I just made Puerto Rican Chicken pastelillos that come out ridiculously juicy and cheesy from the oven and freeze perfectly so you actually have dinner ready later.
I’m obsessed with these baked pastelillos because the filling hits hard, and I can’t stop thinking about the flaky crust tearing open to reveal gooey cheese and savory cooked shredded chicken. I love the punch of Puerto Rican Chicken flavor when the sofrito sings with garlic and onions.
These Chicken Empanadas feel messy in the best way, stuffed to the brim without pretending to be dainty. I crave that salty green olive bite and the warm, soft potato tucked in.
And yes, they freeze like a dream so breakfast, lunch, or a midnight snack is always within reach for real.
Ingredients
- Cooked shredded chicken, the hearty protein that keeps these savory pockets satisfying.
- Potatoes, add soft bite and bulk, basically comfort in every chew.
- Yellow onion, gives sweetness and a little crunch when sautéed.
- Green bell pepper, bright peppery notes and fresh texture, it’s lively.
- Garlic, punches up the flavor, small but mighty taste booster.
- Puerto Rican sofrito, adds depth and island vibes, use if you can.
- Tomato sauce, brings moisture and mild acidity, ties things together.
- Green olives with pimentos, salty, briny pops and little color specks.
- Capers, optional tangy bursts, basically tiny flavor fireworks if you like.
- Ground cumin, warm earthy spice, subtle soupçon of smokiness.
- Dried oregano, herbaceous backbone, keeps the filling grounded.
- Sazón or paprika, a hit of color and gentle seasoning punch.
- Adobo seasoning, savory all-purpose saltiness, use to taste.
- Black pepper, simple heat that wakes up the other ingredients.
- Vegetable or olive oil, helps everything sauté and not stick.
- Shredded mozzarella or cheddar, melty gooey goodness, more is always welcome.
- Store-bought empanada discs, quick convenience, they make assembly easy.
- Beaten egg for wash, gives golden glossy finish, looks professional.
- Salt, the basic essential, balances and enhances every flavor.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb cooked shredded chicken (about 2 cups), use rotisserie or boil and shred it
- 2 medium potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into small dice
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup Puerto Rican sofrito, or substitute with 1/2 cup blended tomatoes/onion/pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup sliced green olives with pimentos, drained
- 1 tbsp capers, optional but good if you like that salty pop
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp sazón, or 1 tsp paprika if you don’t have sazón
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for sautéing
- 1 to 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, more if you want it gooey
- 12 store bought empanada discs or about 14 frozen pastry discs, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
- Salt to taste
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
2. Boil the diced potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and let cool a bit so they dont turn to mush when you stir them.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, green pepper and garlic and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sofrito, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, sazón (or paprika), adobo and black pepper and cook another 2 minutes so the flavors wake up.
4. Add the shredded chicken, potatoes, sliced olives and capers to the skillet. Fold gently to combine and simmer 3 to 4 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and add salt if needed. Remove from heat and let the filling cool until just warm.
5. Stir in 1 to 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on top if you like extra gooeyness. Mixing when warm helps it bind, but if it gets too runny cool slightly more.
6. Lay out empanada discs on a clean surface. Place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each disc (don’t overfill or they’ll split), brush the edges with beaten egg, fold over and press to seal. Crimp edges with a fork or twist the edge to make a nice seal.
7. Transfer pastelillos to the prepared sheet, brush tops with more beaten egg and sprinkle a little extra cheese if you saved some. Use a small knife to cut a tiny vent in each top so they dont burst.
8. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool a few minutes before eating so the cheese stops scorching your mouth.
9. To freeze: flash freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F for about 25 to 30 minutes, maybe a few minutes longer, until heated through and golden.
10. Serve warm with your favorite hot sauce, pickled onions or a simple slaw. They reheat great in the oven or air fryer so make extras, trust me.
Equipment Needed
1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled
2. Large pot for boiling the diced potatoes
3. Large skillet or frying pan for the filling
4. Mixing bowls (one for cooling filling, one for cheese and egg wash)
5. Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
6. Measuring cups and spoons for spices and sauces
7. Pastry brush for egg wash and oiling tops
8. Fork and small knife for sealing and venting each pastelillo
FAQ
How To Make Baked Pastelillo {Empanadas} With Chicken & Potatoes Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Cooked shredded chicken
- Substitute: shredded rotisserie turkey or leftover roast turkey, same amount. Tastes almost identical and saves time.
- Substitute: 2 cans (10 oz each) drained canned chicken, flake and use as-is. Slightly wetter so drain well.
- Potatoes (diced)
- Substitute: 1 lb sweet potato, peeled and diced. Gives a sweeter, slightly firmer filling.
- Substitute: 2 cups frozen diced potatoes or hash browns, thawed and drained. Quick and no peeling needed.
