Portuguese Chicken Pies/Empadas de Frango

Empadas are small savoury pies that adorn the vitrines of cafés and snack bars throughout Portugal. Typically eaten as a snack they are also a favourite of those just grabbing a quick light lunch; I’m not sure about how many Portuguese fall in that category though… Certainly a must for picnics, these small flavourful pies are an easy to make finger food which can be filled with a variety of stewed meat or fish. This recipe uses leftovers from the chicken in beer recipe (this can be replaced by any boned stewed chicken) and pre rolled puff pastry (shortcrust or bread dough also works well). Empadas can be eaten warm or cold and kept for a couple of days in the fridge thought it is the kind of food that tends to disappear fairly quickly…

Empadas

250 gr rolled puff pastry
3 cups of boned and shredded stewed chicken (Chicken in Beer)
12 olives
1 tbsp butter
1 egg yolk

Makes 8-10 depending on the size of the molds.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease the pastry moulds with a little butter. You can use cup cake moulds, small pie moulds or even a muffin tray.
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut a circle the size of your mould. The pastry should come up to the edge of the mould. The cut a smaller circle for the top.
3. Line the mould with the larger circle, fill with the chicken, making sure you have a little sauce. Add one olive and cover with the smaller circle. Unite the two parts of the pastry by pinching along the edge with wet fingers.
4. Once you have all your empadas filled and covered mix the egg yolk with 1 tsp of water and brush the pastry lightly.
5. Bake the empadas for around 15 minutes in the middle of the oven. The top should a nice golden brown colour.
6. Enjoy hot or cold with a salad… If you’re packing for a picnic, let the empadas cool down first.

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