Chicken empanadas are hands down the best kind of empanadas. The chicken is tender and perfectly seasoned with sofrito, adobo, and sazón, while the pastelito dough is flaky and golden, giving you that perfect crunch in every bite.
They’re so good, you’ll want to make a double batch because they disappear fast, or maybe even add a batch of beef empanadas too!
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Make sure that the filling isn’t dry
The main thing you want to avoid when it comes to chicken empanadas is a dry, bland filling. To avoid that, make sure to add the full cup of water to get the chicken perfectly tender. I recommend using cooked, shredded chicken because it has a better texture and flavor than diced or chopped chicken.
Use a hand mixer to shred the chicken
To get the chicken shredded in seconds, use a hand mixer while the chicken is still hot. It quickly breaks the meat apart, saving you time and effort compared to shredding by hand or with forks for your pastelitos de pollo.
Adding vegetables is optional
You can add some chopped onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the pan while cooking the chicken for a little extra bite and flavor in your chicken empanadas. Just make sure to chop them all into small pieces.
Chicken Empanadas (Pastelitos de Pollo)
Ingredients
- 16 empanada dough discs
- 2 chicken breasts or 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 tbsp sofrito
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cup water
- ½ tsp adobo
- ¼ tsp sazón
- ¼ tsp oregano
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil the chicken breasts in a pot of water over medium heat until fully cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then shred using a hand mixer or two forks.
- In a pan over medium heat, add the sofrito and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine.
- Mix in the tomato paste and pour in the water, stirring well until combined. Add adobo, sazón, oregano, and salt.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is tender. Set aside to cool.
- Add filling to one half of the circle, fold the other half over the filled half, and press down the edges (on both sides) with a fork. Repeat this step for the rest of the discs then set aside.
- Add oil to a pan over low to medium heat and fry the empanadas until golden brown on both sides. Remove the empanadas from the oil and transfer to a paper towel covered plate. Let cool and enjoy!
