These are fried dough pockets filled with seasoned ground chicken, chopped green olives, and smoked paprika — crispy outside, savory inside, and substantial enough to feed a table of hungry people. The dough comes together in under 10 minutes and the filling uses pantry staples. That combination makes this a genuinely useful weeknight option that also works for a casual weekend spread.
Shopping notes
- Ground chicken: It can be hard to find in some stores. Ground turkey is a straight swap and behaves nearly identically in this filling. Both must reach 165°F (74°C) internally — no pink.
- Smoked paprika: Regular sweet paprika will work in a pinch, but smoked paprika does most of the flavor heavy lifting here. It’s worth having a tin on hand — it’s inexpensive and lasts a long time.
- Pitted green olives: Buy them pre-pitted to save time. Manzanilla or Castelvetrano both work. Avoid stuffed olives (pimento-stuffed will muddy the flavor).
- Cold butter for the dough: This matters. Warm or softened butter will make the dough greasy and harder to handle. Keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it.
The technique that matters
The two things that actually determine whether these succeed are sealing the dough and managing your oil temperature. Press the edges of each dough circle firmly — use a fork to crimp if you’re not confident with a pinch seal, because a loose edge means filling leaks into the oil and the pocket deflates. For frying, get your oil to around 350°F (175°C) before the first batch goes in. Too cool and the dough absorbs oil and turns heavy; too hot and the outside browns before the dough cooks through. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small scrap of dough in — it should sizzle steadily and float within a few seconds. Fry in small batches so the oil temperature doesn’t drop sharply. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
Common problems and fixes
- Filling is watery and makes the dough soggy: Ground chicken releases moisture as it cooks. After the filling is done, spread it on a plate or baking sheet for 5 minutes to let steam escape before spooning it into the dough. Wet filling is the main reason pockets burst.
- Dough tears when you fold it: The dough was rolled too thin, or it dried out while you were working. Keep unrolled dough balls covered with a clean damp cloth. Roll each circle to about 3mm thickness — thin enough to fold cleanly, thick enough not to tear.
- Pockets open up during frying: The seal wasn’t tight enough, or you overfilled them. Use a generous spoonful, not a heaping one — the filling expands slightly with heat. Crimp edges twice if needed.
- Filling tastes flat: Ground chicken is mild. Taste the filling before it goes into the dough and adjust salt. The olives add brine but it may not be enough depending on your brand — a small squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end sharpens everything without changing the character of the dish.
- Sopaipillas are greasy: Drain them on a wire rack, not paper towels. Paper towels trap steam underneath and the bottoms go soft and oily. A rack keeps them crisp on all sides while they rest.
Minced Chicken and Olive Sopaipillas
Ingredients
Minced Chicken and Olive Filling
400 grams ground chicken (minced chicken) - preferably organic
100 grams green olives - pitted and finely chopped
1 unit onion - finely diced
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 tablespoon olive oil - extra virgin
1 teaspoon paprika - smoked
0.5 teaspoon salt - to taste
0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground
Sopaipilla Dough
2 cups all purpose flour (plain flour Australia and UK)
0.5 teaspoon baking powder- 0.25 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter - cold, diced
0.75 cup water - warm
Instructions
Prepare the Minced Chicken and Olive Filling:
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
- Add the minced chicken to the skillet and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until it's browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the chopped olives, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Make the Sopaipilla Dough:
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold, diced butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add the warm water, mixing with a fork until a rough dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 3-4 minutes.
- Divide the dough into small balls about the size of a golf ball, roll each ball out into a 5-inch diameter circle. Place a generous spoonful of the chicken and olive mixture in the center of each circle.
- Fold the dough over the filling to create a semicircle, pinching and sealing the edges firmly with a fork.
Cooking the Sopaipillas:
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep saucepan to 180°C (350°F). Gently lower the filled sopaipillas into the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make these ahead of time for a family dinner?
Yes — make the filling up to two days ahead and refrigerate it. The dough is best made the same day, but you can assemble the uncooked pockets a few hours in advance and keep them covered in the fridge on a lightly floured tray. Fry them straight from cold; they may need an extra 30–60 seconds in the oil.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
You can bake them at 400°F (200°C) for about 18–20 minutes until golden. The texture will be more like a baked pastry than a fried pocket — still good, but denser and less puffy. Brush the tops with a little melted butter or olive oil before they go in the oven so they color properly.
How do I know the ground chicken filling is fully cooked?
Ground chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) — use a meat thermometer to check if you’re unsure. Visually, it should be completely white with no pink remaining and the juices should run clear.
How many sopaipillas does this make, and is it enough for a family?
The recipe makes approximately 8–10 pockets depending on how large you roll each circle, serving 4 people as a main. For hungrier eaters or larger families, the recipe doubles well — make a full batch of filling and two batches of dough, or serve alongside a simple green salad or rice to stretch it further.
More mince recipes to try
- Colombian Chicken Cheese Empanadas
- Chicken Macadamia Sausage Rolls
- Golden Colombian Beef Empanadas
- Savory Lebanese Lamb Pastries
