Chicken Chimichurri Empanada Food

CHICKEN AND OLIVE EMPANADAS WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• For the chimichurri sauce: Combine the parsley, oregano, cilantro, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor. Process until coarsely chopped. Add the vinegar and pulse to combine. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the oil and 2 tablespoons water. Set aside at room temperature. (Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving. Makes 1 cup.)
• For the filling: Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Put the chicken thighs skin-side down in a large saucepan. Add the broth, parsley sprigs and bay leaf, turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until a meat thermometer inserted in a piece of chicken near the bone registers 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and shred the meat into large pieces; you should have about 2 cups. Place in a medium bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of the broth. (Strain and keep the rest to make delicious soup!).
• Wipe out the saucepan, heat it over medium heat and add the lard. Add the onion, season with salt and cook, stirring, until soft but not brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the 1/2 cup broth and let it bubble and thicken, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture over the chicken, add the olives and toss to combine. Taste and add salt if necessary-the filling should be aggressively seasoned, since it will be wrapped in the dough. Pop the chicken into the refrigerator just until cool, about 10 minutes.
• To make the empanadas: Place a small bowl of cool water by your work surface. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Working with 1 wrapper at a time and keeping the rest covered, brush a little water on one edge of the empanada wrapper. Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the wrapper and fold in half. Use your finger to press out the air, making a border of about 1/2 inch around the filling. Press with a fork to seal the edges. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
• Bake the empanadas until golden brown, about 15 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Serve warm with the chimichurri sauce.

BRIANNA'S EMPANADA WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Stir the beef and cook it until browned. Remove the beef from the pan to a dish. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the onion, cooking until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chile powder, cumin, and coriander and cook for 3 minutes. Add the ground beef back into the pan and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the green chiles and chopped egg.
• Fill a small bowl with water.
• Lay out a few of the empanada wrappers on a flat surface. Top the center of each wrapper with about 3 tablespoons of the beef filling. Dip your finger lightly in the water and run it along the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper over the beef, into a half moon shape and pinch it shut. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.
• Heat a deep saute pan over high heat and pour in enough canola oil to fill the pan halfway up the sides. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the empanadas until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Be sure to flip them so they cook on both sides. Remove from the pan and drain them on paper towels. Transfer the empanadas to a serving platter and serve with the Chimichurri Sauce for dipping.
• To make Chimichurri Sauce:
• Grate 2 tablespoons of zest from the lemons and squeeze out 1/4 cup of juice. Add the zest and juice to a food processor or blender along with the cilantro, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Pulse to blend the ingredients. If the sauce is too thick, add more oil and lemon juice. The sauce should be just thin enough to pour. Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and serve with the empanadas.
• Yield: about 2 cups

SIERRA EMPANADA

Steps:

• Put the quartered onion, tablespoon salt and 1/2 gallon water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool, then shred.
• Put 1/4 cup olive oil and the diced onions in a pan and cook at medium-high heat until onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, put the chipotle, garlic and remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a blender; blend, making sure to leave some little chunks. Add the shredded chicken to the sauteed onions, then add the chipotle mixture and crushed tomatoes. Mix well, then add black pepper and remaining 3 1/2 teaspoons salt. Mix and add chives. Let cool completely.
• Drop tablespoon-size portions of filling in the center of each dough disc and fold so that the empanadas look like half-moons. Make sure the edges are completely sealed to prevent the filling from coming out while baking.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place empanadas on a lightly oiled sheet pan; brush with egg yolk if using, Bake until dough is nicely browned, about 15 minutes.
• Making the dough can be done by hand but it is easier in a mixer with a dough attachment. Mix the flour and salt in a mixer until well combined, about 1 minute.
• Add the butter and mix until blended, another 2 minutes.
• Add the egg and 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, adding gradually, and continue mixing until slightly rough to the touch.
• Make the dough into a ball and finish kneading by hand until soft and smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
• Unwrap the dough and roll out with a rolling pin until thin, but not too thin, so it doesn't break when folding.
• Create discs with a 5-inch cutter for large empanadas or a 3-inch cutter for small ones. If not using immediately, use wax or parchment paper to separate the stack and refrigerate or freeze to use later.