Recipe: Chilean Empanadas 🔗

Ingredients 🔗

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped pitted black olives (optional)
• 2 tablespoons capers (optional)
• 12 empanada discs or 6 large empanada shells, thawed if frozen

Directions 🔗

Step 1 🔗

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook and stir until onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in green bell pepper and red bell pepper; cook until softened, about 5 minutes more.

Step 2 🔗

Add chicken to the skillet; cook and stir until heated through. Stir in raisins, pine nuts if using, parsley if using, olives if using, and capers if using; cook for another 5 minutes. Allow filling to cool before assembling empanadas.

Step 3 🔗

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place empanada discs on a lightly floured surface with the curved side facing up; spoon several tablespoons of filling onto each disc. Wet edges of disc with water; fold the dough over the filling to form a half moon shape; press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Place filled empanadas on an ungreased baking sheet.

Step 4 🔗

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes for small empanadas or 30 minutes for large empanadas. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Preparation, cooking time and yield 🔗

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Yield: 12 small or 6 large servings