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    Home » Appetizers and Sides

    Chicken Empanada

    Published: Apr 10, 2022 by Nora Reyes · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. · 4 Comments

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    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.

    Chicken empanadas on a plate.
    Jump to:
    • What is Empanada?
    • Ingredients you'll need
    • How to make this recipe
    • How to bake empanadas
    • How to air-fry empanadas
    • How to store and reheat
    • Recipe FAQs
    • What to serve with Empanadas
    • More about chicken empanada
    • Other bread and pastries you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    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

    Individual ingredients for shortcrust pastry

    For the filling

    Individual ingredients for chicken empanada filling
    Oil, salt, and pepper are not in the picture.

    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.

    Adding butter to the flour mixture in the food processor. Adding egg to the flour mixture in the food processor.

    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.

    Pinching a small piece of shortcrust pastry to check for 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.

    Dividing the dough in half. Flattening the dough with hand.

    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.

    Potatoes and carrots in the pan. Added peas, raisins, and flour to the potatoes and carrots. Seasoning the chicken and other ingredients in the pan. Chicken filling for empanada in the pan.

    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. 

    Cutting rounds on a rolled-out dough. Chicken filling on a round of dough,

    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.

    Creating pleats on the edges of a chicken empanada. Crimping the edges of a chicken empanada.

    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.

    Dropping empanada in a pot of hot oil. Draining fried empanadas on a slotted spoon.

    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.

    Uncooked chicken empanadas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

    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.

    Fried empanadas on paper towels.

    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.

    Breaking up a chicken empanada.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do you keep empanadas from getting soggy?

    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.

    How do you keep empanadas from getting greasy?

    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.

    How do you know when empanada is done?

    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 bread and pastries you may like

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    Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!

    📖 Recipe

    Chicken Empanada in a bowl.

    Chicken Empanada

    Savory hand pies with a flaky, buttery shell and a delicious pre-cooked filling. They can be fried, baked, or air fried.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Chill Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 empanadas
    Calories: 315kcal
    Author: Nora Rey

    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
    US Customary - Metric

    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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 315kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 8gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 334mgPotassium: 164mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1062IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 2mg
    Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided here is solely for informational purposes. I am not a certified nutritionist, and this data hasn't been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or any other authority. It shouldn't be seen as health or nutrition advice. The figures are estimates calculated from various food composition databases and might vary based on product types, brands, natural variations in produce, and ingredient processing methods. Individual results may differ.
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!

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    About the author

    Hi, I'm Nora! 

    Whether you're new to Filipino food or have loved it for so long, I sure am happy you're here!  I hope you'll find useful recipes that you can enjoy and share with family and friends.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gene C.

      October 09, 2023 at 4:36 am

      Absolutely Delicious! been doing this recipe for a while, always a no-fail!

      Reply
      • Nora Reyes

        October 09, 2023 at 9:04 pm

        Hello Gene, I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much!

        Reply
    2. Lorna

      April 08, 2023 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      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?

      Reply
      • Nora Rey

        April 10, 2023 at 9:03 am

        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.

        Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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