Empadinhas are small Brazilian shortcrust pies filled with ground chicken and palm hearts, finished with cream cheese to hold everything together. They make 12 pieces from one batch, so they’re genuinely useful for feeding a group without a lot of fuss. The dough is a simple rub-in shortcrust — no special equipment needed.
Before you start
Two things decide whether these work. First, keep the butter cold right up until it goes into the flour — warm butter makes the dough greasy and hard to press into the molds instead of crumbly and short. If your kitchen is warm, cube the butter and put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes before you start. Second, make sure the filling is fully cooked and cooled before it goes into the shells. Ground chicken must reach 165°F (74°C) internally — check it in the pan with an instant-read thermometer. Hot filling steams the raw dough from the inside and gives you a soggy base, so spread the cooked filling on a plate and let it cool for 10 minutes while the dough chills.
Smart swaps
- Palm hearts: Canned palm hearts (palmito) are the practical choice here — they’re already tender and just need draining and chopping. Fresh palm hearts are hard to find outside Brazil and aren’t worth hunting down for this recipe.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese binds the filling best. Ricotta works but makes the filling slightly wetter, so drain it first. Low-fat cream cheese tends to split when heated.
- Ground chicken: Ground turkey is a direct swap and behaves identically in the pan. Both need to hit 165°F (74°C) — no pink, no exceptions.
- Parsley: Fresh or frozen both work fine here. Skip dried — it adds nothing.
What can go wrong
- Dough tears when pressing into molds: This usually means the dough is too cold and stiff straight from the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 3–4 minutes before pressing — it should be pliable but not sticky.
- Filling leaks out during baking: Overfilling is the cause. Leave a small border of dough around the edge before pressing the lid on, and press the edges firmly to seal. A light egg wash on the rim helps the lid stick.
- Soggy bottom crust: Almost always caused by filling that was too hot or too wet when it went in. Drain the palm hearts thoroughly and cool the filling completely before assembling.
- Tops crack or split in the oven: The dough lid was rolled too thin, or the oven temperature was too high at the start. Aim for an even thickness on the lid — roughly the same as the base — and skip the garnish on top; it’s not worth the extra dish.
- Empadinhas stick to the molds: Grease the molds well with butter before pressing in the dough, including the rim. If you’re using a muffin tin instead of individual molds, line each cup with a small square of baking paper as extra insurance.
Minced Chicken and Palm Heart Empadinha
Ingredients
For the Dough
For the Filling
- 1 cup palm hearts - chopped, drained if canned
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Add the cold, diced butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Slowly add the cold water, mixing just until the dough begins to come together. Form a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Filling: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute, enjoying the rich aroma. Add the minced chicken, cooking and stirring until it's browned and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Add Palm Hearts: Add the chopped palm hearts and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the cream cheese until it's well combined and the mixture is creamy. Season with salt, black pepper, and parsley. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Assemble Empadinhas: Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 3mm. Cut circles large enough to cover the base and sides of your mini tart shells. Line the molds with the dough, fill with the cooled chicken mixture, and then place a smaller dough circle on top, pinching the edges to seal.
- Bake: Brush the tops with the beaten egg for a golden finish. Place the empadinhas in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and crisp. The kitchen will be filled with a tantalizing aroma signaling the empadinhas are ready.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the dough and filling ahead of time?
Yes — both can be made a day in advance. Keep the dough wrapped tightly in the fridge and the filling in a sealed container; assemble and bake straight from the fridge the next day, adding 3–4 minutes to the bake time.
Can I freeze these after baking?
Baked empadinhas freeze well for up to 2 months. Cool them completely first, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a bag. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 12–15 minutes — they come out nearly as good as fresh.
I don’t have individual pie molds. What can I use instead?
A standard 12-cup muffin tin works well and is the most common substitute. The cups are slightly deeper than traditional empadinha molds, so you may need to adjust the dough thickness slightly to have enough for all 12.
How do I know when the ground chicken filling is fully cooked?
Ground chicken is done when it reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer and there is no pink remaining. Stir it as it cooks to break up any clumps — uneven chunks can stay undercooked in the center even when the outside looks done.
What to cook next
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Savory Beef Carrot Turnovers
