Empanadas de Mole con Pollo (Chicken Mole Empanadas)
Flaky butter pastry pockets baked golden around shredded chicken in thick red mole.
Made with Easy red mole. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £1.91 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
Rub the flour, salt and butter together with your fingertips until like breadcrumbs. Stir in 1 egg and enough of the cold water to make a smooth dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Meanwhile poach the chicken with the garlic and 1 tsp salt in just enough water to cover for 20 minutes until cooked through. Shred finely.
20 min - 3
Warm your ready made easy red mole (see the base recipe) in a pan for 5 minutes, stir in the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until very thick. Cool completely.
5 min - 4
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roll the dough to 3 mm thick and cut out 8 discs about 12 cm wide.
- 5
Put a heaped tablespoon of filling on each disc, brush the edge with water, fold over and press with a fork to seal. Place on a lined tray.
- 6
Beat the second egg and brush over the empanadas, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 25 minutes until deep golden. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.
25 min
Tips
- Cool the filling fully before filling. Warm filling melts the butter in the pastry and makes it soggy.
- Keep the filling thick so it does not leak. Simmer it down if it looks loose.
- Do not overfill. Press out the air before sealing, so they do not burst in the oven.
Storing and freezing
Keeps 3 days in the fridge and reheats in a hot oven for 10 minutes until steaming hot all through. Freeze baked or unbaked for up to 2 months, adding 10 minutes if baking from frozen.
Questions
Can I make the pastry dairy free?
Yes. Use a dairy free block spread in place of butter. The dough is slightly softer, so chill it well.
Can I fry them instead?
Yes. Deep fry at 180C for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Baked is lighter, fried gives a crisper, bubbly crust.
Can I make a vegetarian filling?
Yes, use roasted squash or mushrooms with the mole, but check the pastry uses butter, not lard, for vegetarians.
More made with easy red mole
Double 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.