I love a good empanada and these are really as great as it gets. They’re cheesy, super flavorful, and they’re baked – so they’re kinda heart healthy. I pair them with a cilantro chimichurri and at the end of the day, these will make you very happy. Isn’t that what empanadas and chimichurri translate to? LOL
Chicken & Spinach Empanadas
1 cup of chopped rotisserie chicken
1 cup of frozen spinach, drained
1 cup of your favorite melting cheese – I used cheddar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning
10 empanada dough discs
1 egg
1 tablespoon of water
Cilantro chimichurri, recipe to follow
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix together the chicken, spinach, cheese, salt, ground pepper, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning. Mix well to combine.
3. Put a heaping teaspoon of filling on one side of the dough, fold the other half of the dough over, and crimp with a fork.
4. In a small bowl, mix the egg and water together. Brush the egg wash over each empanada and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with the cilantro chimichurri.
Cilantro Chimichurri – just put each of the following ingredients into a food process or blender and blend to combine.
4 cups (or 1 bunch) of cilantro
1/2 cup of onions
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1 pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of olive oil
