Description
These homemade chicken empanadas feature a tender, yeast-based dough filled with a flavorful mixture of diced chicken, grated hardboiled egg, cayenne pepper, and tomato sauce. Fried to golden perfection, these empanadas offer a crispy exterior with a juicy, spicy filling, making them a delicious savory snack or appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 500 gram Bread Flour
- 250 gram Water
- 40 gram Olive Oil
- 25 gram Fresh Yeast
- 1 tablespoon Salt
Filling
- 1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
- 1 Egg
- Tomato Sauce, to taste
- Cayenne Pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Olive Oil, as needed for cooking
For Frying
- Cooking Oil, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, dissolve 25 grams of fresh yeast in 250 grams of water to activate the yeast.
- Mix dough ingredients: In another large bowl, sift 500 grams of bread flour and create a crater in the center. Pour the yeast water into the crater and begin mixing. After initial mixing, add 40 grams of olive oil and continue blending. Finally, add 1 tablespoon of salt and mix thoroughly until combined.
- Knead and rise: Transfer the dough onto a flat surface and knead by hand for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough back into the bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, cover with a cloth, and let it rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes until doubled in size.
- Prepare the egg: Hard boil the egg, cool it, then grate it finely to incorporate into the filling.
- Make the filling: Dice the boneless, skinless chicken breast into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, season the chicken with salt, and cook until no longer pink.
- Combine filling ingredients: Add the grated hardboiled egg and cayenne pepper to taste into the pan with the chicken, mixing well. Pour in tomato sauce to taste and simmer gently, allowing it to reduce and thicken, forming a flavorful filling mixture.
- Roll out dough: Once risen, take portions of the dough and roll each out with a rolling pin on a floured surface into thin circles suitable for empanadas.
- Fill the empanadas: Place a generous spoonful of the chicken filling in the center of each dough circle, being careful not to overfill.
- Seal the empanadas: Brush the edges of the dough with water to act as glue, fold over the dough to create a half-moon shape, and press edges together. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and seal the edges completely to prevent filling leakage during frying.
- Fry the empanadas: Heat cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the sealed empanadas until golden brown on both sides, turning as needed. Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Serve: Serve the empanadas hot as a delicious snack or meal accompaniment. Enjoy the crispy crust and savory chicken filling!
Notes
- Ensure the oil is sufficiently hot before frying to achieve a crispy texture without absorbing excess oil.
- The filling can be customized with additional spices or vegetables as desired for extra flavor and texture.
- Dough can be prepared in advance and refrigerated to rest longer for enhanced flavor.
- These empanadas are best enjoyed fresh but can be reheated in an oven for crispiness.
- If fresh yeast is unavailable, use active dry yeast, adjusting the quantity accordingly.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Latin American
Keywords: chicken empanadas, homemade empanadas, fried empanadas, savory pastry, Latin American snack
