Dinosaur Chicken Empanadas

These dinosaur shaped chicken empanadas are made with a savory seasoned chicken filling wrapped in flaky empanada dough and cut into a fun dinosaur shape kids love. They're easy to make ahead, pack well for lunchboxes, and reheat perfectly for a quick after school snack or weeknight dinner.

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Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Servings empanadas

Calories 361 kcal

Equipment

Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Rolling Pin
Circle biscuit cutter set (1"-4") only need the 4-inch
Egg separator
Basting brush
Kitchen shears

Ingredients

For the savory chicken filling

6 ounces ground chicken
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon paprika

For the empanadas

¾ pound puff pastry thawed
1 large egg beaten
flour for dusting the surface

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour the work surface.
Using a rolling pin, carefully roll out the thawed puff pastry to a thickness of about 3 mm(⅛ inch). Cut out circles of 4 inches in diameter from the dough. You will need 6 circles.
Mix the ground chicken with salt, pepper, and spices until smooth.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Use the egg whites as glue, brushing it all around the edges of the circles. Add about 1½ tablespoons of chicken filling to one side of the circle. Do not overfill; the edges should be open to ensure a tight seal. Fold the dough in half, covering the chicken mixture and lining up the edges. Press the wet edges together. Roll the stuffed half-circles out lightly.
Using clean scissors, cut triangles from the edges to create the silhouette of a dinosaur. Shape the face as shown, adding eyes made of pepper or coriander. Glue the triangular legs onto the bodies with egg white.
Brush a thin layer of egg yolk over the entire surface of each dinosaur. This gives the puff pastry a beautiful, glossy, golden brown finish.
Transfer the dinosaurs to the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the empanadas are a rich golden brown. Since dinosaur sizes may vary, start checking them after about 18 minutes. Smaller dinosaurs will cook faster.
Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. The filling will be very hot.

Nutrition

Keyword chicken, pastry

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