Homemade Chicken or Beef Empanada Recipe
Chicken and beef empanadas are as delicious as they are easy to make. They’re a part of cultural and culinary traditions all over the world. Their origin, however, is not clear and there are many versions.
In many places, there are homemade recipes for beef and chicken empanadas. Every home and every region has its extra secret ingredient that makes them stand out.
In this article, we’ll take a look at a great recipe!
The origins of chicken and beef empanadas
Empanadas arrived in Spain thanks to the Arabs who borrowed the idea from the Persians. In other words, we’re talking about a type of food whose history goes way back.
Simply put, an empanada is a dough-covered stuffing, which can be made with an endless variety of ingredients. Even the dough’s preparation varies from one town to the next.
There are texts from 1520 that mention a seafood empanada.
- Empanadas gained their popularity in Spain.
- From there, they spread out to different parts of Europe and found its way to the Americas.
- Many towns around the world have their own versions.
Some of the most well known are the ones from Galicia, Chile, and Argentina. Venezuela also has its own version made with precooked corn flour that is then fried. However, the vast majority of empanadas are baked.
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What are beef and chicken empanadas like?
As there are many kinds of empanadas across the world, and there are also varying shapes and sizes. There are big and small ones; smaller ones are usually served as a snack or appetizer. There are medium-sized ones that are served as a breakfast. Then, there are larger ones that can be the size of a large plate.
What’s more, some empanadas are round, and others are crescent shaped. Empanadas from Galicia and Portugal come in the shape of a large pie. It can be cut and divided into various pieces.
The vast majority of empanadas use onion and garlic for a base; in other words, they’re usually savory. There are also sweet empanadas and others that combine both flavors.
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Homemade Galician chicken empanada recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tomato (40 g)
- 1 red pepper (30 g)
- 300 g chicken
- 1 egg (60 g)
- 2 onions (300 g)
- Garlic, pepper, and salt (to taste)
Empanada dough
Preparation
- First, add salt and pepper to the chicken breast and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Dice onions into small cubes.
- Next, chop the garlic and fry it with the onions in a lightly oiled pan.
- Cook over medium heat, making sure to stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
- While the garlic and onion are frying, chop the red pepper (pieces should not be small). Add to the pan once the onions become translucent.
- The egg should be cooked and chopped before being added to the mix.
- Cut the chicken breasts into small pieces and add to the mixture in the pan. Next, cut the tomato and grind it before adding it to the dough.
- Divide the dough into two parts.
- Stretch out the first part and add the ingredients from the pan on top of it.
- Cover with the remaining dough.
- Seal the edges using a fork.
Place it in the oven
- Place the empanada in a preheated oven (220ºC/425ºF).
- Bake for 30 minutes (more or less). Be sure to keep watch over it so that it bakes well. Remember that the filling is already cooked.
Making the dough is simple and homemade recipes for chicken or beef empanadas are very distinctive. Even though empanadas have changed through time, their flavor remains.
There are many types of fillings and wonderful variations that include ingredients besides chicken or beef. However, homemade chicken and beef empanadas will always be the most popular ones.
If you opt for beef instead of chicken empanadas, the procedure will basically be the same. Follow the same steps; the size of the beef is at the discretion of whoever makes them. You can also use ground beef if you’d like.