Ingredients

For the Dough

3 ¾ cups AP flour
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ pound butter
½ cup water plus 1 Tbsp

Extra flour for dusting

Eggwash:
2 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon water

For the Filling

2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, fat trimmed
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp flour
½ cup water
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1 Tbsp. rocoto pepper, minced
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 cup green olives, pitted

Special Equipment

Food processor
Tortilla press
Grill
Pastry brush

Instructions

For the Dough

Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the salt, the sugar, and the baking powder. Dice the cold butter into small cubes. Add the butter to the flour and using your hands, rub the mixture between your palms until it resembles the consistency of coarse corn meal. Stir in the water, a little at a time, to make a soft and fairly sticky dough. *DO NOT OVER MIX*. The dough will firm up after it chills. Remove the dough from the bowl and roll into a 1” slab and wrap with plastic wrap. Cover with ice packs in the refrigerator for a few minutes until it is hard. Turn chilled dough out onto a floured surface and cut into small portions. Take each portion and gently press them with a tortilla press until ¼ inch thick. Transfer these to a parchment lined baking sheet and separate them with additional sheets, if necessary. Keep chilled until ready to use.

For the Chicken Filling

Mix the paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic and 1 tsp of salt together and rub over the chicken. Preheat your grill. Grill the chicken until it is cooked and let rest for 5 minutes. Dice your chicken in large cubes and pulse in a food processor until it is fine.
In a large sauté pan, cook your onions in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Deglaze with the water. Add the chicken, lime juice, sugar and minced rocoto pepper. Cook until flavors meld, about 2 minutes. Then add your chopped hard boiled egg and green olives. Season appropriately, remove from heat and set aside.

To Make the Empanadas

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, mix your egg wash together. On a lightly floured surface, lay your round of empanada dough in front of you. Put a spoonful of filling in the middle and paint a half ring of egg wash around the dough. Seal the empanada by folding it over in a half moon shape making sure to get most of the air out as you close it. Crimp the edges of the empanada and set on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush egg wash over your empanadas and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden.