These are baked Filipino-style empanadas filled with ground chicken, diced potato and carrot, green peas, and raisins — all tucked inside a butter-and-shortening crust. They come together in about 50 minutes and make eight solid hand-held portions. If you need something that works as a snack, a packed lunch, or a make-ahead freezer stash, this recipe pulls its weight.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, straining the filling before assembly is not optional — excess liquid turns the bottom crust soggy before it has a chance to bake through. Let the filling drain in a colander and give it time to cool completely; hot filling also softens the dough and makes sealing difficult. Second, using both cold butter and cold shortening in the crust gives you the best of both: butter adds flavor, shortening adds the structural flakiness that keeps the empanada from cracking open in the oven. Keep everything cold and work quickly — if the fat starts to feel greasy rather than crumbly, pop the dough back in the fridge for ten minutes before continuing.
Shopping notes
- Vegetable shortening: If you don’t keep shortening on hand, cold lard is a direct swap and actually works slightly better for flakiness. All butter will work in a pinch but the crust will be a little less tender.
- Ground chicken: Ground turkey breast is the closest substitute and behaves identically in the pan. Make sure either one reaches 165°F (74°C) internally — no pink.
- Raisins: Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots both work if that’s what’s in the pantry. Skip dried fruit entirely if you prefer a fully savory filling — the brown sugar in the crust still gives a gentle sweetness.
- Chicken stock: A bouillon cube dissolved in one cup of hot water is fine. Low-sodium versions let you control the salt in the filling more precisely.
- Green peas: Frozen peas thawed at room temperature are ideal. Canned peas (drained and rinsed) work but go in at the very end since they’re already soft.
Storage and reheating
Baked empanadas keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, use an oven or toaster oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes — this brings the crust back to something close to fresh-baked. A microwave will heat them through in about 90 seconds but the crust goes soft, so use it only when you’re in a hurry. For freezing, cool the baked empanadas completely, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag; they keep well for up to three months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F (190°C) for 18–20 minutes, no need to thaw first.
If something goes sideways
- Dough tears when you fold it: The dough is too cold and stiff. Let it sit at room temperature for five minutes, then try again. Rolling it slightly thicker — about 3mm — also helps it hold the fold without cracking.
- Filling leaks out during baking: The edges weren’t sealed firmly enough, or the filling was still warm when assembled. Press the crimped edge down with a fork a second time and make sure the filling is fully cooled before you fill the rounds.
- Bottom crust is pale and doughy: The filling wasn’t drained well enough, or the baking sheet was insulated. Use a dark or heavy metal pan placed on the lower-middle oven rack to get more direct heat underneath.
- Empanadas puff and then deflate flat: No steam vent was cut. Poke one small slit in the top of each empanada before baking — this is worth doing every time even though the recipe card doesn’t call it out explicitly.
- Filling tastes bland after baking: Fillings lose intensity once sealed inside dough. Season the filling a touch more assertively than you think you need before it goes in — taste it and add salt or pepper before assembly, not after.
Filipino Chicken Empanada (Baked, Flaky Crust)
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients
2 ½ cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - 310g, plain flour in Australia and UK, plus extra for dusting
3 tablespoons brown sugar - 36g
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter - 113g, cold and cut into small cubes- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening - 75g, cold
7 tablespoons water - (ice water) 105ml
Filling Ingredients
1 tablespoon canola oil - or other neutral oil- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter - 14g
½ medium yellow onion - minced
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 lb ground chicken - 450g, minced chicken breast
1 medium potatoes - about 150g, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch (6mm) cubes
1 medium carrot - about 80g, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch (6mm) cubes- ½ cup green peas - (frozen) 75g, thawed
¼ cup raisins - 40g
1 cup chicken stock - 240ml, broth or bouillon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper- 1 tablespoon brown sugar - 12g, optional, for a slightly sweet filling
- 1 teaspoon salt
Egg Wash
1 large egg - for egg wash- 1 tablespoon water - for egg wash
Instructions
Crust Instructions
- In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix using a fork.2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK), 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the cold butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse, butter-coated breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of fat still visible. Do not overmix — those fat pieces create flaky layers. Slowly drizzle in the ice water, mixing by hand, until the dough just comes together. Shape into a ball, dust lightly with flour, place inside a plastic bag or zip-lock bag, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, 7 tablespoons water
Filling Instructions
- In a pan, heat oil and butter, then sauté the onions and garlic.1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1/2 medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Next, add the chicken and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Drop in your potatoes and carrots and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.1 lb ground chicken, 1 medium potatoes, 1 medium carrot
- Pour in the chicken stock, then add the green peas and raisins. Simmer for 3 minutes. Season with pepper and salt to taste. If you prefer a slightly sweet filling, stir in the brown sugar. Cook for another 2 minutes until the liquid has mostly reduced.1 cup chicken stock, 1/2 cup green peas, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Strain the sauce from the filling as you set it aside to cool.
Assembling Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C (205°C fan-forced).
- Prepare a mixture of 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water. We’ll use this to brush over the empanadas later.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Take the dough out of the fridge. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 3mm (1/8-inch) thickness. Don’t go thinner — the crust will crack during baking.
- Using a cookie cutter, cut circles from the dough. You can use anything around at least 10-centimetre or 4 inches in diameter. This will be your crust.
- Scoop 1 to 2 tablespoons of the filling and place at the centre of the crust. Fold the crust so that the edges meet and seal using a fork.
- Lay down on a greased baking sheet and brush the top of your empanadas with the egg/water wash.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon water
- With a knife, make 2 to 3 slits at the top to let the steam pass through while baking.
- Bake at 400°F / 200°C for 18–20 minutes, or until the empanadas are golden brown and the egg wash has set to a glossy finish. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the dough and filling the night before?
Yes — this is actually the most practical way to approach the recipe. Keep the dough wrapped in the fridge overnight (up to 24 hours) and store the cooled, strained filling in a separate container; assemble and bake the next day straight from the fridge.
Can I use store-bought pie crust or puff pastry instead of making the dough?
Store-bought refrigerated pie crust works and cuts prep time significantly. Puff pastry will also work but produces a much puffier, flakier result that’s harder to crimp shut — pie crust is the closer match to the intended texture.
My ground chicken is releasing a lot of liquid in the pan. What should I do?
Don’t crowd the pan — cook in batches if needed, and keep the heat at medium-high so the moisture evaporates rather than steams the meat. The simmering step with chicken stock will add controlled liquid back in, so getting a good cook on the chicken first is worth the extra minute.
Can these be fried instead of baked?
Yes. Heat about two inches of neutral oil to 350°F (175°C) and fry the assembled empanadas for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden. Skip the egg wash if frying — it’s only needed for the baked version to get that golden finish.
If you liked this one
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- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Golden Turkey Empanadas
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
