Chicken Empanada

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Chicken Empanadas

Stuffed Chicken Empanadas

Empanada [em-pah-NAH-dah;  em-pah-NAH-thah]
Empanar is Spanish for "to bake in pastry."
These Mexican and Spanish specialties are usually single-serving Turnovers,
with a pasrty crust and savory meat and/or vegetable filling.
They can also be filled with fruit and served as a dessert.
Empanadas range in size from the huge empanada gallega, 
large enough to feed an entire family to empanaditas-tiny, ravioli-size pastries.

Empanadas are a great way to use left-over meat and vegetables.
The possibilities and combinations are endless.
We used a package of refrigerated piecrusts for convenience but
you can easily make your own crust.

Chicken Empanada

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped, cooked chicken
• 8 ounce package shredded marble cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup (jarred) roasted red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup diced green chilies
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (15 oz) package refrigerated piecrusts

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients.
3. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle.
4. Cut out rounds using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed. Repeat procedure with remaining piecrusts, making 12 to 15 circles total.
5. Place one round on a clean, flat surface. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made and the empanadas frozen for up to 1 month. Bake frozen empanadas at 400º for 15 to 20 minutes. Don't thaw empanadas, cooking times may vary.) Arrange empanadas on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Chicken, Crust, Mexican, Spanish, Stuffed, Spice