Chicken Empanada

Name: Chicken Empanada
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients: Dough: 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 100g butter, 1 egg, 6 tbsp ice water, 1 tsp vinegar; 300g chicken breast, diced; 1 potato, diced small; 1 carrot, diced small; 1/2 cup green peas; 1/4 cup raisins; 1 onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp soy sauce; Salt and pepper; 2 hard-boiled eggs, diced; 1 egg for egg wash; Oil for filling

Empanada (em-pah-NAH-dah)

Filipino Chicken Turnovers

⏱ Prep Time 1 hour 30 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 342 kcal

Flaky golden pastry pockets stuffed with seasoned chicken, potatoes, carrots, raisins, and hard-boiled egg — a savory-sweet Filipino hand pie with Spanish and Ilocano roots.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 16.0g

Carbs 38.0g

Fat 14.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ gluten ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

rolling pin pastry cutter baking sheet mixing bowl

Presentation Guide

Vessel: paper-lined basket

Garnishes: vinegar dipping sauce

Accompaniments: spiced vinegar, hot sauce

Ingredients

Dough: 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 100g butter, 1 egg, 6 tbsp ice water, 1 tsp vinegar
300g chicken breast, diced
1 potato, diced small
1 carrot, diced small
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup raisins
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs, diced
1 egg for egg wash
Oil for filling

Instructions

1
Make dough: mix flour and salt, cut in butter until crumbly. Add egg, water, and vinegar. Form dough, wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
2
Sauté garlic and onion, add chicken and cook through. Add potato, carrot, soy sauce, and a splash of water. Cook until tender.
3
Add peas, raisins, and diced hard-boiled egg. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
4
Roll dough thin, cut into 6-inch circles. Place filling on one half of each circle.
5
Fold dough over, crimp edges with a fork. Brush with egg wash.
6
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden. Alternatively, deep-fry until crispy.

💡

Did You Know?

The Ilocano empanada from Vigan uses an orange-tinted rice flour crust colored with achuete (annatto) and is filled with green papaya, egg, and longganisa sausage.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

rolling pin
pastry cutter
baking sheet
mixing bowl

Garnishing

vinegar dipping sauce

Accompaniments

spiced vinegar, hot sauce

The Story Behind Chicken Empanada

Empanada arrived in the Philippines with Spanish colonizers and was enthusiastically adopted and transformed by Filipino cooks. The Ilocano version from the Ilocos region uses a distinctive orange-tinted crust made with rice flour and annatto seeds. Every region has developed its own empanada variation, with fillings ranging from sweet (with custard) to savory. The chicken version has become widely popular as a convenient, portable meal.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed merienda, street food, parties 📜 Origins: Spanish colonial, Ilocano adaptation

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