Empanadas De Pollo Recipe
Baked savory puff pastry shell, braised all-natural chicken, mango-habanero sauce
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Ingredients
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Filling - Braised Chicken
Mango-Habanero Sauce
Assembly & Baking
Method
Filling - Braised Chicken
- 1
Prepare and brown chicken
Pat the chicken thighs dry and cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear 3–4 minutes until golden on one side, then stir and cook another 2 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate.
- 2
Sauté aromatics and spices
Reduce heat to medium, add the diced onion to the same pan and sauté 4–5 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
- 3
Braise
Return the chicken to the pan, add 3 tablespoons chicken broth, lime juice, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Braise for 12–15 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- 4
- 5
Finish filling
Return shredded chicken to the pan with any remaining pan juices. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding up to 1/4 tsp more salt or a squeeze of lime if desired. Let the filling cool to room temperature (about 15–20 minutes) before assembling so it doesn’t steam the pastry.
Mango-Habanero Sauce
- 6
Blend the sauce
Place the diced mango, 1/2 habanero (start with half; add more after tasting if you want hotter), 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add 1 tablespoon more water to reach a spoonable but not watery consistency.
- 7
Adjust heat and texture
Taste carefully (use a small spoon). If you want more heat, pulse in the remaining half habanero and re-blend. To slightly thicken the sauce for spreading, mix 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 teaspoon cold water to make a slurry, then warm the mango puree in a small saucepan and whisk in the slurry on low heat until it thickens slightly (about 1 minute). Cool completely.
Assembly & Baking
- 8
Preheat and prepare pastry
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment. Lightly dust a work surface with 1 tablespoon flour and unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet. If using a single sheet, roll gently to even thickness. Cut pastry into 8 squares (approximately 4-inch squares) for smaller empanadas or 6 larger squares for bigger empanadas.
- 9
Fill empanadas
Place about 2 tablespoons (for small) or 3 tablespoons (for larger) of the cooled shredded chicken in the center of each pastry square. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of mango-habanero sauce on top of the chicken (use more for a stronger mango bite, but keep a small amount to avoid soggy pastry). Brush the pastry edges with a little beaten egg to help seal.
- 10
Seal and finish
Fold each square into a triangle or fold over to make a pocket, pressing edges to seal. Crimp edges with a fork to secure and create a decorative edge. Transfer empanadas to the prepared baking sheet. Brush each empanada with beaten egg and sprinkle optional sesame or nigella seeds on top.
- 11
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.
- 12
Rest and serve
Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet 5 minutes. Serve warm with additional mango-habanero sauce on the side for dipping and a wedge of lime if desired.