- Puerto Rican sofrito / blended tomato mix
- Substitute: 1/2 cup salsa (mild) or canned crushed tomatoes plus 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and 1 tbsp finely chopped onion. Easy pantry swap.
- Substitute: 1/4 cup finely chopped onion + 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper + 1 garlic clove minced, sautéed until soft. Not exactly the same but close in flavor.
- Store bought empanada discs / pastry discs
- Substitute: refrigerated pie crust or puff pastry sheets, cut into circles about 5 inches across. Brush edges with egg wash so they seal.
- Substitute: make quick dough with 2 cups all purpose flour + 1/2 tsp salt + 6 tbsp cold butter cut in + 1/3 cup cold water, roll thin and cut discs. A little more work but tasty.
Pro Tips
1. Don’t overstuff them. Use about 2 tablespoons of filling, maybe 3 if you like it risky, or they’ll split while baking and make a mess. Less filling also means crisper edges.
2. Cool the filling enough so the cheese binds but isn’t molten. If it’s too hot the pastry gets soggy and tears, too cool and the cheese won’t help seal. Warm, not boiling, is the sweet spot.
3. Give the potatoes a quick dry in the pan after boiling, or even toss them in a hot skillet to steam off excess moisture. Wet potatoes are the main reason empanadas turn mushy inside.
4. Freeze them first if you want perfect shape. Flash freeze on a tray so they hold together, then bag them. Bake from frozen and add a few extra minutes, brush with egg wash right before baking for golden tops.
How To Make Baked Pastelillo {Empanadas} With Chicken & Potatoes Recipe
I just made Puerto Rican Chicken pastelillos that come out ridiculously juicy and cheesy from the oven and freeze perfectly so you actually have dinner ready later.
12
servings
291
kcal
Equipment: 1. Baking sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled
2. Large pot for boiling the diced potatoes
3. Large skillet or frying pan for the filling
4. Mixing bowls (one for cooling filling, one for cheese and egg wash)
5. Wooden spoon or spatula for stirring
6. Measuring cups and spoons for spices and sauces
7. Pastry brush for egg wash and oiling tops
8. Fork and small knife for sealing and venting each pastelillo
Ingredients
-
1 lb cooked shredded chicken (about 2 cups), use rotisserie or boil and shred it
-
2 medium potatoes (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into small dice
-
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
-
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
1/2 cup Puerto Rican sofrito, or substitute with 1/2 cup blended tomatoes/onion/pepper
-
1/2 cup tomato sauce
-
1/4 cup sliced green olives with pimentos, drained
-
1 tbsp capers, optional but good if you like that salty pop
-
1 tsp ground cumin
-
1 tsp dried oregano
-
1 tsp sazón, or 1 tsp paprika if you don't have sazón
-
1 tsp adobo seasoning or to taste
-
1/2 tsp black pepper
-
2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil for sautéing
-
1 to 1 1/4 cups shredded mozzarella or cheddar cheese, more if you want it gooey
-
12 store bought empanada discs or about 14 frozen pastry discs, thawed
-
1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
-
Salt to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.
- Boil the diced potatoes in salted water until just tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well and let cool a bit so they dont turn to mush when you stir them.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, green pepper and garlic and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sofrito, tomato sauce, cumin, oregano, sazón (or paprika), adobo and black pepper and cook another 2 minutes so the flavors wake up.
- Add the shredded chicken, potatoes, sliced olives and capers to the skillet. Fold gently to combine and simmer 3 to 4 minutes to meld flavors. Taste and add salt if needed. Remove from heat and let the filling cool until just warm.
- Stir in 1 to 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese, reserving a little to sprinkle on top if you like extra gooeyness. Mixing when warm helps it bind, but if it gets too runny cool slightly more.
- Lay out empanada discs on a clean surface. Place about 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each disc (don’t overfill or they’ll split), brush the edges with beaten egg, fold over and press to seal. Crimp edges with a fork or twist the edge to make a nice seal.
- Transfer pastelillos to the prepared sheet, brush tops with more beaten egg and sprinkle a little extra cheese if you saved some. Use a small knife to cut a tiny vent in each top so they dont burst.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool a few minutes before eating so the cheese stops scorching your mouth.
- To freeze: flash freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F for about 25 to 30 minutes, maybe a few minutes longer, until heated through and golden.
- Serve warm with your favorite hot sauce, pickled onions or a simple slaw. They reheat great in the oven or air fryer so make extras, trust me.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 171g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 291kcal
- Fat: 12.1g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.5g
- Monounsaturated: 6.8g
- Cholesterol: 58mg
- Sodium: 417mg
- Potassium: 308mg
- Carbohydrates: 36.5g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Sugar: 2.9g
- Protein: 19.5g
- Vitamin A: 400IU
- Vitamin C: 10mg
- Calcium: 75mg
- Iron: 2mg
