These are very easy to put together and, honestly, you can stuff them pretty much with whatever you like. I find that wet fillings (braised meats, etc.) as opposed to dryer fillings work best because pizza dough is a little thicker than traditional empanada dough.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 35 min |
| Yield: | 6 to 8 empanadas |
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts (about 2)
- 1 bay leaf
- 8 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
- 2 jalapenos, stemmed and halved
- 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, tender stems and leaves
- 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, tender stems and leaves
- Salt and black pepper
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 2 pounds purchased pizza dough from your local pizzeria
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 6 ounces shredded mozzarella, optional
Instructions
- Combine the garlic, onions, salt and 5 cups water in a 12-inch high-sided saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and bay leaf, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken, partially covered, until cooked through, about 35 minutes. (To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the interior is no longer pink.) Remove the chicken (reserve the broth) and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, shred by hand and place in a medium bowl.
- Remove enough broth to leave about 2 cups in the pan with the onions and garlic (cool and refrigerate or freeze the extra broth for another use). Remove the bay leaf. Add the tomatillos and jalapenos and cook until the tomatillos are olive green, 10 to 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the solid ingredients (onions, tomatillos and garlic) to a blender. Add the cilantro and process until smooth (using some of the liquid in the pan if needed). Season with salt and pepper. Pour the salsa back into the saucepan and bring to a boil; add the chicken and cook until the flavors incorporate, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- To assemble the empanadas: Dust a flat surface with flour. Roll out the pizza dough about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a 6-inch round cookie cutter (or a bowl or plate with the same diameter), cut the dough into circles. Expect to get about 3 circles from 1 pound of dough. Brush the egg wash over the surface of one dough round. Add 2 tablespoons of filling onto half of the circle and sprinkle about 1 ounce of mozzarella on top of the filling, if using. Fold the plain half over the filling. Seal the edges with fork tines or crimp decoratively. Repeat for the remaining empanadas. (Save any leftover filling in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week for another use.)
- Transfer the empanadas to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake until crisp and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 7 servings |
| Calories | 586 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 73 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Protein | 41 g |
| Cholesterol | 113 mg |
| Sodium | 1002 mg |
Reviews
This was fantastic. I used my sourdough pizza dough, and it worked beautifully. The tomatillos made a great sauce. I found myself tasting spoonfuls repeatedly, it was so good. For the chicken, I used a portion from the Meal Prep Instant Pot Chicken (by Food Network Kitchen) I had made the day before. Worked great for this application. The empanadas are great with pickled jalapenos.
I have never had tomatillos, or I think I haven’t. It was really good. I did add cumin to taste it was outstanding. The pizza dough was a challenge, not sure what I did, but need a tip to make it so it stays! Any protips would be greatly appreciated.
Great filling. Followed the recipe and it was perfect except the pizza dough kept shrinking. And couldn’t close it with the egg wash. I just egg washed the rest on the outside only. But tough time with the fresh pizza dough. Next time I’ll use the tube refrigerated dough.
Not a review, but rather a request. I’d like to see the nutritional information on these recipes, it would make it easier for those of us doing some serious weight watching. Thanks. Alice
Hi Marcela ! As usual your recipe 2as simple and great .. We enjoyed some spicy , tasty and delicious Empanada ..Thanks your very much .Regards Ameet
this was delicious. The tomatillo sauce was incredible. The house smelled so good as I was making it. Thanks Marcela.
very good and versatile. try it as written and then change it up to make it your own.
Haven’t tried it yet, but want to.
awesome
Excellent recipe! Very easy to make. I had rotisserie chicken left over so skipped a few of the steps. I was able to get 4 out of each dough round (12 oz) and next time I will try to get 5 out of each so they are just a tad thinner. Very easy to work with the pizza dough although it may have made a difference that I used dough from a local bakery. Will definitely make these again. Served with extra tomatillo salsa and also with sour cream!