Cheesy Chicken Empanadas

Cheesy Chicken Empanadas are crispy fried pastries filled with a cheesy chicken filling for a delicious dinner or appetizer.

Why We Love These Cheesy Chicken Empanadas

• Delicious comfort food that everyone will love.
• Quick and easy recipe that can be made with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the deli.
• Homemade empanadas can be fried or baked.

Ingredients For Cheesy Chicken Empanadas

Dough:

• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt
• Shortenening
• Egg
• Ice Water

Filling:

• Cooked Chicken, chopped
• Cream Cheese, softened
• Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• Granulated Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Ground Cumin
• Sugar
• Dried Oregano
• Kosher Salt
• Pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Step By Step Directions for Empanadas

For the Dough

1. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Use a fork to cut shortening into the flour until shortening is pea sized.
2. Mix in the egg. Drizzle in the ice water a bit at a time until dough comes together into a ball.
3. Press the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

For the Filling

1. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in shredded cheese.
2. Fold in chicken, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper.

For the Empanadas

1. Remove dough from plastic wrap and cut in half. Cut each half into 8 pieces.
2. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll each dough ball into a circle, about 3/8 inch thick.
3. Spoon filling into the center of each dough circle and fold in half. Roll the edges together pinching to seal.

4. Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet.
5. Cook empanadas 4- 5 empanadas at a time for 2-3 minutes per side.
6. Remove to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and paper towels.

Serve with sour cream and salsa or your favorite dips or toppings.

Recipe Notes

• Storage: Store leftover empandas in a zip top bag in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Place empandas on a sheet pan and bake for 8 -10 minutes at 350°.
• Add-Ins: Diced jalapenos, sliced green onions, corn, carrots.
• Bake: If you would rather bake the empanadas, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°.

What to Serve with Empanadas

Easy Spanish Rice is one of our favorites to serve with Empanadas. Serve with Homemade Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole or Velveeta Cheese Dip. Round out the meal with a Green Salad or Homemade Coleslaw.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Rolled Chicken Tacos
• Spanish Chicken and Rice
• Chicken Fajita Pasta

Cheesy Chicken Empanadas are the perfect dish to make with leftover chicken for a quick weeknight dinner or tasty appetizer.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, please leave a comment and a five star review. Be sure to help us share Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Cheesy Chicken Empanadas

Cheesy Chicken Empanadas are crispy fried pastries filled with a cheesy chicken filling for a delicious dinner or appetizer.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy empanadas, chicken empanadas, chicken pastries

Servings: 16 Empanadas

Calories: 556kcal

Author: Milisa

Ingredients

Empanada Dough

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cups diced cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

• For the Dough: Add flour, baking powder and salt to a large bowl. Stir to combine. Use a fork to cut shortening into the flour until shortening is pea sized.
• Mix in the egg. Drizzle in the ice water a bit at a time until dough comes together into a ball.
• Press the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• For the Filling: Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in shredded cheese.
• Fold in chicken, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper.
• For the Empanadas: Remove dough from plastic wrap and cut in half. Cut each half into 8 pieces.
• Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll each dough ball into a circle, about ⅜ inch thick.
• Spoon filling into the center of each dough circle and fold in half. Roll the edges together pinching to seal.
• Heat vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet.
• Cook empanadas 4- 5 empanadas at a time for 2-3 minutes per side.
• Remove to a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and paper towels.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover Empandas in a zip top bag in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Reheat: Place empandas on a sheet pan and bake for 8 -10 minutes at 350°.

Add-Ins: Diced jalapenos, sliced green onions, corn, carrots.

Bake: If you would rather bake the empanadas, place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375°.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 556kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 34g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 434mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g