Trying to find a dish that everyone in the family loves is not an easy task. Especially when you have three kids, a husband, and sometimes not very adventurous mom in the house. However no matter how you slice it or cook it everyone seems to agree on these yummy Chicken Empanadas! Not only do they look and taste yummy they are easy to make when you use premade biscuit dough.
Just cook, stuff, seal, and fry. These are perfect for a fun family dinner, party appetizers, or even an evening snack. The nice thing about Empanadas is you can change what you fill them with. Have fun with it and add your own twist, or get the kids involved and dinner making becomes a family affair.
- 1/2 pound ground chicken
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red onion, fine chopped
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 Package Butter Biscuit Dough (if can find, use Empanada dough from Hispanic Grocery Stores, or use puff pastry dough)
- 1 tsp Nigella Seeds (optional)
- Oil for frying
- Salsa or chili sauce, for serving
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saute pan. Add chopped onion and saute until lite brown at edges. Add ground chicken and all the seasonings and cook breaking chicken into small pieces, until chicken is fully cooked. (about 6-8 minutes). Once chicken is fully cooked, taste and adjust salt. Remove into a plate and let it cool completely.
- In meantime, take out the biscuit dough on a flour dusted board. (If using Nigella seeds, sprinkle seeds on dough before rolling. ) To make 16 empanadas, divide each biscuit into two small dough balls. Roll each to 2-3 inch diameter circle.
- Set oil to heat for frying.
- Place heaping teaspoonful of cooked chicken in the center of each rolled dough circle. Fold circle in half and press the edges together to make a tight seal. To ensure no leaking while frying, I also seal the edges with back of a fork. Keep placing folded empanadas on a flour dusted tray. Repeat this step to finish folding all 16 empanadas.
- Deep fry empanadas 3-4 at a time until crisp and golden, 2-3 minutes each batch. Place cooked empanada on a paper towel lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Serve hot with chili sauce or tomato salsa! Enjoy!