Empanadas de pollo – baked hand pies with chicken and peppers Recipe
Empanadas de pollo are small baked hand pies filled with juicy chicken, bell pepper and onion, enclosed in a shortcrust-style dough. In Mexico, these snacks often appear at family gatherings and school fairs because they’re easy to grab and eat without a plate. The flavor is a bit like a cross between pierogi and mini chicken pasties.
These empanadas combine a buttery, tender dough with a juicy, aromatic chicken and pepper filling, inspired by Mexican-style party snacks. They’re easy to eat by hand, freeze well and are ideal both fresh from the oven and at room temperature.
Chef's tips
Make sure the filling is completely cooled before you fill the dough, otherwise the fat in the dough will start to melt and the empanadas may lose their shape. Don’t overfill them—too much filling makes them harder to seal and more likely to burst in the oven.
How to serve
Serve on a large platter with different dips: yogurt-lime sauce, tomato salsa, guacamole or a spicy chili sauce. They work well as part of a Mexican-style buffet alongside nachos, fresh vegetables and a simple salad.
Ingredients
- wheat flour for the dough - 350 g
- cold butter cut into cubes - 120 g
- egg for the dough - 1 piece
- cold water add a little more if needed - 60 ml
- salt level, for the dough - 1 teaspoon
- chicken breast cut into small cubes - 300 g
- red bell pepper cut into small dice - 1 piece
- onion cut into small dice - 1 piece
- garlic finely chopped - 2 cloves
- sweet paprika, ground for the filling - 1 teaspoon
- ground cumin for the filling - 0.5 teaspoons
- vegetable oil for frying the filling - 2 tablespoons
- egg beaten, for brushing the tops - 1 piece
- black pepper, ground for the filling, to taste
- salt for the filling, to taste
Preparation
- Prepare the dough: put the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt into a bowl, add the cold butter. Rub it in with your fingers or cut it in with a knife until you get fine crumbs that look like wet sand.
- Add the egg and most of the cold water, then quickly knead the dough by hand or with a dough hook. If the dough is too dry and crumbly, add the remaining water, a tablespoon at a time. The finished dough should be smooth and soft, but not sticky.
- Shape the dough into a ball, flatten it into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling: heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes until softened and slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic, sweet paprika and cumin, and fry for about 1 minute, stirring, until the spices become fragrant.
- Add the diced chicken and bell pepper, and fry for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the meat is completely white inside and the pepper has softened. Season the filling with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick. Use a glass or cutter to cut out circles about 10–12 cm in diameter.
- Place a spoonful of chicken filling in the center of each circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon, pinch the edges firmly with your fingers, then press with a fork to create the characteristic pattern.
- Arrange the hand pies on the prepared tray. Brush the tops with the beaten egg so they turn golden when baked.
- Bake the empanadas for 18–22 minutes, until nicely browned. After removing from the oven, wait a few minutes, as the filling inside will be very hot.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I like to prepare the dough and filling a few hours in advance and assemble the empanadas just before baking. They’re always the first thing to disappear from the table at casual get-togethers.
