Empanada de la Casa - Hand chopped chicken, corn, sweet peppers and Jack cheese
Ingredients:
10 empanada discs
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
12 oz boneless skinless chicken thigh
1 tablespoon blended oil
1⁄2 cup onions, small dice
1 ear corn, kernels stripped (or use 1 cup of frozen)
Pinch of Kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
Directions: Partially freeze the chicken. Dice partially frozen chicken very finely, or grind to medium if possible. You can also purchase ground chicken. Strip corn kernels from ear of corn. In a sauté pan, heat oil and sauté onions until softened, but do not pick up any color. Add the ground chicken, oregano and crushed red pepper. Cook chicken about half way and then add corn and salt. Finish cooking, adjust seasoning and cool the mixture. Once cool, add cheese before assembling empanadas.
Make an egg wash from the eggs and water; whisk well to combine. Fill each empanada disc with 1.75 oz of filling. Brush the edges of the disc with egg wash and close. Press and crimp edge to seal. Prepare a cookie sheet or baking dish by lining with parchment paper and spraying with nonstick spray. Place empanadas on the sheet and bake at 400°F for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, remove from the oven and brush tops with a tin layer of egg wash. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 3-5 minutes.