Chicken And Egg Salad

Courtesy of Chef Jorge Morgado from El Rincon Mexicano Restaurant.
Directions for: Chicken Empanadas with Rice and Beans

Ingredients

Salsa Verde

15 large tomatillos, cooked or canned

1 jalapeo pepper, cored

small Spanish onion

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tsp salt

2 cloves garlic

Chicken

28 oz chicken breast

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

medium Spanish onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp salt

Rice

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbsp chopped celery

2 cups rice

4 beefsteak tomatoes, pured (about 1 cup)

3 cups chicken broth

2 Tbsp uncooked peas

2 Tbsp carrot, finely chopped

2 Tbsp uncooked corn kernels

1 tsp salt

Beans

4 Tbsp vegetable oil

small onion, finely chopped

5 cups cooked black beans

1 tsp salt

Empanadas

6 cups corn flour (such as Maseca)

1 Tbsp salt

8 oz mozzarella, shredded

3 oz queso fresco

10 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Salsa Verde

1. In a blender, combine tomatillos, jalapeno pepper, Spanish onion, cilantro, salt, and garlic.

2. Blend until smooth and season with salt, to taste.

3. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.

Chicken

1. In a medium pot, cover chicken with water.

2. Add celery, onion, carrots, garlic and salt.

3. Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

4. Continue cooking for 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and can be torn easily with a fork.

5. When chicken is done, remove from pot and set aside to cool.

Rice

1. While chicken cooks, heat oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan.

2. Add onion, garlic, and celery; stir and cook for about 3 minutes, until onions are translucent,

3. Add the rice to the saucepan and stir while cooking for about 2 minutes, get everything combined, toasting the rice a little bit

4. Stir the tomato into the rice and continue cooking for 1 minute.

5. Add the broth, the vegetables, and the salt and bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat.

6. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, until rice is soft.

Beans

1. While rice cooks, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add onion and cook while stirring until onions are soft and translucent.

3. Add the cooked beans and bring to a simmer.

4. Simmer beans for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans bubble and are thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove beans from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth; season with salt, to taste.

6. Keep rice and beans warm until assembly.

Empanadas

1. Shred cooled chicken with a fork and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt, and 4 cups of warm water.

3. Mix by hand until a dough is formed.

4. Roll dough into 10 (3-inch) balls.

5. If using a tortilla press, line one side of the press with a 6-inch square of plastic wrap. Place one ball of dough into the tortilla press and cover with a second 6-inch square piece of plastic wrap.

6. Press dough into a 5-inch tortilla.

7. Remove top piece of plastic and add shredded chicken and mozzarella cheese to the middle of the dough, leaving a 1-inch edge around the outside.

8. Using the bottom piece of plastic, fold the empanada in half to form a half moon; pinch edges to seal.

9. Repeat pressing, filling, and folding process with remaining masa dough and filling.

10. If not using a tortilla press, place a square of plastic wrap down on a clean work surface.

11. Place a ball of masa on the plastic and a second piece of plastic over top.

12. Roll the dough out with a rolling pin into a 5-inch tortilla.

13. Remove top piece of plastic and add shredded chicken and mozzarella cheese to the middle of the dough, leaving a 1-inch edge around the outside.

14. Using the bottom piece of plastic, fold the empanada in half to form a half moon; pinch edges to seal.

15. Repeat rolling, filling, and folding process with remaining masa dough and filling.

16. Heat oil to 360 in a deep heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer.

17. Place empanadas into the oil and fry until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes.

18. Remove empanadas from the oil with tongs and place on a paper towel to drain.

19. Fry remaining empanadas.

20. Reheat beans and rice, if needed.

21. Serve rice and beans with two empanadas per plate, topped with queso fresco and reserved salsa verde.

See more: Dinner, Chicken, Mexican, Rice/Grain