These are baked chicken empanadas with a short-crust butter pastry and a filling of ground chicken, onion, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and green olives. The whole thing takes about 75 minutes start to finish and makes 4 servings. They work as a main course or a shareable snack, and the filling can be made the night before so assembly is quick.
About the ingredients
- Ground chicken: It’s leaner than beef or pork, which means it can dry out fast if overcooked. Pull it off the heat as soon as there’s no pink left — it will finish cooking in the oven inside the pastry.
- Smoked paprika: Regular sweet paprika works in a pinch, but smoked paprika is what gives the filling its depth. It’s widely available in most supermarkets now and worth having on hand.
- Green olives: These add salt and a mild brine. If you dislike olives, skip them — the filling is complete without them. Don’t substitute black olives; they’re softer and turn mushy.
- Cold butter and ice water for the dough: Temperature is the whole game here. Warm butter melts into the flour instead of staying in small pieces, and those small pieces are what create flakiness. Keep everything cold.
Before you start
The one technique that matters most is handling the pastry dough as little as possible. Overworking it develops gluten, which makes the crust tough instead of flaky. Mix only until the dough just holds together — it should look a little rough and shaggy, not smooth like bread dough. The 30-minute chill is not optional; it firms the butter back up and relaxes any gluten that did develop, making the dough much easier to roll. While the dough chills, cook and cool the filling completely. Putting warm filling into the pastry softens it and makes the empanadas hard to seal and prone to splitting in the oven.
If something goes sideways
- Dough tears when you roll it: It’s probably too cold and stiff. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again. If it keeps tearing, it may be too dry — press the edges back together and add a tiny splash of ice water.
- Empanadas burst open in the oven: The filling was either overfilled or not sealed tightly enough. Use no more than one tablespoon of filling per circle, press the edges firmly, and crimp with a fork all the way around.
- Filling is watery: Ground chicken releases liquid as it cooks. If there’s visible liquid pooling in the pan, raise the heat slightly and stir until it evaporates before adding the spices. Wet filling makes soggy pastry.
- Bottoms are pale and soft: Move the baking tray to a lower oven rack for the last 5 minutes. Direct bottom heat crisps the base. A preheated baking tray also helps — skip the garnish and use that time to heat the tray instead.
- Chicken filling looks pink after cooking on the stovetop: Keep cooking. Ground poultry must reach 165°F (74°C) internally — never serve it undercooked. A cheap instant-read thermometer removes all guesswork here.
Make-ahead notes
The filling keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed container — make it the night before and assembly becomes straightforward. The uncooked dough can also be wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month; thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling. Fully assembled but unbaked empanadas can be frozen on a tray, then transferred to a bag once solid, and baked from frozen at 200°C (400°F) for about 35 minutes. Already baked empanadas reheat well in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 10 minutes — avoid the microwave, which turns the pastry soft.
Minced Chicken Empanadas Andinas
Ingredients
Pastry Dough
2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK) - preferably organic
½ teaspoon salt
125 grams unsalted butter - cold and cubed
78 ml water - iced, as needed
Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil - extra virgin
1 medium onion - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
300 grams ground chicken (minced chicken) - preferably free range
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika- 1 teaspoon salt - to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
¼ cup green olives - sliced
1 medium egg - for egg wash
1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add cubed butter, and using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the ice water, mixing just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Filling: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (180°C/350°F). Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Stir in minced chicken, cook until browned. Mix in cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add olives, cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the Empanadas: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Roll chilled dough on a floured surface until 1/8-inch thick. Cut out circles using a 4-inch cutter. Place a tablespoon of filling on one side of each circle. Fold dough over filling, crimp edges to seal.
- Bake the Empanadas: Beat the egg with milk for egg wash. Brush over empanadas. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the ground chicken is fully cooked?
It’s done when there is no pink remaining and it reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Ground poultry can look slightly pale even when cooked through, so color alone isn’t reliable — a thermometer is the safest check.
Can I use store-bought pastry dough instead of making it from scratch?
Yes, a refrigerated all-butter pie crust or shortcrust pastry sheet works fine and cuts prep time significantly. Avoid puff pastry — it rises too much and the empanadas lose their shape.
My dough keeps sticking to the counter when I roll it. What am I doing wrong?
Flour the surface and the rolling pin generously, and move the dough every few rolls to make sure it isn’t sticking underneath. If it’s still sticking, it may have warmed up — put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes and try again on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper.
If you liked this one
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