Why You’ll Love This these Golden Homestyle Chicken Empanadas
These golden beauties pack all your favorite comfort food flavors into one handheld package, making them perfect for busy weeknights when you want something special without the fuss.
The combination of tender chicken, melty cheddar cheese, and perfectly seasoned Spanish rice creates a filling that’s hearty enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters in your family.
Plus, with refrigerated pie crusts doing most of the heavy lifting, you can have these crispy, golden empanadas on the table in under 30 minutes – because who’s time for homemade dough when there’s dinner to get on the table?
Ingredients List
You’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients to create these crowd-pleasing empanadas that taste like they took hours to make.
- 1 (5-6 ounce) package Spanish rice mix (made using package directions)
- 1 cup cooked chicken (shredded or chopped)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced green onion
- 1/4 cup chopped black olives
- 1 (3 ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 1 (15 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
- Smart ingredient swaps: Want to lighten things up? Try reduced-fat cheese or swap half the cheddar for a lighter option like part-skim mozzarella
- Veggie boost: Those green onions and chilies add vitamins and flavor without extra calories, so don’t skip them
- Protein power: The chicken gives you lean protein, making these more filling and nutritious than your average pastry
- Whole grain option: Look for brown rice mix instead of white Spanish rice for extra fiber and nutrients
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the prepared Spanish rice, cooked chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, chopped black olives, and chopped green chilies, mixing well until evenly distributed.
- Prepare the crusts: Lay out both pie crusts on cookie sheets, ensuring they’re flat and ready for filling.
- Fill the empanadas: Spoon half of the chicken and rice mixture onto the middle/side of each crust, staying away from the very edges to prevent spillage during sealing.
- Seal and crimp: Fold each crust over the filling and crimp the edges firmly to create a tight seal that will hold during baking.
- Bake to perfection: Place the cookie sheets in a preheated 400°F oven and bake for 20-22 minutes until the crusts turn golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with style: Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with your choice of salsa, hot sauce, or a dollop of sour cream for the perfect finishing touch.
- Crust creativity: Puff pastry creates a flakier texture, while empanada discs from the freezer section make you look like you know what you’re doing, even though we both know you’re just winging it like the rest of us.
- Mini versions: Cut the pie crusts into smaller circles using a large cup or bowl, making bite-sized empanadas that disappear faster than your willpower around a dessert table.
- Classic Mexican rice and beans – because sometimes you want to go full-on fiesta mode, and honestly, who’s going to complain about more carbs and protein on their plate.
- Fresh guacamole and chips – the creamy richness cuts through all that cheesy, meaty goodness inside the empanada, plus it gives your hands something to do while you’re deciding whether you can fit another empanada in your stomach.
- Simple green salad with lime vinaigrette – I know, I know, vegetables with your comfort food, but the bright acidity actually makes everything taste better, and it helps you feel slightly less guilty about eating pastry for dinner.
- Mexican street corn (elote) – whether you go full traditional with the mayo and cotija cheese or just butter and chili powder, that sweet corn flavor plays really nicely with the savory empanada filling.
- Refried beans with a dollop of sour cream – sometimes the simplest sides are the best ones, and these creamy beans soak up any extra salsa you’re inevitably going to drizzle on everything.
- Cut small steam vents in the top – just a couple little slashes with a knife will prevent your empanadas from puffing up like angry little pillows and potentially bursting.
- Freeze extras before baking – these freeze beautifully unbaked, so you can have homemade empanadas ready to pop in the oven whenever the craving strikes, which honestly might be more often than you’d care to admit.
- Calories: Approximately 650-700 per empanada (recipe makes 2 large empanadas)
- Protein: Around 25-30 grams per serving from the chicken and cheese
- Carbohydrates: 45-50 grams primarily from the pie crust and Spanish rice
- Fat: 35-40 grams, with saturated fat from the cheese and pie crust
- Fiber: 2-3 grams from the rice mix and vegetables
- Sodium: High content (800-1000mg) due to the Spanish rice mix, cheese, and olives
- Calcium: Good source from the cheddar cheese
- Iron: Moderate amount from the chicken and enriched flour in the crust
- Vitamin C: Small amount from green chilies and green onions
Step by Step Directions
These golden empanadas come together quickly with just a few simple steps that transform everyday ingredients into restaurant-quality results.
For those who make empanadas regularly, a professional empanada maker can streamline this process and ensure consistent results every time.
Substitutions and Variations
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
These empanadas are basically begging for some tasty sidekicks to complete the meal.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Nutritional Facts
Based on the ingredients and preparation method, here are the key nutritional highlights for these Golden Homestyle Chicken Empanadas:
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond their impressive nutritional profile, empanadas carry fascinating stories that’ll make you appreciate every golden bite even more.
I uncovered that empanadas originated in Spain and Portugal before traveling to Latin America through colonization. The word “empanada” comes from the Spanish verb “empanar,” meaning “to wrap in bread.”
Each Latin American country developed its own unique filling traditions—Argentina favors beef, while Chile loves seafood versions.
In medieval times, empanadas served as portable meals for travelers and workers. They’re fundamentally the world’s first fast food!
Today, there are sweet empanada varieties filled with fruits and chocolate too.
