat disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until firm, for about an hour.
PRO TIP: Giving the dough time to rest in the fridge before rolling out helps relax the gluten, resulting in a tender crust.
Make the filling
Step 6: Over medium heat, sauté ½ cup onion and 3 garlic cloves in a bit of oil. Add ¾ cup potatoes, ½ cup carrots, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix and cover for 3 minutes.
Step 7: Add ¼ cup peas, ¼ cup raisins, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix it together.
Step 8: Add 2 cups chicken, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ cup of water.
Step 9: Mix and cover to cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust accordingly. Let it cool.
Assemble the empanadas
Step 10: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough thinly, about ⅛-inch. Make 4.5-inch rounds using a round cutter or the rim of a bowl. Re-roll any scraps.
Step 11: Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the center of each round. I used a #30 cookie scoop.
Step 12: Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and remove any air pockets. Seal edges by creating pleats using your fingers or crimping with a fork.
For best results, chill the empanadas for about 10 minutes before frying. You can also freeze them to fry later.
Deep-fry the empanadas
Step 13: Fill a pot with enough oil to cover the empanadas. Fry them in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown, for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step 14: Drain excess oil and place them on paper towels.
How to bake empanadas
Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Place the empanadas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
As an option, use egg wash or cooking spray for better color. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
How to air-fry empanadas
Place the empanadas in the basket without overcrowding. As an option, brush with egg wash or use cooking spray for better color.
Air fry at 400° F (204° C) for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until golden brown.
How to store and reheat
Cooked Chicken Empanadas can be stored for about 3 days in the fridge or longer in the freezer.
To reheat, microwave for a minute, then place in a toaster oven to crisp up the outside. You can also use an air fryer or a convection oven.
Recipe FAQs
The filling should not be too wet or juicy to avoid empanadas that are soggy or leaking. You can strain the filling or allow the moisture to evaporate while cooking.
The key is to fry them over medium-high heat in small batches. If you crowd them in the pot, the temperature drops. This makes the dough absorb more oil, resulting in greasy empanadas.
It is recommended that chicken be cooked to 165° F (73.9° C). But since the filling for empanada is already pre-cooked, it's ready once the crust is golden brown.
What to serve with Empanadas
- Pancit Canton: Stir-fried wheat noodles with proteins and vegetables seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce, or oyster sauce.
- Pancit Bihon: Thin rice noodles stir-fried with meats and vegetables in a savory sauce.
- Pancit Malabon: Thick rice noodles smothered in a shrimp-flavored orange sauce, garnished with seafood, eggs, and crispy pork skin.
- Pancit Palabok: Thin rice noodles topped with an orange sauce made with shrimp broth, tinapa (smoked fish), and annatto, then garnished with shrimp, tofu, boiled eggs, and chicharon.
- Arroz Caldo: A comforting rice porridge with chicken and ginger, garnished with scallions, boiled egg, fried garlic, and calamansi.
More about chicken empanada
If you'd like to know more, here are frequently asked questions about Filipino empanadas, including extra tips, troubleshooting, and more.
Other merienda recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Empanada
Equipment
- Food processor or pastry cutter (optional)
- Skillet
- #30 (2 tablespoons) cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (see note)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt use half for table salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 ounces unsalted butter cold; cut into small cubes
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup cold water or more (see note)
For the filling
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded (see note)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup minced onion
- ¾ cup small-diced potatoes
- ½ cup small-diced carrots
- ¼ cup fresh or frozen peas
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (see note)
- Neutral oil (canola, avocado, or other vegetable oils) for sautéing & frying
Instructions
- FOR THE SHORTCRUST PASTRY: Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand. Add egg and cold water, then pulse until just combined. Gather dough into a ball, then divide it in half. Flatten each half into a flat disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until firm, for about an hour.
- FOR THE FILLING: Sauté onion and garlic in a bit of oil over medium heat. Add potatoes, carrots, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix and cover for 3 minutes. Add peas, raisins, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and flour. Mix it together. Add chicken, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and ¼ cup of water. Mix and cover to cook for 2 minutes. Let it cool.
- TO ASSEMBLE: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough thinly, about ⅛-inch. Make 4.5-inch rounds using a round cutter or the rim of a bowl. Re-roll any scraps. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the center of each round. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and remove any air pockets. Seal edges by creating pleats using your fingers or crimping with a fork.For best results, chill the empanadas for about 10 minutes before frying. You can also freeze them to fry later.
- TO DEEP-FRY: Fill a pot with enough oil to cover the empanadas. Fry them in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown, for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain them on paper towels.
- TO BAKE: Preheat the oven to 425° F (218° C). Place the empanadas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. As an option, use egg wash or cooking spray for better color. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
- TO AIR-FRY: Place the empanadas in the basket without overcrowding. As an option, brush with egg wash or use cooking spray for better color. Air fry at 400° F (204° C) for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until golden brown.
Notes
- All-purpose flour: To substitute, you can use gluten-free flour or replace up to 50% of regular flour with white whole wheat flour.
- Sugar: Filipino empanadas have a slightly sweet crust. You may reduce the amount of sugar if you wish.
- Water: Be sure to use cold water to ensure that the crust is tender and flaky.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken will work. You can also poach a small chicken breast in water and salt.
Lorna says
Hi Nora! I’m making your empanada recipe again for the umpteenth time lol, special requests from friends. How did I end up with this request? Ah, must be the best empanada! Thank you! 😘
Nora Reyes says
Hi Lorna! Awww that honestly makes me so happy!!! 😂 I love that it’s become a go-to for you, and it means so much that you keep making it and sharing it with everyone. Thank you for the love and for taking the time to tell me — it really made my day. 😘
Gene C. says
Absolutely Delicious! been doing this recipe for a while, always a no-fail!
Nora Reyes says
Hello Gene, I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much!
Lorna says
I’ve been using this empanada recipe and it doesn’t disappoint, my family & friends love it. I’ll keep this recipe for life!
Can I freeze the dough?
Nora Rey says
Hello Lorna,
Thanks for your lovely message! That's great to hear! By the way, you can totally freeze pastry dough, just like empanada dough. Just form it into a disk, wrap it up tight with some plastic wrap, and pop it in the freezer. It'll stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, just thaw it out in the fridge overnight and it'll be good to go.