Quick Chicken Empanadas With Olives And Raisins Recipes

BEEF EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
• Lightly beat the eggs with the water and vinegar until combined. Drizzle this over the flour mixture and pulse until the dough just comes together. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beef and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until no trace of pink remains, about 3 minutes. Spoon off any excess grease. Add the raisins, olives, and tomato paste and stir well. Add the stock or broth and simmer until the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Roll the dough on a generously floured work surface until it's about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the dough into 3-inch rounds with a floured biscuit cutter or glass, stamping out as many rounds as possible. Roll out any dough scraps and cut out additional rounds if possible. Brush any excess flour from the dough rounds.
• Working with 1 round at a time and keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap, spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on one side of the dough round. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cover with plastic wrap while you form the remaining empanadas. [The filled, uncooked empanadas can be frozen on a baking sheet, and stored in an airtight plastic bag or container for up to a month. You'll need to bake the unthawed empanadas, rather than fry them, in a 350°F (176°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes.]
• Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C). Pour enough oil into a deep-sided pot to reach a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat until it registers about 325°F (163°C) on a deep-fry or candy thermometer.
• Fry the empanadas in small batches, turning them once, until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Move the empanadas to paper towels or a brown paper bag to drain for a few moments, and then transfer to a baking sheet. Place the fried empanadas in the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining empanadas. Serve at once.

ARGENTINIAN BEEF EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven, and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cook beef in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer beef to a small bowl with a slotted spoon, and pour off grease from skillet. Melt butter in skillet and saute onions and green onion, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Return beef to skillet and stir in hard-boiled eggs, olives, raisins, cumin, salt, and pepper. Transfer mixture to a shallow bowl and chill until cooled, 10 to 20 minutes.
• Unfold 1 pastry sheet, keeping remaining chilled, onto a lightly floured surface, dust lightly with flour, and roll out into a 12-inch square. Cut 4 (5 1/2-inch) rounds from pastry. Brush a 1/2-inch border around edges of 1 round with water, using a small brush or fingertip. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto half of round. Fold other half over filling and press edges together firmly. Crimp edges with a fork and transfer to one of prepared baking sheets. Repeat with 3 remaining rounds. Form 12 more empanadas in same manner with remaining pastry and filling, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets.
• Brush tops of empanadas with beaten egg. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

CHICKEN EMPANADA WITH CHORIZO, RAISINS, AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Sauté onions, garlic, and bay leaves in fat remaining in skillet, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chorizo and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add olives, raisins, wine, and broth and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Return chicken to skillet along with any juices accumulated on plate, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer chicken, covered, turning over once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.
• Transfer chicken to a clean plate. (Sauce in skillet should be the consistency of heavy cream; if it's not, briskly simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely chop meat. Stir chicken into sauce and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, then cool filling, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
• Form and bake empanada:
• Form dough into a ball, then wrap in oiled plastic wrap (oiled side in) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Divide dough in half, then roll out 1 half (keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap) on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a 15- by 10-inch rectangle and transfer to baking pan. Spread filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border, and moisten border with water. Roll out remaining dough in same manner, then arrange over filling and press edges together to seal. Roll edges in and press to form a decorative rim. Make a 1-inch hole (a steam vent) in center of empanada.
• Bake empanada 15 minutes, then brush crust with 3/4 tablespoon oil and bake until crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and brush empanada with remaining 3/4 tablespoon oil. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a rack, then slide empanada onto rack using a wide metal spatula and cool to warm.
• Cut empanada into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.

FRIED BEEF EMPANADAS WITH OLIVES AND SOFRITO

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and discard grease; remove beef to a plate and set aside.
• Cook onions, bell pepper, and garlic in the same pan over medium heat until peppers are soft and onions are translucent, making sure not to brown or burn garlic, about 5 minutes. Add beef back into the pan and stir to combine. Add tomatoes, sofrito, and raisins; cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken stock, tomato sauce, cilantro, olives, sazon, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Combine beaten egg and water in a small bowl. Spoon filling mixture evenly into the middles of the thawed empanada discs. Brush edges with egg and water mixture, fold in half, and seal the edges with a fork.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry empanadas in the hot oil, working in batches if needed, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through.

