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.
You may also like Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry.
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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
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 butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand.
(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.
(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.
(4)Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it in half. (5)Flatten each half into a flat disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate until firm, for about an hour.
Make the filling
(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.
(7)Add ¼ cup peas, ¼ cup raisins, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix it together. (8)Add 2 cups chicken, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ¼ cup of water.
(9)Mix and cover to cook for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust accordingly. Let it cool.
Assemble the empanadas
(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.
(11)Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on the center of each round. I used a #30 cookie scoop.
(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
(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. (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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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 chicken 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
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
- 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.
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