Chipotle Chicken Empanadas, Spanish Rice and Sweet Plantains

Empanadas. One of my all time favorite foods. My family members and friends request that I make these whenever we have a function or get together. And I don't mind at all, I enjoy coming up with different fillings for these little fried beauties.

Tonight I made The filling with chicken. I went all out on this dish time wise because I was a little frugal at the grocery store. I wanted to originally make this with chicken pieces, but buying a whole 4lb. roaster was so much cheaper (Under $3!!). Not only do I get the variety of white and dark meat for the empanadas (plus some extra to freeze for a later meal) I get the carcass to make a chicken stock.

I seasoned the chicken with a spicy rub and a mixture of butter and olive oil and baked in the oven for an hour and 15 minutes.

I usually make my own empanada dough, but since I had some frozen disks defrosted I cut corners. I will only use one brand of frozen dough and that is La Saltena. I find that the other brands pale in comparison.

I made a spanish rice and fried sweet plantains to pair with the empanadas. A very well rounded dish, bursting with spiciness and flavor.

Whole Chicken

• 1 31/2 4 lb roaster giblets removed and rinsed
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter melted
• 1Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of each (cayenne,cumin,garlic powder,pepper,salt,oregano,chili powder0
• 1 onion quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small lime quartered
• couple sprigs fresh thyme

Combine spices, butter and olive oil in a small dish. Squeeze lime wedges in cavity of chicken and throw in the rinds. Add onion, garlic and thyme and tie legs together with buther twine.

Season the chicken liberally getting under the skin. Bake in a roasting rack at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes or until juices run clear.

Remove chicken and let rest for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch. Remove as much meat as possible from chicken reserving 3-3 1/2 cups for emapnadas. Transfer any extra to ziplock and freeze for a later date.

Chipotle sauce for chicken

• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 4 chipotle peppers seeds removed and chopped fine (I used the canned in adobo sauce)
• 2 tsp. adobo sauce
• 1/4 cup of each finely chopped (onion,green pepper,garlic)
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 Tbs. fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbs. olive oil

Heat oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add onion and green pepper and saute until soft. Add garlic, parsley,oregano,cumin and bay leaf and saute a couple minutes more. Add tomato sauce, adobo, and chipotle peppers. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Add sauce to reserved chicken and mix well. Set aside to cool completely

Empanadas

Add about a Tbs. of filling to empanada disk and seal crimping edges with finger or fork.

Heat oil and fry until golden.

Spanish Rice

• 1 1/2 cup long grain rice
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 1/2 can of black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 1 tsp. cayenne
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup of green peppers, onion, celery finely chopped
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• salt and pepper

In a medium sized pot add olive oil and heat over med. heat. Add onions, peppers and celery and saute until soft. Add garlic, spices and rice and saute for about 4 minutes. Add tomato sauce and blend well. Add stock and beans and bring to a boil. Let boil for a minute then turn burner down to low heat cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Fried Sweet Plaintains

• 1 over ripe plantain (maduro) Sliced in half and into 2" pieces
• oil for frying

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add plantains. Fry on each side a few minutes and serve.