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Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo)

Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) feature a tender, handmade crust encasing juicy shredded chicken seasoned with sazon, garlic, and tomato paste. Briny green olives, sweet onion, and bell pepper add depth to the savory filling, making each bite richly spiced and satisfying. Perfect for parties, game day platters, or a comforting dinner with a crisp salad.

  • Prep35 mins
  • Cook35 mins
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyMedium
Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo)

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo), not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

41 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
54 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
7 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
50 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

51
Heart Health
58
Metabolic
25
Digestive
31
Inflammatory
34
Performance
34
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the water and 1/4 cup vegetable oil; beat with an electric mixer until well combined and a dough starts to form, about 3 minutes. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

  2. 2

    Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded chicken and sauté until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, cilantro, olives, garlic, sazon seasoning, tomato paste, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

  3. 3

    Divide the empanada dough into 12 portions and shape each into a 4-inch circle. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling into the center of each circle, fold in half, and press the edges with a fork to seal.

  4. 4

    Heat 1 cup oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the empanadas in batches and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

About This Recipe

Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) is made with 15 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 1 hr 10 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Diced Green Bell Pepper. Each serving provides about 270.56 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) made of?
The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Diced Green Bell Pepper, Diced Onion. The full list of 15 is above.
How long does it take to make Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo)?
About 1 hr 10 mins in total: 35 mins to prepare and 35 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 270.56 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 4 steps.
Is Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) healthy?
Puerto Rican Chicken Empanadas (Empanadas de Pollo) has an easyChef Pro health score of 41/100. Per serving, it provides 270.56 calories and 12.38 g of protein, or 25% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 222.51 mg (10% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.17 g (6% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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