Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Food 911Episode: Empanadas to Go

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (23)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(23)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
20 empanadas

Times:

Prep: 55 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 3 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

8 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), husked and rinsed
1 to 2 jalapenos, stemmed
1 Spanish onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 lime, juiced
Salt
2 cups finely shredded, cooked chicken, preferably dark meat
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1 recipe empanada dough, recipe follows

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, and garlic. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the tomatillos are soft. Drain and cool slightly. Combine the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice in a blender. Add 1/4 cup of water and process to a coarse puree; season with a generous pinch of salt. You should have about 3 cups of this salsa verde.

Combine the shredded chicken and queso fresco in a large mixing bowl. Pour in 1 1/2cups of the salsa verde and fold the ingredients together to moisten. Use as a filling for empanadas. Serve the remaining salsa verde on the side.

Empanada Dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup masa harina

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Butter, for greasing the pans

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water, working it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.

Lightly flour your rolling pin and counter. Divide the dough in 1/2 so it will be easier to work with and roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough; repeat with the other 1/2.

Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough over in 1/2 to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill at least 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the empanadas on a buttered baking sheet and brush the tops with additional egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the top of the empanadas for steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Nayely Woods Cross, UT 08-17-2009
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can't wait to try it!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I'm excited to try this recipe, but does anyone know what "masa harina" is??? I don't want to mess up the recipe... If... anyone knows please let me know what it is. Thanks. Read more
recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Christine Clemson, SC 07-23-2009
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tRy tHiS rEcIpE!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

my boyfriend has rated this his fave recipe yet from FN. The filling was the perfect consistency- not too runny but not too... meaty either. We only put in one jalepeno which seemed to mild, so we used jalepeno queso rather than regular queso, and it was delicious! Also, I read that some latin american countries sprinkle sugar on the outside of the empanada after the egg wash, so I tried it on half of them, and it was soo good. loved it! will definitely make it again!Read more
recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Tara Danville, IL 11-26-2008
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Loved by all
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Very good. Great dough, excellent salsa verde and a good combo. These brown perfectly and are nice and flaky. They also... reheat very well without becoming sticky or tough the way some similar doughs do if you try to reheat them.Read more
recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Stephanie Saint George, KS 06-27-2007
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great empanada dough!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

we were wanting a basic dough recipe for empanadas but wanted a beef filling instead. This dough is perfect with this... chimichanga filling recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_6536,00.html We've had them several times. Incredible.Read more
recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Anonymous 03-29-2007
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Potluck Hit
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I followed the recipe using canned chili verde and rotisserie chicken, to save time. I made them the night before, made sure... there was alot of chicken and queso, put them in the refrigerator, and took them to work the next day. Heated them in a ziplock bag for 30 seconds and they were a huge hit.Read more
recipe Green Chile Chicken and Queso Empanadas
Anonymous 03-21-2007
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Salsa Verde
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Excellent as a salsa with corn chips