Fajita ingredients hidden inside a dough pocket… you know I’m all in!
But I made these, so of course I love them. I need to tell you why YOU should love them and why YOU should make them for your Cinco de Mayo celebrations! Ready? Guys, these are basically glorified FAJITA HOT POCKETS. Please tell me y’all remember Hot Pockets? Wait. Do they still make them?
Answer: Yes.
OMG they have so many new flavors too! But not a fajita kind anymore (RIP chicken fajita flavor) SO I’ve brought that back to you.
Empanadas… hand pies… call them what you’d like. They are butter-y and flake-y pie dough stuffed with juicy chicken breast, roasted bell peppers, caramelized red onions, and my favorite (and stupid easy) homemade enchilada sauce! I realize now that I have mixed together empanadas, fajitas, and enchiladas in ONE RECIPE… whoops. Also, I know that empanadas are a Latin American/Spanish thing, not Mexican but fajitas are a Tex-Mex thing so I’m still allowed to tell you to make these for Cinco de Mayo. Plus enchiladas originated in Mexico and there’s enchilada sauce in these empanadas SO THERE. Also, I’m sure no one cared or noticed that before I said anything. Awesome.
OH! ONE LAST THING: I didn’t add cheese in these because you know… I don’t really eat cheese but you could totes add some pepper jack or manchego or queso blanco?! Please add whatever cheese your little dairy-loving-heart desires 🙂
¿Listo para la receta mis amigos?
Ingredients
- 8 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- healthy pinch of sea salt and pepper
- 2 red bell peppers; cored, seeded, and diced finely
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup homemade enchilada sauce (ingredients and recipe below)
- 2 pie crusts (15 oz total)
- 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, lightly beaten together (aka egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make your homemade enchilada sauce: Heat avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together with oil for about one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano) until well incorporated. Then slowly add in the stock, whisking constantly to avoid/remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened (now would be a good time to cook your chicken breast, if you haven't already done so). This should yield about one cup of enchilada sauce.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions plus a healthy pinch of sea salt and pepper, stir to coat. Sauté onions for 2-3 minutes or until slightly translucent. Add diced red pepper and chili powder to the skillet, stir to combine, then cook for another 5-7 minutes. Next add cooked shredded chicken and one cup of homemade enchilada sauce, stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Remove from heat.
- On a floured work surface, roll out both 9-inch pie crusts into 15-inch circles. Using a 5-inch biscuit cutter or bowl, cut out 6 (5-inch) circles from each pie crust (12 total).
- Brush one half of a dough circle with egg wash, top with a spoonful of fajita filling then fold the other half of the dough circle over top, enclosing the fajita mixture. Using a fork, seal the edges of the empanada then transfer it to the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough circles/fajita mixture. Once all the empanadas are on the baking sheet, brush the tops with egg wash then top with a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bake at 350F for about 25 minutes or until golden.
- Enjoy alone or with sour cream, salsa, or guac!
Did you notice that I have two different sized empanadas in these pictures? If so, good job. If not, you lack attention to detail weirdo 🙂
Any who… long story short, I made these bad boys three times and here’s scoop:
- mini version no enchilada sauce – verdict: ratio of filling to dough was off and needed a sauce (they were slightly dry?)
- full-sized version with enchilada sauce – verdict: PERFECT
- mini version with enchilada sauce – verdict: equally as perfect and EXTRA CUTE
Turns out the ratio of filling to dough wasn’t really off in my first attempt, the empanadas just needed a sauce! So feel free to make these full sized or mini… all you have to change is the size bowl/cutter you use to cut out the dough circles.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or tag a photo #appetitesanonymous on instagram!! I’d love to see your empanadas in action. Peace, friends!
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