Many dishes were introduced to Latin America by Spanish explorers and colonists, including handheld meat pies called empanadas. Here, a flaky crust encloses a savory mixture of chicken, peppers, and an olive, which is traditional in Chilean empanadas. Merquèn is a popular Chilean spice blend of goat’s horn chile, coriander, and salt, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor. Goya and other brands sell precut dough disks.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 chicken thighs or 2 breasts, skinless and boneless
- 4 cups low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon merquèn or chili powder
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups of finely diced or shredded chicken (from above)
- 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if needed
- 12 stuffed olives (see Denise’s Stuffed Olives if you’d like to make your own)
For the dough:
- 12 premade empanada dough disks, a package of puff pastry, or homemade pastry dough
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of water
Directions
Step 1
Place the chicken and the broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover for 10 minutes, then check the temperature of the chicken. An instant-read thermometer should reach 165°F. Remove from the broth, saving a few spoonfuls. Let the meat cool slightly, then finely dice or shred.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, red pepper, scallions, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and merquèn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool. Add the chicken as well as some or all of the chicken broth if the mixture seems a bit dry. (You don’t want it wet, either.)
Step 3
If you’re using puff pastry or pastry dough, roll it out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into twelve 5-inch circles and arrange on two parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Heat the oven to 400°F.
Step 4
Whisk the egg and water. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling and an olive on half of each pastry round. Lightly brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash and fold one side over the other to form a half moon. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges. Brush the tops and sides of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake the empanadas for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Makes 12