Spicy Chicken Empanadas Paula Deen Recipes

Steps:

• For the empanada dough: Mix all empanada ingredients in a mixer. Let dough rest in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
• For the filling: Bake the chicken breast until fully cooked. Put breast meat in a food processor and pulse until chopped (you don't want very small pieces). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add onions, green and red bell peppers, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, red pepper, oregano and basil. Cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Pour in chipotle sauce and stir. Finally add tomato sauce. Allow filling to cool.
• To form the empanadas, knead the dough. Roll the dough out by hand or with a commercial sheeter. Cut out circles of dough. Place a dough circle in an empanada mold if you have one, but it's not necessary; fill with chicken mixture. Wet the edges of the dough with your fingers. Close the mold to seal, or fold dough over filling and use the tines of a fork to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Use a pastry brush to paint empanadas with an even coat of egg wash.
• Preheat a convection oven to 450 degrees F, or regular oven to 400 degrees F. Place empanadas on greased baking sheets. Bake for 3 minutes in convection oven or 10 to 15 minutes in regular oven.

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a medium saute pan; add onions, green chiles, jalapenos, garlic and cumin and saute until onions are translucent.
• In large bowl combine chicken, lime juice and cilantro. Add the onion-chili mixture and mix. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Using a 4-inch ring mold (biscuit cutter), cut circles from prepared pie dough. Put about 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture in center of dough. Brush egg wash around circumference of the dough. Fold top half over to form a half circle. Seal with the tines of a fork.
• Heat a deep-fryer to 325 degrees with peanut oil. Submerge a few empanadas into oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Mix all ingredients (except the dough and egg) in a large bowl using rubber spatula.
• Roll out the pie crust dough and cut circles, about 5 inches in diameter.
• Spoon filling into the middle of the dough circles.
• Wet your finger and run it along the edge of the circle(this helps it stick shut) - fold circle in half and pierce the edges with a fork that has been dipped in flour (to prevent sticking to the dough).
• Beat the egg and brush over the empanadas.
• Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl using a rubber spatula, combine the chicken, colby and Monterey cheese, cream cheese, red pepper, jalapeno, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Remove 1 pie crust from pie tin onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle.
• Cut out rounds, using a 3-inch cookie cutter. Re-roll dough as needed.
• Repeat procedure with remaining pie crusts, making 12 to 15 circles total.
• Arrange 1 round on a clean, flat surface.
• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of crust with water.
• Place 1 heaping teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of the round.
• Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal.
• Repeat with the remaining rounds and chicken mixture.
• Place empanadas in deep-fryer for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
• Top with queso dip.
• Note: Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month.
• Sauce:.
• In a medium sauce pot, slowly heat cheese over medium/low heat.
• When cheese is fully melted add tomatoes, stirring with spoon until combined well.
• Pour cheese dip into a small casserole dish and serve as a dip for the cheesy empanadas or pour on top for a real cheesy effect.

Steps:

• FILLING:.
• Sift the flour into a bowl. Stir in the salt and the sugar.
• Blend the butter and shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or with two knives, until fairly well blended.
• Whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cups water. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water/egg mixture, a little at a time until the dough starts to come together smoothly. Keep kneading the dough, adding more water/egg a little bit at a time as necessary (you made need a few tablespoons extra of water), until the dough is smooth. The dough will seem a bit shaggy until it has thoroughly chilled.
• Cover the dough with saran wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. (Dough can also be kept overnight (or a couple of days) in the refrigerator) Dough should be soft and smooth, and not elastic - if you poke a hole in it with your finger, the indentation should remain.
• FILLING.
• Prepare empanada dough and chill.
• Poach the chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a pot with the bouillon and bay leaf, and cover with water or chicken broth.
• Bring to a boil, and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Let cool in the broth.
• Shred chicken into small pieces, and moisten with 1 or 2 tablespoons of the broth. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a skillet. Add chopped onions, paprika, cumin, chile powder, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until onions are soft and clear, and mixture is golden brown.
• Remove from heat and stir in the chicken. For best flavor, refrigerate filling until the next day.
• Stir chopped hard boiled egg and olives into filling mixture.
• Separate empanada dough into golf ball size pieces, and roll each one into a smooth ball. Let rest 5 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 220°C.
• On a floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a circle about 6 inches in diameter.
• Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of filling in the middle of the circle. Brush the edges of the dough along the bottom half of the circle lightly with water.
• Fold the top half of the circle of dough over the filling to form a semicircle, and press edges together firmly to seal.
• Brush the pressed edge with a little bit of water, and fold the edge over itself, pinching and crimping as you go to make a braid-like effect. Place empanadas on a baking sheet.
• Mix egg yolk with water and brush mixture lightly over entire surface of each empanada.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and slightly puffed.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Mix together first 8 ingredients, and refrigerate until ready to assemble empanadas.
• On a floured surface, roll out pie shells and cut into 4-inch circles (use all the pie dough by re-rolling scraps).
• Place approximately 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture in center of dough circles.
• Fold each circle in half and crimp edges with a fork.
• Place on a baking sheet and brush tops with egg yolks.
• Sprinkle top with mixed salt and chili powder.
• Bake 12-13 minutes at 400F degrees.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Freezes well.