Chicken Empanadas
To make chicken empanadas, you need to prepare a filling with chicken, tomatoes, and spices, and a dough to wrap it in.
The filling is cooked in a saucepan and then chilled before being used. The dough is made with flour, butter, and water, and is also chilled before being rolled out.
The empanadas are then assembled, brushed with egg wash, and baked until crispy.
By Nadia Kovalenko
Posted October 17, 2026Share
Time
Calories
Servings
Difficulty
Description
To make chicken empanadas, you need to prepare a filling with chicken, tomatoes, and spices, and a dough to wrap it in.
The filling is cooked in a saucepan and then chilled before being used. The dough is made with flour, butter, and water, and is also chilled before being rolled out.
The empanadas are then assembled, brushed with egg wash, and baked until crispy.
Quick Tip Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.
Ingredients 23
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
0.5 cup diced poblano pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1.5 teaspoons ground dried chipotle pepper
0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
0.25 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
3 cups diced cooked chicken
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers (such as RO*TEL®)
0.33 cup water
0.75 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
1 large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
0.33 cup cold water, or as needed
Instructions
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1
Gather all ingredients.
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2
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a saucepan; add 1 diced yellow onion, 0.5 cup diced poblano pepper, 4 chopped cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1.5 teaspoons ground dried chipotle pepper, 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin, 0.25 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, and a pinch cayenne pepper. Add 3 cups diced cooked chicken and 2 tablespoons dried currants.
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3
Place saucepan over high heat; cook until onions begin to soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chile peppers. Pour in 0.33 cup water and mix to combine.
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4
Bring mixture to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquids are cooked down, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Chill thoroughly before use, 1 to 2 hours.
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5
While filling simmers, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon white sugar for dough in a bowl with your hand. Grate in 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter.
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6
Drizzle in 1 beaten large egg and 0.33 cup cold water. Mix with a fork until it starts to form a shaggy dough.
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7
Use your hands to squeeze mixture into a lump of dough; transfer to a work surface and knead into a ball of dough, 10 to 15 seconds. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
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8
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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9
Unwrap chilled dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Use a bench scraper to divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch circle.
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10
Drain any excess juice from filling. Top each dough circle with a rounded 1/2-cup measure of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle some 0.75 cup grated pepper Jack cheese over top.
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11
Brush edges of each dough circle with a small amount of water to dampen; fold over and seal with fingertips, making sure to not trap in any pockets of air. Crimp using your fingertips or a fork.
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12
Combine 1 beaten large egg and 2 teaspoons water for egg wash. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheet and brush over egg wash. Sprinkle with cayenne.
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13
Bake in the center of the preheated oven until browned and crispy on the edges, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
Amount Per Serving
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Calories 497 kcal
% Daily Value *
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Total Fat 26g
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Saturated Fat 13g
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Cholesterol 132mg
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Sodium 937mg
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Total Carbohydrate 43g
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Dietary Fiber 3g
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Protein 22g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
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