BEEF EMPANADAS WITH OLIVES AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in the hot oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef, paprika, salt, and pepper; cook and stir until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.
• Mix hard-boiled eggs, olives, raisins, and parsley into the meat mixture.
• Using a spoon or your fingers, take a little of the ground beef mixture and place it in the middle of the dough discs. Fold the disc over and crimp the edges on both sides with the fork, leaving an indentation in the dough. Coat the outsides of the empanadas with egg yolk using a brush and place on a flat baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the shells are somewhat browned, 24 to 28 minutes. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.

CHICKEN AND OLIVE EMPANADAS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the chimichurri sauce: Combine the parsley, oregano, cilantro, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the vinegar and pulse to combine. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the oil and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 cup.)
• For the filling: Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Put the chicken thighs skin-side down in a large saucepan. Add the broth, parsley sprigs and bay leaf, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until a meat thermometer inserted in a piece of chicken near the bone registers 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and shred the meat into large pieces; you should have about 2 cups. Place in a medium bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the broth. (Strain and keep the rest to make delicious soup!).
• Wipe out the saucepan, heat it over medium heat and add the lard. Add the onion, season with salt and cook, stirring, until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the 1/2 cup broth and let it bubble and thicken, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken, add the olives and toss to combine. Taste and add salt if necessary-the filling should be aggressively seasoned, since it will be wrapped in the dough. Pop the chicken into the refrigerator just until cool, about 10 minutes.
• To make the empanadas: Place a small bowl of cool water by your work surface. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Working with 1 wrapper at a time and keeping the rest covered, brush a little water on one edge of the empanada wrapper. Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper and fold in half. Use your finger to press out the air, making a border of about 1/2 inch around the filling. Press with a fork to seal the edges. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• Bake the empanadas until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Serve warm with the chimichurri sauce.

CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• You will also need: 2 Large baking sheets, parchment paper, pastry brush

BEEF EMPANADAS WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Grease 2 baking sheets with cooking spray and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onions and cook for 4 minutes, or until translucent.
• Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Add ground beef, cumin, paprika and pepper.
• Cook, stirring and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in the chopped olives; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet puff pastry dough to 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut out 6 circles, each should be about a 5-inch diameter. I use a large round cookie cutter.
• Repeat with the second sheet of pastry dough.
• Spoon about a tablespoon of the meat mixture onto center of each dough round; set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl combine egg and water and lightly beat with a fork. Using a pastry brush, paint edges of dough with the prepared egg wash.
• Fold dough over meat, shaping it into half-moon shape; gently press down edges and twist down to seal.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Transfer the empanadas to previously prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1-1/2 inches space between the empanadas.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately.

QUICK CHICKEN AND OLIVE EMPAñADAS

Steps:

• Combine first 11 ingredients in heavy medium skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor; grind coarsely. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in breadcrumbs. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate filling until cold, about 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Line baking sheet with foil; sprinkle with flour. Place gyoza wrappers on work surface. Lightly brush edge of each wrapper with beaten egg. Place heaping 1 teaspoon filling in center of each gyoza wrapper. Fold gyoza wrapper in half and crimp edges with tines of fork to seal. Transfer empanadas to prepared baking sheet. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover empanadas and refrigerate.)
• Heat canola oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add empanadas to oil and fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Drain empanadas on paper towels. Serve warm.
• *Gyoza wrappers can be found at Asian markets and in the refrigerator section of many supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute wonton wrappers and cut into 3 1/2-inch rounds.

CHICKEN EMPANADAS

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Season with salt and crushed red pepper. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the chicken. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and turn into a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, green onions, olives, raisins and eggs. Season with salt. Mix well. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to a circle, 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4-inch round cutter, cut the dough into individual circles. Press the remaining dough together and repeat the above process. Preheat the fryer. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle. Lightly wet the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough over, forming a half-moon, using your fingers, seal the edges completely and crimp the sides of the dough. Place the finished empanadas on a parchment lined baking sheet. Fry in batches until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt. Serve warm on a large platter. Garnish with parsley. Yield: about 1 1/2 dozen empanadas
• In a mixing bowl combine the masa harina, flour, cornmeal and baking powder. Season with the salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Cream in the lard and add the water a little at a time, working the mixture until all is completely incorporated. Using your hands, form the dough into a log about 12 inches long by 3 inches across and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
• Difficulty: Intermediate