Baked Chicken Empanadas are Spanish-inspired appetizers that are a wholesome twist on a classic favorite. The savory filling made with ground chicken and peas is seasoned with a variety of spices. This filling is encased in a pastry crafted with a hearty blend of oat, spelt, and whole wheat flours. These folded pockets are then baked to a golden, flaky texture that is rustic yet has a nutty depth. Whether you’re planning a cozy family dinner or meal prepping, this dish is a good balance between healthy and satisfying!
Growing up in India, I always believed that the samosa was a uniquely Indian dish. However, as I traveled, I marveled at the curry puff in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, yet I still thought it originated in India. But when I tried the Cornish pasty and learned that it dates back to the 12th century, a whole new world opened up to me. My intrigue with this dish grew as I traveled.
What is an empanada?
Empanadas are fried or baked pastry dishes encasing savory meats and vegetables, or sweet fruits and nuts. I don’t think there is any cuisine that doesn’t have some version of this. It is called by various names and made in different ways. But the concept of a compact and ever-so-tasty pastry stuffed with savory or sweet fillings is an idea that can not be beaten. You can’t go wrong with it. While the fillings were modified to account for regional taste variations and locally sourced ingredients, the basic idea took the ancient and the modern world by storm.
Origin of empanadas:
You can call empanadas a Cornish pasty in the UK, kibinai in Lithuania, börek in Turkey, sambusak all over the Middle East, bolani in Afghanistan, samosa in India, Xian bing in China, or panada or pastel in Indonesia, and empanada in historically Spanish-influenced countries.
For an appetizer, it is certainly well-traveled. With the spice trade, merchants carried the ‘sambusak’ along the trade routes both West and East. With the Moorish invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century came the sambusak, which eventually evolved into the Spanish empanada, typically covered with bread. Similarly, with the expansion of the Caliphates to the East, the Samanids came to India and spread to the rest of Asia.
Benefits of baking the Chicken Empanadas:
Baking reduces acrylamide formation: When dough is exposed to high temperatures, the starch in the dough can produce acrylamide, which has been linked to cancer. However, baking at lower oven temperatures will reduce acrylamide levels.
Baking reduces damage to the heart, kidneys, and lungs compared to deep-frying. Heat oxidizes oils. Oxidized oils can produce harmful compounds and toxic by-products, which can affect the heart, kidneys, and lungs. There is also the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Calories: When we deep fry, we submerge the food in oil at a high temperature. Fried foods contain relatively more calories and thus increase calorie intake. Furthermore, the trans fats in fried foods may affect the hormones that regulate appetite and fat storage, thus accelerating weight gain.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What are other methods of cooking the empanadas?
Deep or shallow-fried: Shallow-fry the empanadas in hot oil over low to medium heat, flipping them over two to three times until golden brown.
Air-fried: Air-fry the empanadas after brushing them with oil.
2. What are some common fillings for empanadas?
Common savory fillings include vegetables, potatoes, cheese, and seafood, while apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, chocolate, and guava are some popular sweet fillings.
3. What are some plant-based fillings?
Spicy beans, lentils, mushrooms, spinach, and tofu are some vegan ideas.
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Ingredients:
For the pastry:
- Flour: oat, red whole wheat and spelt flour; substitute them with all-purpose flour
- Fat: unsalted butter (or use avocado or olive oil)
- Brushing: egg yolk with some water (or use cream)
For the filling:
- Ground chicken
- Aromatics: shallot, garlic, lemon juice
- Spices: cayenne, paprika, cumin, and black pepper powder
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this dish. For the measurements, please refer to the recipe card below.
How to make the Baked Chicken Empanadas:
- Make the pastry: Place the ingredients (except water and egg yolk) in a food processor fitted with the dough attachment. Pulse them until the flour resembles bread crumbs. Gradually, add cold water a little at a time and pulse again. Turn off the food processor once the dough forms. Cover the jar with cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
2. Make the filling: Heat a pan, add olive oil, bay leaf, cinnamon, and onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and the ground chicken.
- Mix in the spices, oregano, and salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes without adding any water. Add the frozen peas and sauté until all the water has evaporated. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf. Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Keep the filling aside to cool.
3. Assemble the Chicken Empanadas:
- Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Use an empanada cutter to stamp out 4-inch diameter rounds.
- Place the round in the lightly oiled empanada mold. Spoon some of the cooled filling into the center.
- Lightly brush the edges of the rounds with one or two drops of water and seal them using the tines of a fork. Brush the top of the empanadas with egg wash made by beating the egg yolk with half a teaspoon of water using a fork.
- Bake the Chicken Empanadas for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown on a lined baking sheet. Serve hot with date chutney.
- This is a diabetic-friendly recipe that utilizes whole-grain flour. Feel free to substitute the whole grain flour with all-purpose flour.
- Swap out the butter for avocado or olive oil.
- To prevent the pastry rounds from sticking to the empanada mold, lightly mist or brush it with oil.
- Sprinkle a few drops of cold water on the refrigerated pastry dough to make it pliable. Knead it with some water if it is too stiff or crumbly. This will help prevent cracks while sealing it.
Serving suggestions:
Baked Chicken Empanadas can be served as appetizers with sugar-free ketchup or date chutney.
Storage:
Baked Chicken Empanadas can be stored in airtight containers or sealable bags and frozen for later use. You could also seal the pre-made empanadas (that are not baked) and store them in the freezer. Thaw the Chicken Empanadas and bake them before serving.
Other ground chicken recipes that you might like:
Baked Chicken Empanadas
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 small shallot
- 4 clove garlic minced
- ½ lb ground chicken
- ½ tsp cayenne powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp oregano dried
- ⅓ cup pea frozen
- ½ tbsp lime juice
For the pastry:
- 4 oz spelt flour
- 2 oz whole wheat bread flour
- 2 oz oat flour
- 4 oz unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2-4 tbsp water cold
- 1 egg yolk for brushing
Instructions
How to make the pastry:
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Place the ingredients (except water and egg yolk) in a food processor fitted with the dough attachment. Pulse them until the flour resembles bread crumbs. Gradually, add cold water a little at a time and pulse again. Turn off the food processor once the dough forms. Cover the jar with cling film and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
How to make the filling:
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Heat a pan, add olive oil, bay leaf, cinnamon, and onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender. Add the garlic and the ground chicken.
- Mix in the spices, oregano, and salt. Cook for 10-12 minutes without adding any water. Add the frozen peas and sauté until all the water has evaporated. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaf. Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Keep the filling aside to cool.
How to make the Chicken Empanadas:
- Remove the pastry dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Use an empanada cutter to stamp out 4-inch diameter rounds.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the round in the lightly oiled empanada mold. Spoon some of the cooled filling into the center.
- Lightly brush the edges of the rounds with one or two drops of water and seal them using the tines of a fork. Brush the top of the empanadas with egg wash made by beating the egg yolk with half a teaspoon of water using a fork.
- Bake the empanadas for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown on a lined baking sheet. Serve hot with date chutney.
Notes
- This is a diabetic-friendly recipe that utilizes whole-grain flour. Feel free to substitute the whole grain flour with all-purpose flour.
- Swap out the butter for avocado or olive oil.
- To prevent the pastry rounds from sticking to the empanada mold, lightly mist or brush it with oil.
- Sprinkle a few drops of cold water on the refrigerated pastry dough to make it pliable. Knead it with some water if it is too stiff or crumbly. This will help prevent cracks while sealing it.
Nutrition
these are so delicious!