Easy-peasy chicken cheesy empanadas! Crisp, mouthwatering puff pastries packed with savory, south-of-the-border pollo perfection!
These easy-to-make Mexican Chicken Empanadas are the epitome of hand-held deliciousness! A savory chicken, cheese, black bean, and bell pepper filling all rolled up in a buttery, flaky, melt-in-your-mouth pastry pocket! This is the best easy empanada recipe ever!
Authentic Empanadas Made Easy!
Authentic empanadas start with homemade dough pouches stuffed with various ingredients, then sealed and fried to flavorful perfection!
This shortcut Mexican Chicken Empanada recipe takes a shortcut by using bought puff pastry dough and precooked chicken. It is the ultimate in simplicity. These taco-style empanadas are then baked instead of fried to save time and calories, but they are so close to authentic they will taste like you spent all day in the kitchen!
Dip Recipes for Mexican Chicken Empanadas
Chicken empanadas are so delicious it’s hard to keep from eating them right out of the oven! But we all know dip makes everything better!
- Garden Fresh Guacamole is a classic Mexican dip that’s creamy, delicious, and loaded with healthy ingredients!
- Mexican Street Corn Dip is a crispy, cold version of street corn you will absolutely flip for!
- Macho Queso Dip – cheese. Dipping cheese. Melty, tasty, excellent dipping cheese. What else is there to say???
Ingredients
Dough: The empanada shells require two thawed puff pastry sheets from the grocery store and an egg.
Filling: Cooked chicken, canned black beans, red bell pepper, sharp cheddar (or a Mexican cheese blend, if you prefer), and olive oil make up the empanada filling.
Seasoning: A packet of taco seasoning and mild red enchilada sauce complete the filling and give that “just right” Mexican flavor!
How to Make Mexican Chicken Enchiladas
STEP ONE: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Toss in the bell peppers and black beans and sauté for 2 minutes. Add in the chicken, taco seasoning, and enchilada sauce. Then, stir until everything is heated through.
STEP TWO: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick mat. On a lightly floured work surface, lay out one sheet of the puff pastry and lightly flour the top of the dough. Roll it into a long rectangle, approximately 12 inches x 18 inches. Use a 4-inch circular cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out eight dough circles. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Gather the remaining dough and roll it out again to cut at least four more circles. You should have a total of 20 puff pastry circles.
STEP THREE: Place a 1.5 tablespoon scoop of the chicken filling in the center of each pastry circle and top with one tablespoon of shredded cheese. Leave a finger-width of dough between the edge and the filling. Lightly brush one edge of the dough circle with egg wash.
STEP FOUR: Fold the dough and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Place each sealed empanada on the prepared baking sheet so they are not touching. (You may need to cook in batches.) Brush the tops and sides of each empanada with the remaining egg wash. Pierce each empanada 2-3 times with a fork so the steam can escape during baking.
STEP FIVE: Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a great dip and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Make sure to pierce each pocket before baking to let the steam escape. This allows them to cook evenly and keeps them from being mushy.
- Go ahead and use a rotisserie chicken! It only costs a little more, but it saves so much time.
- Dice the filling ingredients according to your preference. Some prefer a chunky filling, while others prefer a very finely diced, smoother filling.
- For added depth of flavor, toss a few diced onions into the skillet and allow them to caramelize before adding other ingredients. YUM.
What is an Empanada?
When you hear the word “empanadas,” think turnovers, dumplings, calzones, or even hand pies! The word empanada literally means “wrapped or coated in bread.” Whether they originated in Spain or Argentina is debatable, but empanadas are as quintessential to Latin American cuisine as sandwiches are to American culture.
Empanadas can be sweet, savory, or even spicy. They work for virtually any meal or occasion, and HOLY GUACAMOLE, are they incredible!
Can You Freeze Empanadas?
This empanada recipe freezes beautifully! The best way is to completely prepare the empanadas for baking, but instead of putting the pan in the oven, put it in the freezer for an hour or so. Once the empanadas are frozen, transfer them individually into a freezer bag.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, place the number you want on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden and crispy.
Craving Mexican Food? Try These Recipes:
- Mexican Blackened Corn
- Mexican Spinach Dip
- Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- One Pot Mexican Chicken
- Walking Tacos
- Jalapeno Popper Quesadillas
*This post was originally posted on 12/15/2017.
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- ½ cup red bell pepper seed and diced
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken diced
- 1 ounce taco seasoning (1 packet)
- ½ cup mild red enchilada sauce
- 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
- 1 ⅓ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and black beans and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, taco seasonings, and enchilada sauce. Stir to combine and cook until heated through. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
- Lay out 1 sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll it out into a rectangle that's 12 x 18 inches. Cut 2 rows of 4-inch circles (using a cookie or biscuit cutter) from the dough for 8 circles total. Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry. Gather dough scraps and roll them out big enough to cut 4 more circles. You should have a total of 20 dough circles.
- Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of each circle and top with 1 tablespoon of cheese. Check each empanada to ensure there is about a finger's width of space between the filling and the edge. Lightly brush the edge of half of a circle with egg wash and fold the dough over the filling to make a half circle. Crimp the edges together with a fork to seal.
- Place the empanadas on the baking sheet so they are not touching. Then pierce each empanada two times with a fork so steam can escape while baking. Brush the tops and sides evenly with egg wash.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5-10 miuntes. Serve warm with your favorite dip, if desired.
Video
Notes
- You can use chicken breast, thighs, or rotisserie chicken from the store (without the skin) to make the filling.
- To freezer for later: When empanadas are lined up on the baking sheets before baking, transfer the entire baking sheet to the freezer. Once frozen, place individual empanadas in a freezer-safe food storage bag. When you’re ready to bake, line the desired amount of empanadas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
Rena says
Love the black bean addition!
Sherry says
You lost me at black beans!