Filipino chicken empanadas are savory hand pies with a filling of chicken and vegetables in a flaky, buttery shell. They can be fried, baked, or air fried.
You may also like to try chicken pot pie with puff pastry.
Jump to:
- What makes a good chicken empanada
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make this recipe
- How to bake empanadas
- How to deep-fry empanadas
- How to air fry empanadas
- How to store and reheat
- Frequently asked questions
- More about chicken empanada
- Watch how I make it here
- Other chicken recipes you may like
- 📖 Recipe
What makes a good chicken empanada
A good chicken empanada starts with a delicious, pre-cooked filling. The crust must be flaky, buttery, and shouldn’t be greasy.
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. The sugar adds flavor and helps brown it — you may reduce the amount 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)In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand.
(2)Add the egg and cold water and pulse until combined. Do not overmix.
Alternatively, you can you 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)Sauté onion and garlic in a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, and two tablespoons of water. Mix and cover for 3 minutes.
(7)Add the peas, raisins, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and flour. Mix it together. (8)Add the chicken, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and ¼ cup of water.
Mix and cover for 2 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust accordingly. (9)Let it cool completely.
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 onto each round. I used a #30 cookie scoop.
(12)Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and remove any air pockets. Seal the 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.
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, you can use egg wash or cooking spray for better color. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
How to deep-fry empanadas
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. Place them on paper towels.
How to air fry empanadas
Place the empanadas in the basket and spread them in an even layer. You can use egg wash or cooking spray for better color as an option.
Air fry at 400° F (200° C) for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until golden brown.
How to store and reheat
You can store the chicken empanadas in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. They can also be frozen to extend their shelf life.
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 to reheat.
Frequently asked questions
To avoid empandas that are soggy or leaking, the filling should not be too wet or juicy. You can strain it 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 on chicken empanada including extra tips, troubleshooting, and more.
Watch how I make it here
Other chicken recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Empanada
Equipment
- Food processor (optional)
- Skillet
- #30 (2 tablespoons) cookie scoop (optional)
Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (384 grams)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt use half for table salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (226 grams) cold; cut into small cubes
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup cold water (62 grams) or more
For the filling
- 2 cups cooked chicken (about 300 grams) chopped or shredded
- 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
- oil (canola, avocado, or other vegetable oils) for sautéing & frying
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles coarse sand.
- Add the egg and cold water and pulse until combined. If it's too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water at a time to achieve the right consistency. Alternatively, you can you a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands to make the dough.
- Gather the 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.
- Make the filling: Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat, then add the potatoes, carrots, and two tablespoons of water. Mix and cover for 3 minutes.
- Mix in the peas, raisins, a pinch of salt, pepper to taste, and flour.
- Add the chicken, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and ¼ cup of water. Mix and cover for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust accordingly. Let it cool.
- Assemble: Roll out the dough thinly (about ⅛-inch) on a lightly floured surface. Make 4.5-inch rounds using a round cutter or the rim of a bowl.
- Place 2 tablespoons of filling onto each round. Fold over to enclose the filling and remove any air pockets. Seal the edges by crimping with a fork or create pleats using your fingers.
- For best results, chill them for about 10 minutes before frying. You can also freeze them to fry later.
- To bake: Bake in a preheated oven of 425° F (218° C) for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Brush with egg wash or use cooking spray for color, as desired.
- To deep-fry: Fry in batches over medium-high heat until golden brown, for 3 to 4 minutes. Dry them on paper towels.
- To air fry: Air fry at 400° F (200° C) for 8 to 10 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Brush with egg wash or use cooking spray for color, as desired.
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