Empanadas de Mole con Pollo (Baked Mole Chicken Empanadas)
Golden corn masa half moons baked around a thick filling of shredded chicken in mole.
Made with Mole poblano and Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.23 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Mix the masa harina, salt, 1 tbsp oil and warm water into a soft dough. Knead for 2 minutes and rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
15 min - 2
Warm the mole poblano (see the base recipe) with the shredded chicken (see the shredded chicken base recipe) in a pan for 6 minutes until thick, then cool completely.
6 min - 3
Divide the dough into 10 balls. Press each between two sheets of baking paper into a 10 cm circle.
- 4
Put 2 tbsp of filling on one half of each circle. Fold over and press the edges to seal, crimping with a fork.
- 5
Place on a lined tray, brush with the remaining oil and scatter with sesame seeds. Bake for 25 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and firm. Cool for 5 minutes.
25 min
Tips
- Cool the filling first. Warm filling softens the dough and makes the edges split.
- Keep the dough covered while you work to stop it drying.
- Do not overfill; masa tears easily.
Storing and freezing
Cool and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat at {t180} for 15 minutes until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Are empanadas Mexican?
Empanadas are found across Latin America and Spain. In Mexico they are often made with corn masa and filled with mole, cheese, huitlacoche or squash blossom, and are usually fried. This version is baked.
Can I fry them?
Yes. Fry in 3 cm of hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes a side until crisp and golden. Drain well and cool a little before biting.
More made with mole poblano
Burritos de Pollo con Mole y Arroz (Chicken Mole Burritos)
EFNFQuesadillas de Champiñones con Mole (Mushroom and Mole Quesadillas)
GFEFNFCalabaza Asada con Mole y Frijoles Negros (Roast Squash with Mole and Black Beans)
GFDFEFAlbóndigas en Mole Poblano (Meatballs in Mole)
GFNFDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.