Argentinian Chicken Empanadas
Argentinian chicken empanadas are golden pastry parcels filled with seasoned minced chicken, garlic and olive oil. Your TM7 prepares the dough and filling with precise temperature control, giving a crisp exterior and juicy, aromatic centre. Ideal as a starter, party snack or main course, these homemade empanadas bring authentic South American street food flavour to your kitchen.
About this recipe
Argentinian chicken empanadas with the Thermomix TM7 bring the beloved street food of Buenos Aires straight into your kitchen. Searching for an empanada recipe Thermomix fans rave about? This version delivers crisp, golden pastry wrapped around a juicy filling of skinless chicken breast, garlic and olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and ground pepper. The all-in-one kitchen machine heats the water and butter to exactly the right warmth for the dough, then blends everything into a supple, easy-to-roll base thanks to a touch of baking powder. These empanadas work beautifully as a quick weeknight dinner, a festive party snack or a sharing starter with friends. Each parcel bakes into a crunchy shell with a tender, aromatic centre that stays moist because the filling is mixed evenly at a consistent speed. Whether you are new to Argentine cuisine or a seasoned empanada lover, this Thermomix TM7 recipe makes the process simple, controlled and rewarding from the very first batch.
Preparation tips
- Chill the empanada dough in the fridge before rolling it out; cold dough with the butter and water base is far easier to handle and gives the pastry its characteristic flaky, crisp layers after baking.
- Seal the edges firmly with a fork and brush the parcels with a little olive oil before baking; this creates an attractive golden shine and prevents the chicken filling from leaking during cooking.
- For extra aroma, sauté the garlic in olive oil before combining it with the minced chicken breast, and let the filling cool completely before filling the pastry so the dough stays pliable.
- Cooked empanadas freeze well: freeze them raw on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake straight from frozen whenever you fancy a quick snack.
Recipe variations
- Vegetarian variation: replace the chicken breast with a mixture of sweetcorn, bell pepper and black beans seasoned with cumin and the same garlic and olive oil base for a meat-free empanada that stays juicy.
- Festive variation: add chopped olives, raisins and a pinch of smoked paprika to the chicken filling for a traditional Argentinian Christmas flavour, and serve with homemade chimichurri made in the TM7.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Heating the water, butter and salt at a controlled temperature gives the empanada dough the ideal warm base for a supple pastry.
- Kneading the plain flour mixture in the TM7 produces an even, elastic dough without sticky hands or extra washing up.
- Chopping the skinless chicken breast finely in seconds creates a uniform filling texture that cooks evenly inside every empanada.
- Mixing the garlic, olive oil and seasonings blends the chicken filling into a consistently aromatic mixture for juicy parcels.
- Weighing the plain flour directly in the mixing bowl guarantees precise dough proportions, so the pastry rolls out evenly every time.
Ingredients
- water
- unsalted butter
- fine sea salt
- plain flour
- baking powder
- medium egg
- onions
- garlic clove
- chicken breast fillets, skinless
- red pepper