Chicken Empanadas with Chorizo
Total Time
2hr 30mins
Rating
4.5 out of 5 stars
(100)
Ingredients
18 empanadas
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I swap 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces or 225 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup ice water
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 3 whole chicken legs, including thighs (2 to 2 1/4 lb total)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/3 cup (1.5 ounces) finely diced Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage; no need to discard casings)
- 1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (not hot)
- 1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
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Preparation
Step 1
Make Dough: Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
Step 2
Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)
Step 3
Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into two flat rectangles and chill them, each wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. Dough can be chilled up to 6 hours total.
Step 4
Make Filling: Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total, and transfer to a plate.
Step 5
Sauté onions, garlic, and bay leaves in fat remaining in skillet, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 6
Add chorizo and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add olives, wine, and broth and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits.
Step 7
Return chicken to skillet along with any juices accumulated on plate, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer chicken, covered, turning over once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
Step 8
Transfer chicken to a clean plate. (Sauce in skillet should be the consistency of heavy cream; if it’s not, briskly simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.)
Step 9
When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely chop meat. Stir chicken into sauce and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, then cool filling, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
Step 10
Form Empanadas: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
Step 11
Divide first dough and half of second dough into 18 equal pieces and form each into a disk. (The remaining dough can be stored in the freezer for future use.)
Step 12
Keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick).
Step 13
Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling onto center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal, then crimp decoratively with your fingers or tines of a fork.
Step 14
Transfer empanada to a baking sheet. Make 17 more empanadas in same manner, arranging on 2 parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 15
Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes.
Step 16
Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Step 17
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
In refreshing this recipe nearly 13 years later, it's essential to note:
if you're not inclined to make pastry dough or form individual empanadas, don't skip on the filling. It's one of the most delicious chicken braises I've ever made, perfect over rice or a starch of your choice.
Extra empanadas freeze fantastically — baked or unbaked — and are about the finest, fanciest freezer meal I know how to make.
