Empanadas are delicious pocket sandwiches filled up with meat, vegetables, or cheese. Don’t think of it as just a South American dish, either . This dish is popular in many continents all over the world, including southeast Asia and Europe. More importantly, it’s popular with kids all over the world.. There are hundreds of different ways to make empanadas and even more ideas on what to fill them with. April 8th is National Empanada Day for some reason, and we’ll gladly take that as an excuse to share this Chicken & Veggie Empanada recipe that your whole family will love… [photo via flickr]
Ingredients
1 can/15 oz. pre-made pie crust
2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
1/3 cup of sliced baby onions
1/3 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup of sliced peppers(red or green doesn’t matter)
1/3 cup of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of garlic
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
Olive oil
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the vegetables together until you have a nice mix.
- Add the shredded cooked chicken to the bowl. Mix in the garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir the meat and veggie mixture well before you set it aside.
- Open up the can of pie crust and roll out the dough into a large circle. Carefully cut out small rounds in either three or four inch circles. You may have to roll out and flatten the dough from time to time. Keep doing this until you have about eight or ten circles.
- Place each crust on parchment paper and lightly brush on olive oil to both sides of each crust. Take a spoon and scoop some of the filling onto one side of the crust, then take the empty side and fold it over. Gently press it down until you create a crescent shape. Pick up the empanada and fry it for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the sandwich pocket is hot and steamy, put it on a plate and make the next.
Once all the empanadas are done, it’s time to serve them. You can serve these sandwich pockets with just about anything you want from salsa to guacamole.Don’t forget to add a vegetable like corn or peas as a side dish.
Next time you want to surprise your family with a delicious meal that’s easy to whip up, try this recipe. Empanadas are fun to make and kids will love them! The homemade version is also much healthier than something like Hot Pockets, but that’s kind of obvious. We’re hoping there’s never a National Hot Pockets Day.
