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Home » Recipes » Snack Recipes

Chicken Empanada Recipe

Published: Sep 17, 2023 · Updated: Jan 13, 2025 by Marye

This easy chicken empanada recipe is perfect for a main meal on the go or snacks for the big game. Creamy filling is made with shredded chicken and cheese.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Finished empanadas being served on a plate.
Chicken empanads on a plate with a text overlay for Pinterest.

Ready to add another slam-dunk recipe to your repertoire? Say hello to these incredible Chicken Empanadas – perfect for when life's a whirlwind and you need a tasty, satisfying meal on the go, or when you're hosting the ultimate game day spread.

Closeup of golden brown chicken empanadas.
Table of Contents
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 📖 Variations
  • 💭 Tips
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🗝️ Key takeaways

  • All the flavor of cheesy chicken empanadas but the recipe is adjusted from a traditional recipe to be super easy and fast!
  • Make ahead and freeze either baked or unbaked. They're fabulous for game day, lunches on the run, busy weeknights, and after-school snacks.
  • I've included instructions for both baking and frying in the green recipe card.

Chicken empanadas are pockets of light dough filled with a creamy, spicy, chicken and cheese mixture that's sure to be a hit with your favorite football fans!

You'll love these crispy oven baked chicken wings, too!

Finished empanadas on a baking sheet.

🥫 Storage

Unbaked empanadas can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for a day or so before cooking. You can also freeze them in layers in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between the layers.

Baked chicken empanadas can be stored in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.

You can freeze them for up to 3 months.

📖 Variations

  • You can use pie crust for the empanada dough if you prefer.
  • Make beef empanadas with leftover bbq brisket, cooked ground beef, or taco meat.
  • There are endless filling combinations: black beans, refried beans, various chicken mixtures, beef, pork, cheese...
  • Use the tequila lime chicken as a filling.

💭 Tips

Expert Tip: To reheat cold empanadas just microwave for a few minutes. To bake from frozen place frozen empanadas on a silpat-lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until done.

  • Make these super easy by using refrigerated biscuit dough.
  • Use a rotisserie chicken to speed up the process.
  • Use pie dough if you prefer but it's a little more delicate.
  • Be sure to crimp the edges together tightly to seal.
  • Keep chilled until ready to bake.
  • Don't overcrowd the fryer.
  • These freeze well, baked or unbaked.
  • Keep leftovers refrigerated.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

What are chicken empanadas made of?

Chopped or shredded chicken mixed with peppers, cheese, onions, or whatever you like!

Can you buy empanada dough?

Well, there are so many different styles of dough for empanadas that the answer has to be yes. Puff pastry dough, pie dough, refrigerated biscuits, frozen bread dough, crescent roll dough, pizza dough... any of these can be used for empanadas.

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See more Snack Recipes →

🍽️ Serve with...

  • Velveeta queso or bbq sauce make good dipping sauces for homemade chicken empanadas.
  • Chicken cream cheese crescent rolls and sausage balls for snacking.
  • Chicken Pozole Verde for a main dish that can be spooned right out of the slow cooker whenever anyone is hungry.
  • Jalapeno Poppers wrapped in crescent dough are unique and delicious.
Empanadas cut open to see interior.

🫶 Restless Chipotle recommends

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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.

  • Baking sheet
  • Pastry brush
  • Medium bowl

📞 The last word

So, what's the scoop on these beauties? Well, they're all about that creamy, dreamy filling that's packed with tender, shredded chicken and oozing with cheese.

Yep, you read that right – it's a flavor-packed party in your mouth!

Now, here's the kicker (get it? Kicker? I crack myself up): making these empanadas is a breeze!

Seriously, even on the busiest days, you can whip up a batch in no time. Whether you're meal prepping for the week or scoring major points as the game-day MVP, these empanadas will have everyone cheering for more.

Imagine the satisfaction of biting into that golden, flaky crust and discovering the savory treasure inside. Your family is going to be begging for these, trust me!

I love having them on hand for busy weekends but they really shine on game day when everyone is gathered around the TV shouting for their favorite team.

It uses up a lot of calories to be a dedicated football fan.

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If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 Recipe

Finished empanadas being served on a plate.

Easy Chicken Empanadas

4.62 from 13 votes
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This easy chicken empanada recipe is perfect for a main meal on the go or snacks for the big game. Creamy filling is made with shredded chicken and cheese.
Course Appetizer,Dinner (quick and easy)
Cuisine Mexican,Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings:8 servings
Calories:339
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter, melted - divided use
  • ¼ cup poblano pepper, diced (can use bell pepper)
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar , or Pepper Jack Cheese
  • 1-½ pounds chicken breast, cooked and shredded
  • 1 recipe Cheddar cheese biscuits, unbaked or use canned biscuit dough

Instructions

  • Add a little of the butter to a pan and heat until sizzling.
  • Saute the poblano peppers and onion in the butter until tender and onion is translucent.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, except the biscuit dough, and simmer until well blended and the cheese is melted.
  • Pulse in a food processor until chicken is cut small.
  • Set aside.
  • Roll the biscuit dough out about ¼-inch thick.
  • Cut with a small biscuit cutter.
  • Add a teaspoon or so of the chicken mixture to the middle of the biscuit. More if you're using bigger biscuits.
  • Fold half the dough over the filling to create a half moon and pinch edges to seal.

To Bake

  • You may flash freeze at this point then store in a freezer container. When ready to bake continue as directed.
  • Heat the oven to 425F.
  • Use a pastry brush to coat the empanadas with melted butter.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.
  • Brush with more melted butter.
  • Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, or until golden.
  • Serve hot.

To Fry

  • Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375F.
  • Gently drop in a few chicken empanadas at a time being careful not to overcrowd.
  • Fry until golden.
  • Drain on paper towel.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

Expert Tip: To reheat cold empanadas just microwave for a few minutes. To baked from frozen place frozen empanadas on a silpat lined baking sheet and bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until done.
  • Make these super easy by using refrigerated biscuit dough
  • Use pie dough if you prefer but it's a little more delicate
  • Be sure to pinch the edges together tightly to seal
  • Keep chilled until ready to bake
  • Vary the fillings
  • Don't overcrowd the fryer
  • These freeze well baked or unbaked
  • Keep leftovers refrigerated
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 759mg | Potassium: 420mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 465IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1.9mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

First published October 11, 2017. Last updated September 17, 2023, for better readability and editorial improvements.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.62 from 13 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Judy P says

    August 29, 2022 at 1:10 pm

    What does "flash freeze' mean? Can you do it in a regular freezer?

    Reply
    • Marye says

      August 29, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      It just means to put it on a cookie sheet and freeze quickly before putting it in a storage container. Yes you can do it in a regular freezer.

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

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