Quinoa Empanada
Savor the goodness of our quinoa empanada, bursting with tender chicken and seasoned to perfection. Paired with a vibrant guasacaca sauce, this dish is not just a meal—it's a flavor-packed adventure! Get ready to indulge in a crispy, wholesome treat that's sure to impress!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- Avocado
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1/4 of a carrot (small)
- Cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 of an onion
- 1/2 onion (small)
- Parsley
- 1 tablespoon of tomato puree (15 ml)
- 2 cups of water (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- Chicken breast
- 1/2 cup of chicken broth (120 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2-3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (30-45 ml)
- Mozzarella cheese (to taste for filling)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- Olive oil (for stretching the dough and brushing the empanadas)
- Olive oil
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 1 cup of quinoa (240 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Paprika to taste
- Salt
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak the quinoa for 3 hours or overnight. Rinse it several times until the water is clear to remove its natural bitterness.
- 2
Cook 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water over medium heat until half the water evaporates. Lower the heat, cover, and let it finish cooking. Remove and let cool.
- 3
Boil the chicken breast with a clove of garlic and a piece of onion. Let it cool and shred the chicken.
- 4
In a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil, onion, bell pepper, leek, garlic, carrot, a tablespoon of tomato puree, add the chicken, half a cup of the cooking broth, paprika, pepper, and salt.
- 5
Knead the quinoa, incorporate a teaspoon of turmeric, and continue working the dough until it reaches the desired consistency. Portion into equal parts; from 1 cup of quinoa, you can make 8 empanadas.
- 6
On a bag, add a little olive oil and stretch the dough. Fill with chicken and a bit of mozzarella cheese.
- 7
Seal well, brush the empanadas with olive oil, and bake in an air fryer or oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or until golden.
- 8
Prepare a healthy guasacaca with avocado, Greek yogurt, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Rinse quinoa until water runs completely clear (usually 3-5 rinses) to remove saponins, which create bitter compounds that can make your empanada dough taste soapy.ingredient3-5 rinses
- ✓Cook quinoa using a 1:2 ratio but stop when half the water evaporates, then steam-finish on low heat to achieve 65% moisture content - the ideal hydration for moldable dough without stickiness.technique65% moisture content
- ✓Knead turmeric into cooled quinoa (below 70°F) because heat breaks down curcumin and reduces both color intensity and anti-inflammatory properties by up to 85%.timingBelow 70°F
- ✓Oil the plastic bag before stretching quinoa dough because quinoa lacks gluten proteins, making it naturally sticky and prone to tearing without proper lubrication.technique
- ✓Bake at exactly 356°F (180°C) for 30 minutes because quinoa's high protein content (14-18%) requires this temperature to achieve Maillard browning without burning the delicate grain structure.equipment356°F for 30 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Quinoa Empanada
Savor the goodness of our quinoa empanada, bursting with tender chicken and seasoned to perfection. Paired with a vibrant guasacaca sauce, this dish is not just a meal—it's a flavor-packed adventure! Get ready to indulge in a crispy, wholesome treat that's sure to impress!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(11)
- Avocado
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1/4 of a carrot (small)
- Cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 of an onion
- 1/2 onion (small)
- Parsley
- 1 tablespoon of tomato puree (15 ml)
- 2 cups of water (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- Chicken breast
- 1/2 cup of chicken broth (120 ml)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- 2-3 tablespoons of Greek yogurt (30-45 ml)
- Mozzarella cheese (to taste for filling)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- Olive oil (for stretching the dough and brushing the empanadas)
- Olive oil
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 1 cup of quinoa (240 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Paprika to taste
- Salt
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Soak the quinoa for 3 hours or overnight. Rinse it several times until the water is clear to remove its natural bitterness.
- 2
Cook 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water over medium heat until half the water evaporates. Lower the heat, cover, and let it finish cooking. Remove and let cool.
- 3
Boil the chicken breast with a clove of garlic and a piece of onion. Let it cool and shred the chicken.
- 4
In a pan, add a drizzle of olive oil, onion, bell pepper, leek, garlic, carrot, a tablespoon of tomato puree, add the chicken, half a cup of the cooking broth, paprika, pepper, and salt.
- 5
Knead the quinoa, incorporate a teaspoon of turmeric, and continue working the dough until it reaches the desired consistency. Portion into equal parts; from 1 cup of quinoa, you can make 8 empanadas.
- 6
On a bag, add a little olive oil and stretch the dough. Fill with chicken and a bit of mozzarella cheese.
- 7
Seal well, brush the empanadas with olive oil, and bake in an air fryer or oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes or until golden.
- 8
Prepare a healthy guasacaca with avocado, Greek yogurt, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Rinse quinoa until water runs completely clear (usually 3-5 rinses) to remove saponins, which create bitter compounds that can make your empanada dough taste soapy.ingredient3-5 rinses
- ✓Cook quinoa using a 1:2 ratio but stop when half the water evaporates, then steam-finish on low heat to achieve 65% moisture content - the ideal hydration for moldable dough without stickiness.technique65% moisture content
- ✓Knead turmeric into cooled quinoa (below 70°F) because heat breaks down curcumin and reduces both color intensity and anti-inflammatory properties by up to 85%.timingBelow 70°F
- ✓Oil the plastic bag before stretching quinoa dough because quinoa lacks gluten proteins, making it naturally sticky and prone to tearing without proper lubrication.technique
- ✓Bake at exactly 356°F (180°C) for 30 minutes because quinoa's high protein content (14-18%) requires this temperature to achieve Maillard browning without burning the delicate grain structure.equipment356°F for 30 minutes