Today is posting day for the Secret Recipe Club. Each month members are “assigned” a participating food blogger. We choose any recipe from the assigned blog to make or bake, and blog about the recipe keeping the blogger a secret until posting day. My secret blogger this month is Dana, Food for Thought.
I knew Dana’s Chicken Empanadas with Ranchero Ranch Dressing recipe would be a hit with my family. They especially liked the easy spiced up ranch dressing.
Dana used a ravioli press to shape her pretty empanadas, but I didn’t have much luck using it. Instead I just folded the edge over and sealed it together with the tines of a fork. Then I flipped them over and crimped them again with the fork – this side looked much prettier.
I substituted Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Filling for the filling, but you should stop by Dana’s and check out her Lime Chicken filling with goat cheese, which I’m sure would be delicious.
These are best served the day they’re made. So just bake as many as you think you’ll eat, and freeze the others for another day. I was able to make 18 empanadas by re-rolling the scraps.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Filling
- 1 cup shredded cheese
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1.5 tablespoon water (do not beat until ready to bake)
- 1 cup ranch dressing, already made
- 1/4 teaspoon chile powder (any flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Directions
- To make filling: Combine chicken and cheese in a medium bowl. Set aside
- To make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
- Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Knead each half 2 or 3 times to form smooth balls.
- Cover dough balls with plastic; let stand until slightly risen, 20 minutes.
- Roll out half of the empanada dough very thinly, 1/4? thick or less. Cut 4 to 5 inch circles of dough.
- Place about 2 teaspoons of the chicken mixture inside each circle of dough. Fold the dough in half over the filling, making a half moon shape, and pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
- Fold curved edges under and crimp decoratively.
- Repeat with the rest of the filling and dough (you may end up with extra dough or extra filling – it seems to work out differently each time).
- If freezing for later use, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
- To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 25 to 35 minutes.
- While empanadas are baking, make dressing by Combining ranch dressing chile powder and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk well. Let sit for at least 10 minutes for full flavor.
- Serve empanadas warm or at room temperature, with ranchero ranch dressing for dipping.
Notes
adapted from Food for Thought
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
Lovely. I enjoy empanadas. I made some mini beef ones for my baby recently.
I am going to have to try empanadas; I’ve never made them before! They look so yummy.
Favolose queste empanadas di pollo. Pensa che possiedo anch’io l’attrezzo che hai utilizzato per realizzarle, non vedo l’ora di provare la ricetta. Un abbraccio, buona settimana Daniela.
When I first saw this recipe at Dana’s blog, I immediately bookmarked it as a must-try. So glad you decided to give these empanadas a go, your filling sounds scrumptious too!
Those look beyond tasty. I’ve got to speak to my baker (I cook, she bakes) about that dough. I really, really want to empanadas!
Mmm! I love me some empanadas. I haven’t made them in ages. Thanks for the reminder – I think I’ll do half your chicken recipe and half Dana’s!
Great looking empanadas. Might give me a chance to use my mixer.
I love empanadas but have never made them…wondering why not; you do make it look simple and delicious. On my bucket list.
These look wonderful!! I love ranch dip so these would work for me! Found this through the The Secret Recipe Club blog hop
I can attest that these are amazing. I made Dana’s empanadas a few months ago and fell in love. That sauce is out of this world.
I always forget about making these at home. Your look and sound great!
This looks like a great party dish! Now you have me craving empanadas…yum!
So fun! I’ve never made empanadas at home, but I totally want to – these look delicious!
This is a terrrific dish to serve groups of people you want to impress!
Could you use crescent rolls for this?
I think you could use crescent rolls. Let me know how they turn out if you try them. Thanks!
What a fantastic recipe! I am printing this off. My family will love it. Your photos are so pretty
Katie
PS- I host a recipe swap every Wednesday and I’d love to have you if you get a chance.
yum! It’s been a while since i’ve make empanadas, myself, and this post definitely makes me want to rush out and make a batch =)
My daughter and I love empanadas but I have yet to make them. This recipe looks like a good one to try.
Ooh, I love empanadas. I’ve never made them, but these look great!
This recipe would be a big hit in our house. I bet both of the chicken recipes are great.
Looks and sounds yummy (as does her chicken lime filling!) I have an empanada press too but haven’t used it – my DIL gave it to me, she uses one often – I really should try it out!
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed these! I really do need to make them again… they’re so good. Thanks for the reminder
Mmmm how I love anything wrapped in dough like this! Delicious filling! Ooh gotta try these. Great recipe… and I’ll check out hers too.
I’ve never made empanadas! What a fun challenge. I’m stumbling this one
I’ve been looking for an “unfried” empanada recipe. Thanks!
This looks like a perfect little morsel to have on hand in the freezer. With the kid out of school for Summer, these are just the kind of thing I’d like to stock up on. You picked a winning recipe! Now I gotta check out that lime chicken filling.
Coming from a Hispanic family, I ate a lot of empanadas at home. My mom used to fill them with ground beef, onions, and olives. So good! I have yet to make my own but I’m inspired now after seeing yours!
These look delicious! They would be perfect to have for an appetizer at a barbecue!
These look great! I am sure my family would love this as a snack…. especially my toddler!
You’ve made these look so easy. I’m actually hoping to make some empanadas with my Chilean friend’s mother tomorrow. Never made them before. Can’t wait to taste a homemade one.
Love that these are baked instead of fried. They look delicious!!!!
I adore empanadas and I have to say, these look picture perfect.
I have been looking for a great empanada dough and this one looks like it might be a winner–soft and flaky, but sturdy enough to hold the filling. Thanks for posting!
I’m sorry I’ve been missing, and have been missing you a lot GF! These empanadas are irresistible…how delicious can food get! I am intrigued by the idea of pressure cooker chicken filling {you know that every house in India owns at least 2-3 of these}. LOL…must try these out. YUM!!