Chicken Empanadas
Chicken Empanadas feature a flaky, buttery crust filled with tender chicken simmered with tomatoes, poblano, chipotle, and warm spices for a gently smoky kick. A touch of pepper Jack melts inside for a gooey finish, with sweet currants adding balance. Ideal for game day, casual dinners, or make-ahead parties, these hand pies bake up golden and satisfying.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook1 hr 15 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Chicken Empanadas, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 55 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 55 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 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.
- 16
- Heart Health
- 65
- Metabolic
- 29
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 34
- Performance
- 33
- General Wellness
- 1
Assemble all the ingredients.
- 2
Pour olive oil into a saucepan; add the onion, poblano, garlic, salt, pepper, chipotle, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and cooked chicken, pressing down as you add them. Add the currants.
- 3
Set the saucepan over high heat; cook until the onions start to soften slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the diced tomatoes with green chiles. Pour in 1/3 cup water and mix to combine.
- 4
Bring the mixture to a simmer; lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquids have reduced, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Chill thoroughly before using, 1 to 2 hours.
- 5
While the filling simmers, mix the flour, salt, and sugar for the dough in a bowl with your hand. Grate in the cold butter, pausing as needed to combine.
- 6
Drizzle in the beaten egg and water. Mix with a fork until it begins to come together into a shaggy dough.
- 7
Use your hands to press the mixture into a lump of dough; move it to a work surface and knead into a ball, 10 to 15 seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to overnight.
- 8
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Use a bench scraper to divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch circle.
- 9
Drain any excess liquid from the filling. Place a rounded 1/2-cup of the chicken mixture on each dough circle. Sprinkle pepper Jack cheese on top.
- 10
Brush the edges of each dough circle with a little water to moisten; fold over and seal with your fingertips, making sure not to trap any air pockets. Crimp with your fingertips or a fork.
- 11
Stir together the beaten egg and 2 teaspoons water to make an egg wash. Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and brush with the egg wash. Sprinkle with cayenne.
- 12
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven until browned and crisp on the edges, about 35 minutes. Move to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
- 13
Serve warm and enjoy!
- Calories 528.81 kcal High 26%
- Protein 25.6 g Good Source 51%
- Carbohydrate 46.4 g 17%
- Total Fat 25.49 g High 33%
- Saturated Fat 12.87 g High 64%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 153.53 mg High 51%
- Sodium 775.58 mg High 34%
- Dietary Fiber 3.73 g Moderate 13%
- Total Sugars 4.95 g --
- Added Sugars 0.41 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 30.0 mg Low Source 2%
- Iron 3.3 mg Moderate 18%
- Potassium 436.47 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 152.52 mcg Moderate 17%
- Vitamin C 12.47 mg Moderate 14%
- Vitamin D 0.26 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Chicken Empanadas is made with 19 ingredients and serves 8. It takes about 1 hr 45 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, and Chipotle Powder. Each serving provides about 528.81 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Chicken Empanadas made of?
- The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Powder, Diced Fully Cooked Chicken Breast. The full list of 19 is above.
- How long does it take to make Chicken Empanadas?
- About 1 hr 45 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 1 hr 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 528.81 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Chicken Empanadas easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 13 steps.
- Is Chicken Empanadas healthy?
- Chicken Empanadas has an easyChef Pro health score of 39/100. Per serving, it provides 528.81 calories and 25.6 g of protein, or 51% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 775.58 mg (34% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 12.87 g (64% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, 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
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