Empanadas Fritas De Pollo (Fried Spicy Chicken Turnovers)

I invented this recipe when I had half of a roast chicken in my refrigerator from the night before. It's not hot but somewhat spicy. I wanted to make a new picadillo for empanadas so I came up with this one.

Spicy Chicken Turnovers

Empanada dough:

3 cups of all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons of shortening (melted not hot)
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup of water
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of vegetable or corn oil for frying

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside. 2. Add the milk and water into a pot and make it luke warm over the stove. 3. Make a hole in the middle of the flour and pour the shortening and milk and water mixture in the middle. Mix and knead very well, make a ball cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

The chicken picadillo:

2 cups of boned cooked chicken (shredded)
1/2 a cup of diced pepperroncini (from the jar, don't discard the seeds)
3/4 cup of diced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 pack of Sazon with achiote (annatto)
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

In a frying pan add the 3 tablespoons of oil and heat. Add all of the ingredients except for the chicken. Stir and fry the ingredients in medium heat until they start to dry slightly for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken to the mixture and blend well, lower the heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the frying pan onto another bowl and let cool.

Cut a piece of the dough and make a ball. Place it on top of a floured surface and with a rolling pin roll it out to 1/8 of an inch, add more flour to the surface so the dough won't stick. Place 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the chicken picadillo in the middle of the dough and bring one side of the dough to flap over the chicken. Cut a half moon turnover about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Secure the edges with your fingers or a fork by pressing down. Place the finished empanadas on the slightly floured plate or wax paper.

Empanada ready for frying

Heat the 2 cups of oil in a deep frying pan. Test the oil with a small piece of dough and if it starts to sizzle and floats to the top the oil is ready.

Add two empanadas at a time and immediately start to baste and turn until golden brown, place them on paper towels to blot then serve hot.

Note: You can sprinkle sugar on them before serving and I like them with a little hot sauce.

Makes 12 to 13