Easy Empanada Recipes with Chicken

Easy empanada recipes such as this one are ideal of you are just starting to dabble with Mexican food recipes. Empanadas can be enjoyed hot or cold and these chicken empanadas are nice with some sour cream and catsup on the side for dipping. If you like chili sauce, you can serve this instead of the catsup.

Chicken empanadas are beautiful when served hot out of the oven but they are nice cold too, so they are ideal for packed lunches the next day. You can use chicken breast if you do not have chicken thighs but the dark meat has a better flavor and texture so use chicken thighs if possible.

Chicken Empanadas with Olives and Raisins

Ingredients -

1 beaten egg
Prepared pie crust dough (enough for 4 pie crusts)
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
½ cup seedless raisins
½ cup chopped black olives
1 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs, in bite size pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
2 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 potato, cooked, peeled and chopped
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
2/3 cup chopped green onion with the tops
2 tablespoons oil

Preparation:

Roll the piecrust dough out to make 15 circles of 4 inches in diameter.

Set them aside and cover with plastic wrap or a slightly damp cloth.

Rub the ginger and garlic on to the chicken and heat the oil to a medium temperature in a skillet. Add the onion, chicken, cilantro, and cook. Stir well and cook until the chicken is browned all over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add the olives and tomatoes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the raisins and potato and remove from the heat. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Brush a tiny bit of water around the edges of the piecrusts, working with one at a time, and divide the chicken mixture between each one. Seal the edges with a fork and you will have 15 half moon shaped empanadas.

Brush the beaten egg over the empanada tops and put them on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Cut each empanada into three (to get 3 triangles) if you are serving them piping hot, to let the steam escape.

(Makes 15)

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