Filipino Chicken Empanada/ Chicken Puffs

Chicken Empanada is a favorite snack and party fare that is served hot or cold.  This is from pinoyrecipe.  My hubby and kids just love this...  I served it for lunch and everybody requested to have the same for dinner.

Makes 20 puffs Preparation time: 1 hour Cooking time: 20 mins

Chicken Empanada Ingredients:

Crust

• 300 g (2 1/2 cups) flour, plus extra for dusting
•3 tablespoons sugar
•1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•65 g (1/3 cup) chilled solid vegetable shortening
•125 g(1/2 cup) butter
•6-7 tablespoons iced water
•1 egg, lightly beaten
•1 tablespoon water

•To make the Crust, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

•Cut in the butter and shortening with a knife or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the iced water, a little at a time while gathering the mixture to form a soft dough.
•Form the dough into a ball. Sprinkle some flour onto a sheet of waxed paper and wrap dough in the waxed paper. Chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator

Filling

•1 tablespoon oil
•1 tablespoon butter
•1/2 medium onion, minced
•3-4 cloves garlic, minced
•450 g (1 lb) chicken breast or thigh meat, deboned and cubed
•1 small potato, diced
•1 small carrot, diced
•250 ml (1 cup) water or chicken broth
•100 g (1 cup) green peas (thawed, if frozen)
•100 g (1/2 cup) raisins (optional), I like empanada with raisins so with the hubby and kids
•2 teaspoons salt
•1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. To make the Filling, heat the oil and butter in a skillet. Add onions and saute about 1 minute, then add garlic and saute a further 1 minute. Add the cubed chicken meat and stir-fry until the chicken browns.
2. Add potatoes and carrots and cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in water or broth and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender and chicken is fully cooked.
3. Add peas and raisins and simmer a further 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. With a slotted spoon, drain ingredients and transfer to a bowl, letting excess liquid drip. Set aside for 30 minutes to cool.

Final Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 200° C (400° F). Remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Lightly flour a pastry board or clean table top. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough on a pastry board until it is 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. Don’t roll it too thin or it will break when baked. Cut 10 cm (4 in) circles using a cutter and a small bowl. 
2. Gather the scraps and re-roll them so they can be used again. You should get about 20 pastry circles. 

3. Spoon about 1-2 teaspoons Filling into the middle of each pastry circle. Fold the circle so the edges meet and filling is sealed. Press the edges of the pastry with the tines of a fork.



1st try in 2010

4. Combine lightly beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush surface of each folded puff with egg mixture. Arrange on a greased baking sheet. With a knife make 2-3 slits on the surface of each puff to allow steam to escape while baking.

5. Bake puffs in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside for a few minutes to cool before serving.