Easy Weekend Meal: Chicken Potpie Empanadas

Sometimes you just need a recipe that is quick and easy to throw together.  As much fun as it is to spend a couple hours in the kitchen working on a grand masterpiece, it can also be just as rewarding to mix together a few ingredients and get back to relaxing!  If you don't already subscribe to Real Simple's recipe of the day, you should!  I have discovered several super easy recipes this way and they are great to pull out when I want something tasty but quick to make.  Today, I am sharing with you a recipe for chicken potpie empanadas.  It uses a premade pie crust, shredded rotisserie chicken and a mix of frozen peas and carrots.  Ain't no shame in keepin' it simple!

  

Chicken Potpie Empanadas
from Real Simple

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 10-ounce box frozen peas and carrots
1 3- to 4-pound store-bought rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
kosher salt and black pepper
2 refrigerated 9-inch piecrusts (from a 15-ounce package, such as Pillsbury)

Heat oven to 400° F. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

Slowly stir in the broth. Cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the peas and carrots, chicken, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Cut each piecrust in half. Spoon the chicken mixture over one side of each half-circle, leaving a ½-inch border.

Using your fingers, wet the border with water. Fold the crust over the chicken. Press to seal. Make three 1-inch slits in the top of each.

Transfer the empanadas to a baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

 

Notes:
This recipe could easily be adapted to make it a bit fancier.  I would like to try it with rosemary roasted chicken and maple glazed sweet potatoes in place of the peas and carrots next time.
If making for children, you can cut each piecrust into thirds and to make smaller servings (they were quite filling!).

  

Enjoy!

Hope you all have a great weekend!  What's your favorite easy recipe?