Chicken Enchilada Empanadas are the perfect hand-held dinner or snack! The flaky pastry dough creates a delicious vehicle for the chicken enchilada filling. Don't miss the sour cream dipping sauce!
Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until combined.
Add the cubed butter and pulse 15 times, or until the butter is approximately pea-sized or a little larger.
In a small bowl, mix together the egg, ice water, and vinegar. Add to the flour mixture. Pulse 6–8 times, or until the liquid is incorporated into the dough (it will look sandy and/or shaggy).
Place a 24 inch piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Dump the dough onto the plastic wrap. Use the edges of the plastic wrap to form the dough into a rectangle, roughly 1 inch thick.
Wrap the edges of the plastic wrap around the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
Place one of the balls on a lightly floured board. Dust a rolling pin with flour. Use the rolling pin to roll the ball into a circle, approximately ⅛ inch thick and 5 inches in diameter.
Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Refrigerate dough circles for 15 minutes.
For the filling:
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
Place the onion and bell pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet. Cook for 5–6 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pan and chop into ¼–½ inch pieces. Place in the bowl with the onion and bell pepper.
Add the enchilada sauce, cheese, cumin, and sea salt to the bowl. Stir gently to combine.
Place one dough circle on a flat surface. Place a scant two tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center. Fold the dough over and press gently to seal.
Crimp the edges using this technique or the tines of a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough and chicken mixture.
Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush empanadas with the beaten egg. Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until golden brown.
For the dipping sauce:
For the dipping sauce, combine the sour cream and 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Serve with the enchiladas.
Notes
Empanada dough recipe is adapted from Epicurious.Note that the prep time includes 1 hour and 45 minutes of refrigeration time, and only about 45 minutes of hands-on time.