Recipe of the Week: Chicken Empanadas
Discover how fun it can be to create these delicious savory turnovers. Famous all over Spain and Latin America, they make a delicious appetizer or snack any time of the day. Very versatile, they can be filled with any variety of ingredients. Makes about 30 pieces. (Chef tip: Traditionally, the dough is made with lard but I prefer to make it with unsalted butter.)
DOUGH:
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
FILLING:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
6 ounces goat cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
ASSEMBLY:
1 egg, scrambled
2 tablespoon water
To make the dough, in one bowl, whisk together eggs, water, and vinegar. In a separate bowl, blend sugar, salt and flour together. Gently rub butter into flour mixture, forming pea-sized pieces. Fold in egg mixture with flour-butter mix and until all flour is incorporated.
Place on floured surface, cut in half, and roll out into two round disks. Refrigerate for one hour.
To make filling, in hot saute pan, sweat onions, chicken, jalapeno and garlic with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and place in mixing bowl with remaining ingredients. Mix until evenly dispersed. Adjust seasonings if needed.