Empanada Filipino Recipe:
Chicken Empanada

Chicken Turnover with Potatoes and Raisins

This empanada Filipino recipe is made from chicken, with different vegetables like potatoes, green peas, carrots, and raisins and the dough has a hint of sweetness to it.

When we say Pinoy empanada, it's usually referring to that with chicken filling rather than the beef variety. Why? Chicken is a cheaper so stores could sell them at affordable prices and you don't need to reheat it, whereas beef empanada's filling tends to be greasy and oily or nagse-sebo if not served warm.

Empanada is a Spanish word meaning meat pie. It is a turnover or a pasty filled with meat and vegetables, and deep-fried or baked.

The process is quite tedious, you need to boil the chicken separately before sauteing it to make the filling.

You need to make the pastry dough, then fill with the sauteed chicken, before frying or baking.

Empanada doughs can be soft with bread-like texture, or flaky and crunchy crust.

The flaky crust is made by the fat that separates the layers of the dough when cooked.

It's the same dough you use to make hopia.

YOUR SHOPPING LIST FOR THIS EMPANADA FILIPINO RECIPE:

Chicken Breast
Crisco Shortening
Potatoes
Green Peas
Raisins
Chicken stock

IN THE PANTRY:

All Purpose Flour
Vegetable Oil
Sugar
Garlic
Onion
Salt and Pepper

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

2 pounds Chicken Breast
2 medium Potatoes, cut in small cubes and fried
1/2 cup Green Peas
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Chicken Stock
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 medium Onion, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Dough Roll-in Fat

2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Water
pinch of Salt
2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Crisco Shortening
1/2 cup Sugar

How to Make

1 Boil the chicken breast in 2-3 cups water with 1 medium onion, then cut in cubes.

2 Saute the garlic and onion, then add the chicken and all other ingredients. Set aside to cool.

3 Mix all the dough ingredients together. In a separate container, mix the roll-in fat ingredients together.

4 Roll out the dough in 1/2 inch thick and put the roll in fat in the center. Gather the edges to seal in the roll-in fat. Rest for a few minutes.

5 Roll out the dough to flatten and fold in thirds, then set aside for a few minutes. Repeat this step twice, resting the dough after every handling.

6 Flatten the dough and roll like a jelly roll. Cut to divide in 18 - 20 pieces.

7 Roll out with the cut side up to 3 inch circle, spoon the filling in and fold the dough to make a half moon shape.

8 Crimp the edges or press the edges with the tines of a folk to seal.

9 Deep fry in oil until golden brown, or bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 ° F for 25-30 minutes.

TIPS

Can I make this ahead? Yes, I make a whole batch, and freeze up to 2-3 weeks once cooled down. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating

How to reheat? I place them in a 400 °F pre-heated oven or oven toaster for 10 to 15 minutes for a nice and flaky crust.

Want a short cut crust? Go to your supermarket's freezer section and get the Frozen Puff Pastry Dough -- just follow the label instruction. It may not be a sweet crust, but adding more raisins to the filling will do the trick.