Empanadas Horneadas de Pollo y Chorizo (Baked Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas)
Golden half-moon pastries filled with spiced shredded chicken, crumbly chorizo and a little melted cheese.
Made with Shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado) and Homemade Mexican chorizo and Shortcrust pastry. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 5
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.13 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 oil in a pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, then add the homemade Mexican chorizo (see the base recipe) and cook for 5 minutes, crumbling it.
10 min - 2
Stir in the pollo deshebrado (see the base recipe) with the paprika and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir in the coriander and leave to cool completely.
2 min - 3
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line 2 trays with baking paper. Roll out your ready made shortcrust pastry (see the base recipe) on the dusted worktop to about 3 mm thick and cut out 12 circles of 12 cm.
- 4
Stir the cheese into the cooled filling. Put a heaped tablespoon on each circle, brush the edges with water, fold over and press the edges with a fork to seal.
- 5
Place on the trays, brush with beaten egg and prick each with a fork.
- 6
Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until deep golden. Cool for 5 minutes before eating.
24 min
Tips
- The filling must be fully cold before sealing or the pastry will go soggy and may split.
- Do not overfill. About a heaped tablespoon per empanada seals better than a big spoonful.
- Chill the shaped empanadas for 15 minutes before baking for a crisper crust that keeps its shape.
Storing and freezing
Cool and chill within 1 hour. Keep for up to 3 days in the fridge or freeze baked or unbaked for 2 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I make these gluten free?
Use a gluten free shortcrust pastry and a gluten free plain flour for dusting. Check the chorizo and chicken bases are made with gluten free ingredients.
Can I fry the empanadas instead?
Yes, in oil at 180 degrees for about 3 minutes each side, but baking is easier and lighter for a party batch.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Freeze unbaked on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen for 30 minutes at {t190} until golden and hot in the centre.
More made with shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado)
Pozole Rojo Rapido con Pollo Deshebrado (Quick Red Pozole)
GFDFEFBudin Azteca (Aztec Tortilla Casserole)
NFEFHPPambazos de Papa, Chorizo y Pollo (Guajillo Dipped Sandwiches)
EFNFFlautas de Pollo con Crema de Jalapeño y Cilantro (Crispy Rolled Chicken Tacos)
GFEFNFSee every dish made with shredded chicken (pollo deshebrado)
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.