PREP TIME: 0min COOK TIME: 1hr 30min
Serves 10
Ingredients
The Filling:
1 pkg. PERDUE® Fresh Ground Chicken
2 tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
2 tbsp. toasted chopped almonds
2 tbsp. raisins
10 Spanish Manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos, sliced
The Dough:
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
Pastry blender
Rolling pin
Oil for frying
Step 1
Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook and stir ground chicken with onion, pepper and garlic, stirring constantly to break up large pieces of chicken and to prevent sticking, 4 to 5 minutes.
TIP
TIP: For quicker empanadas omit making the dough and use 2 packages of frozen empanada discs available in the freezer section in some Supermarkets or in Latino Markets.
Step 2
Stir in tomato sauce, salt, oregano and pepper. Reduce heat.
Step 3
Simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until ground chicken is no longer pink.
Step 4
Stir in almonds, raisins and olives. Cool. Reserve.
Step 5
Dough: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender, cut shortening into flour until it resembles small crumbs.
Step 6
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and place eggs and wine in the center.
Step 7
Stir in a circular motion, starting from the inside and working your way outwardly until flour is moistened and mixture is well blended.
Step 8
Divide dough into 20 (1-1/2 to 2-inch) balls, cover dough while you are making the empanadas.
Step 9
Place one of the balls on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a 4 to 4-1/2-inch circle, using a rolling pin.
Step 10
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling on the bottom 1/3 of the dough. Moisten edge of dough with water and fold dough over.
Step 11
For conventional ovens, preheat to 400 degrees and cook empanadas for 22-25 minutes. For a convection oven, reduce temp to 375 degrees and cook 18-22 minutes.
TIP
TIP: Time may vary with different ovens used and calibrated correctly.