Easy Picadillo Empanadas Recipe

Easy Picadillo Empanadas Recipe

  • 2 (7.5 ounce) packages refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (not the layered varieties)
  • Cornmeal for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium Granny Smith apple, cut into small dice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken
  • 1 (16 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup seedless raisins
  • 1/4 cup chopped pimento-stuffed olives
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Olive oil, for brushing
  1. Adjust oven rack to center; heat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and apple until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add spices; saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, raisins and olives; simmer until filling is thick and moist but not too liquid, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Stir in garlic, almonds, salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl; cool to room temperature.
  3. Separate biscuits onto a cornmeal-coated work surface. Sprinkle with cornmeal as necessary, and roll each one into a 5 inch circle. Fill each one, using a scant 2 Tbs. filling and leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. (At this point, can be frozen up to 2 weeks.)
  4. Brush tops with oil. Bake until golden, 16 to 20 minutes (longer if frozen).