Empanadas De Pollo, or Chicken Empanadas, are savory hand pies filled with Mexican seasoned chicken, cream cheese, and corn that make great appetizers or a delicious weeknight dinner!
These hearty, savory Mexican chicken hand pies, or empanadas, make great hand-held appetizers for a game day, or tailgating party, or as the main course for a weeknight dinner.
At a game day party years ago, my friend brought these amazing little savory hand pies filled with seasoned chicken, cream cheese, corn, and more cheesy. She told me that they were Enchiladas De Pollo, or in English, Chicken Empanadas!
These Easy Chicken Empanadas were delicious! Paired with the Empanada dipping sauce AKA salsa, or sour cream, and they were one of the most popular appetizers at the party!
My friend shared her recipe, which I tweaked over the years, and it has become one of my family’s most requested Mexican Recipes! They are also a great way to use up leftover chicken from one of your favorite Chicken Recipes!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Handheld hearty appetizers that are perfect for a party!
- Easy to make ahead of time for a freezer meal.
- Flavorful and delicious with Mexican seasoned chicken, and a delicious filling.
- These Empanadas De Pollo are baked instead of fried so they don’t have the extra fat and calories that go with frying.
- All of the above makes this the best empanada recipe!
Why This Recipe Works
- It is a tried and true recipe that has been family taste-tested many times over the last several decades.
- The sweet, salty, smoky flavor makes it taste delicious.
- There are so many possibilities for using leftovers. Sometimes that is the best part!
What Are Empanadas De Pollo?
Empanadas De Pollo, or Chicken Empanadas, are savory hand pies, consisting of pastry dough filled with seasoned chicken, and the Empanada filling of your choice.
In this recipe, for the empanada filling, I added corn, shredded pepper jack cheese, and chipotle chilies in adobo sauce to the chicken! Yum!
How to Make Chicken Empanadas
Equipment
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- Cast Iron Skillet – I like to use a cast-iron skillet because it keeps the cheese warm and melted for a longer period of time.
- Baking Sheet – I like these nonstick cookie sheets with handles on the side to make them easier to work with.
Chicken Empanada Ingredients
Below, I discuss the ingredients and possible substitutions if you don’t have a specific ingredient. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of each ingredient, scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.
Empanada Dough Ingredient Options
For empanada dough, you have several choices as described below.
- Homemade Empanada Dough – You can make your own Empanada Dough Recipe, like I did in my Potato and Chorizo Empanadas.
- Store-Bought Empanada Dough – Yes, you can buy pre-prepared empanada dough at the Mexican Market, or in the Mexican aisle of large grocery stores, or online.
- Refrigerated Pie Crust – As a shortcut, you can use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust.
- Puff Pastry – Another option to use for the empanada dough is store-bought puff pastry. These make a flaky hand pie crust. You can find puff pastry online as well.
- Egg white – this is used to brush over the tops to help give the empanadas a lovely golden brown color.
Empanada Filling Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken – Cooked, shredded chicken breast or chicken thighs can be used. You can use rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken from Rotisserie Chicken Breast Tenders, Skillet Chicken Fajitas, Instant Pot Chicken Tinga, or Crock Pot Chicken Tacos.
- Corn – Feel free to use canned, frozen, or fresh corn.
- Onion – I like to use white or yellow onion. However, you could use Vidalia or chopped green onions.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic or pre-minced garlic works well in this recipe.
- Cilantro – Use fresh cilantro, if desired. If you prefer, you can leave it out.
- Cream cheese – regular cream cheese works best, but you can use low-fat cream cheese.
- Pepper Jack Cheese – Monterey Jack cheese with peppers adds a bit of spice to the cheese. However, you can use any shredded cheese you prefer.
- Chipotle chilies – I used chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. However, chipotle salsa could be substituted.
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Make The Empanada Filling
- Spray a saute pan or skillet with nonstick spray, or use a little oil, and place on the stove over medium heat to cook onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the chipotle, cream cheese, and pepper jack cheese and cook until it is melted and combined.
- Add the chicken and corn and heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the cilantro.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
Assemble The Empanadas
- Roll out the pie crust and use a large circle cutter or turn a bowl upside down and cut around it with a knife.
- Place a large spoon of chicken filling in the middle of each pastry dough circle.
- Pull up the two sides of the circle and pinch the sides together, then use a fork and crimp the edges to seal well.
- Brush the tops with egg white.
How Long To Bake Empanadas
- Place the empanadas in the oven and bake until they are golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.
- Serve with sour cream and salsa.
Recipe Tips
- Heat Level. Be sure to keep the skillet on medium heat. Don’t get in too big a hurry when making these chicken empanadas because you need the cheese to melt slowly and thoroughly.
- Keep stirring. Stir continuously to keep the cheese from burning on the bottom, and to ensure that all the ingredients of the empanadas combine completely and the cheese melts evenly.
