Chicken Empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 crusts) refrigerated pie dough, or a double batch of homemade dough
• 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 1/2 cup corn kernels, 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, 1 tsp cumin
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Cook the filling in a skillet until the meat is browned and any vegetables are softened; season well and let cool slightly.
3. Roll out the dough and cut into 5- to 6-inch rounds.
4. Spoon the filling onto one half of each round, fold over, and crimp the edges shut with a fork.
5. Arrange on the prepared sheet, brush with the egg wash, and bake for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
6. Serve warm.

The Tale of Chicken Empanadas

Story updated September 15, 2026

Like its beef counterpart, the chicken empanada descends from the stuffed pastries of the medieval Middle East, which traveled to Spain under Moorish influence and appear in print as early as a 1520 Spanish cookbook. Spanish colonizers brought the technique to South America, where it took root across Argentina and was adapted province by province using local ingredients and tastes. While beef is often considered Argentina's classic empanada filling, chicken versions have long been a popular alternative, especially favored for their milder flavor, traditionally mixed with sautéed onion, bell pepper, hard-boiled egg, and sometimes olives, then folded into a pastry disc and baked or fried. Because Argentina's empanada culture is so regionally fragmented, with each province claiming its own repertoire of fillings and folding styles, chicken empanadas don't have one single point of origin so much as a long, informal history of home cooks and bakeries putting their own stamp on the format. They remain a staple of Argentine home cooking and social gatherings today.