Cajun Stuffed Empanadas
Cajun Stuffed Empanadas
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 cup sweet peppers, red, yellow, and orange, chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped, divided
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cleaned and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon everything but the bagel seasoning, or other chicken seasoning, as needed
- 1/2 pound sausage, diced
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, seasoned, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
For Assembly and Frying
- 10 Goya Empanada Dough Discs, 5 1/2 inch frying discs
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded, for assembly
- 1/2 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded, for assembly
- 3 cups cooking oil, for frying, or as needed
For Serving
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, for dipping, optional
Instructions
- 1
Chop the sweet peppers, red onion, and half of the green onions. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Season the cleaned and patted dry chicken thighs generously on both sides with everything but the bagel seasoning (or your preferred chicken seasoning).
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of cooking oil. Sear the seasoned chicken thighs for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove chicken from the pan, let it cool slightly, then chop or shred it into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
In the same skillet, add the diced sausage and cook over medium heat until browned and aromatic, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
⏱️ 7 min
- 5
Add the chopped sweet peppers and red onion to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
While the vegetables are cooking, heat a separate small pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned, chopped shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
In a large bowl, combine the chopped cooked chicken, the sausage and vegetable mixture, and the cooked shrimp.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Add the cream cheese, 4 ounces of shredded pepper jack cheese, 4 ounces of shredded Mexican blend cheese, and the remaining chopped green onions to the bowl. Season with Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, white pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Lay an empanada dough disc flat on a clean surface. Sprinkle a small amount of the extra shredded pepper jack and Mexican blend cheeses onto one half of the disc. Spoon a generous amount of the Cajun filling on top of the cheese.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Fold the dough disc over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Use a fork to firmly press and seal the entire edge of the empanada, ensuring no filling escapes during frying. Repeat with the remaining discs and filling.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
In a deep skillet or pot, heat about 2-3 inches of cooking oil over medium-low heat to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place 2-3 empanadas into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a consistent frying temperature.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350
- 12
Remove fried empanadas with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot, optionally with sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Cajun Stuffed Empanadas
For the Filling
- 1 cup sweet peppers, red, yellow, and orange, chopped
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, chopped, divided
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cleaned and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon everything but the bagel seasoning, or other chicken seasoning, as needed
- 1/2 pound sausage, diced
- 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, seasoned, and chopped
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 4 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces mexican blend cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
For Assembly and Frying
- 10 Goya Empanada Dough Discs, 5 1/2 inch frying discs
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded, for assembly
- 1/2 cup mexican blend cheese, shredded, for assembly
- 3 cups cooking oil, for frying, or as needed
For Serving
- 1/2 cup sweet chili sauce, for dipping, optional
Instructions
- 1
Chop the sweet peppers, red onion, and half of the green onions. Set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Season the cleaned and patted dry chicken thighs generously on both sides with everything but the bagel seasoning (or your preferred chicken seasoning).
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of cooking oil. Sear the seasoned chicken thighs for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through and golden brown. Remove chicken from the pan, let it cool slightly, then chop or shred it into small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
In the same skillet, add the diced sausage and cook over medium heat until browned and aromatic, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
⏱️ 7 min - 5
Add the chopped sweet peppers and red onion to the skillet with the sausage. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
While the vegetables are cooking, heat a separate small pan with a drizzle of oil over medium heat. Add the seasoned, chopped shrimp and cook for 2-3 minutes, until pink and cooked through. Remove from heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
In a large bowl, combine the chopped cooked chicken, the sausage and vegetable mixture, and the cooked shrimp.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Add the cream cheese, 4 ounces of shredded pepper jack cheese, 4 ounces of shredded Mexican blend cheese, and the remaining chopped green onions to the bowl. Season with Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning, white pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Lay an empanada dough disc flat on a clean surface. Sprinkle a small amount of the extra shredded pepper jack and Mexican blend cheeses onto one half of the disc. Spoon a generous amount of the Cajun filling on top of the cheese.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Fold the dough disc over the filling to create a half-moon shape. Use a fork to firmly press and seal the entire edge of the empanada, ensuring no filling escapes during frying. Repeat with the remaining discs and filling.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
In a deep skillet or pot, heat about 2-3 inches of cooking oil over medium-low heat to 350°F (175°C). Carefully place 2-3 empanadas into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a consistent frying temperature.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 350 - 12
Remove fried empanadas with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve hot, optionally with sweet chili sauce on the side for dipping.
⏱️ 3 min