More Empanada Filling Ideas
- Picadillo Con Papas – Taco meat with potatoes that can be used as a filling for enchiladas, tacos, burritos, empanadas, and more!
- Potato and Chorizo Empanadas – Stuffed with a spicy chorizo and potato filling, and wrapped in a buttery, golden, flaky pastry, these Potato and Chorizo Empanadas make awesome Mexican appetizers or a main dish.
- Creamy Poblano
- Caleta
What To Serve With This Recipe
- Red or Green Salsa
- Sliced Avocados or Guacamole
- Pico De Gallo
- Tortilla Chips
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Mexican Rice
- Mexican Cabbage Slaw
Where Do Empanadas Come From?
After my friend introduced me to this recipe, I did a little research on them. According to Wikipedia, empanadas are believed to have come from a Northwest region of Spain called Galicia. Empanadas first appeared in a cookbook in 1520 and they were filled with seafood.
Today, empanadas are found in many countries of the world, including Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and in certain cities in the United States, like my hometown, San Antonio.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes. You can make the entire recipe in advance. If you are making homemade empanada dough, then you can make that in advance, and refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to use. The dough would need to be thawed, if frozen, before using.
Store the leftover empanadas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
Yes. Place it in a freezer-safe bag or container and freezer for up to 3 months.
You can reheat individual empanadas in the microwave, or if heating multiple empanadas. Bake them in a preheated 400F degree oven for 10 minutes.
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Recipe
Empanadas De Pollo (Chicken Empanadas) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil (or cooking spray)
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 clove)
- 1 Tablespoon chipotle chiles with adobo sauce (See note below)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block)
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 1-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (See note below)
- 3/4 cup corn (fresh, frozen, or fresh)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 each refrigerated pie crusts (1 box)
- 2 tablespoons egg whites (to brush on empanada dough)
Instructions
- Spray a saute pan with non stick spray, or use a little oil, and to cook onion till translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute.
- Add the chipotle, cream cheese and pepper jack cheese and cook till melted and combined.
- Add the chicken and corn and heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Roll out the pie crust and use a large circle cutter or turn a bowl upside down and cut around it with a knife.
- Place a large spoon of chicken filling in the middle. Pinch the sides together, then use a fork and crimp the edges to seal well. Brush tops with egg white.
- Place in the oven and bake till golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.Serve with sour cream and salsa.
Video
Notes
- Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce – I recommend emptying the contents of a small can of Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce in a blender or food processor and processing until smooth. This creates a smooth sauce that can refrigerated or frozen. Then you can use a teaspoon or tablespoon of the chipotle sauce in recipes, as needed.
- Chicken – Feel free to use a rotisserie chicken, or leftover cooked chicken from another recipe, like Crock Pot Chicken Tacos, or Instant Pot Chicken Tinga, or Rotisserie Chicken Tenders.
Nutrition
Published March 21, 2021, and Updated with step-by-step photos and a video on July 14, 2021.
Allyssa says
I’ve been wanting to learn how to do empanada! Thanks for sharing this recipe! For sure my fam will love this! Thanks a lot! Love it!
Michele says
Hi Allyssa,
Thank you so much for the kind words. I hope you and your family love it.
Michele
Natalie says
These look delicious. I can’t wait to make this for my family. Thanks for lovely recipe and dinner idea.
Michele says
Hi Natalie,
Thanks so much.
Michele
Jeannette says
Different cheeses and all those flavours in a hand-sized pocket is just perfect for parties and weekends! Pepper jack and chicken rocks!
Danielle Wolter says
These came out just delicious! Def going to be making them again.
Kechi says
Wow, am drooling! This looks so flavorful and I like that you used puff pastry! I am always scared of trying to make empanadas, but, I love all your tips! THANKS!
Katherine says
I love empanadas! Thanks for the great instructions, I can’t wait to make them at home soon.
Kristen says
These empanadas were so good! Will definitely make them again!
Kay says
I made this recipe…with a few changes. I cooked the meat with Old Elpaso taco seasoning then mixed it in with the other ingredients and used Sargento 4-state Cheddar Cheese..absolutely AWESOME. My family loves the empanadas. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Dino says
Hi, I’m about to make these and have a question. For the relish, the instructions mention chilles, but there are no chillis in the ingredients list. Please advise.
Dino
Michele says
Hi Dino,
I’m assuming that you are referring to the chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. It is listed in the ingredients and instructions. See the recipe notes for tips.
Thanks,
Michele
Julie says
I’m so glad I stumbled across this recipe earlier this week. I made it a couple days ago and my husband was still talking about how good dinner was when we went to bed that night. Even the leftovers are great. Thank you so much!!
Michele says
Hi Julie,
I’m so glad you stubbled across our Chicken Empanadas recipe as well, and I’m so happy you liked it. If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out our other empanada recipes, like Potato and Chorizo Empanadas, BBQ Beef Empanadas, or our Vegetarian Empanadas! Or any one of our over 800 recipes!
Thanks,
Michele