Buffalo Chicken Empanada and Autumn Salad with Buttermilk Scallion Lemon Dressing

Written by Andres Salamanca

Buffalo Chicken Empanada Recipe

Yield: 16 empanadas

Ingredients:

3 lbs chicken thigh or breast (bone-in)

7 oz buffalo sauce

1 package turnover pastry dough (Goya “grande discos” 10 pack is ideal)

1 medium red onion

32 oz peanut oil (for frying)

To enhance the pulled chicken:

1 large white onion

2 chicken bouillon cubes 

Prep

Allow disco pastry dough to dethaw, julienne red onion, and liberally salt-and-pepper chicken.

Chicken

Bring chicken, onion, and chicken bullion cubes to boil in a 6-quart pot with contents fully submerged in water. Throw in any wilting herbs like dill or cilantro into the pot, along with any old vegetables in your fridge. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Allow chicken to cool.

 Shred the cooled chicken. Combine chicken shreds with buffalo sauce and incorporate onion into the mixture. 

Assembly

Add 4-5 oz of chicken mixture into the center of each disco dough. Fold the dough in half to form a semi-circle. To seal the pastry for frying, fold the edges with your thumb and pointer finger to create twists, or press the empanada edges with a fork.

Frying

Bring peanut oil to 165 degrees and fry each empanada for 3-4 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. 

I made this combo for dinner a couple weeks ago and I have been looking forward to remaking it since. The duo may seem gratuitous, but it isn't unless you eat too many empanadas. This recipe is for 2 but preps enough filling for many empanadas and enough dressing for several salads. 

Autumn Salad with Buttermilk Scallion Lemon Dressing 

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk

1 cups aioli (or kewpie mayo)

¼ cup white wine vinegar 

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup minced scallion 

1 bunch dandelion 

1 tsp annatto pepper  

8 oz arugula

6 oz radish

2 forelle pears 

1 honey crisp apple

1 cup sunflower seeds

1 tsp olive oil

4 oz pecorino romano

Prep

Whisk together buttermilk and aioli. Add lemon juice and white wine vinegar, followed by scallions. Season dressing with salt, annatto pepper and black pepper.

Toast sunflower seeds lightly with olive oil, bake for 12-14 mins at 355°F then season with salt and pepper.

Assembly

Assemble salad ingredients to your liking and add dressing.

Recipe by Andres Salamanca

Edited by Lauryn-Ashley Vandyke