Made with ground turkey and store-bought dough, these empanadas cook quickly. You can substitute chiles, pico de gallo, or avocados for any of these ingredients to suit your taste preferences. For a variation, try a breakfast empanada, stuffed with scrambled eggs and ground sausage. You can find empanada shells in the frozen section of your grocer.
MAKES 4 EMPANADAS
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 24 minutes
BAKE: 325°F
½ pound ground turkey
Olive oil spray (optional)
¼ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4 empanada shells, thawed
¼ cup canned corn
¼ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon salsa
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
1 . In a small skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey until it is cooked through and no pink remains, about 8 minutes.
2 . Spray the bottom of the cooking basket with olive oil or use a parchment liner.
3 . Place 2 tablespoons of the cooked turkey and a pinch of cheese in the center of each shell.
4 . Add small spoonfuls of corn, black beans, and salsa to each shell.
5 . Fold the shells in half and use a fork to seal the edges.
6 . In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and water, and brush the tops of the empanadas with the mixture.
7 . Place the empanadas, 2 at a time, in the air fryer and bake for 8 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the outside.
8 . Repeat with the remaining empanadas and serve.
Ingredient tip: You can use any leftover turkey you might have from another recipe to fill the dough in place of the ground turkey. I have found that the easiest way to have cooked, shredded poultry on hand is to pick up several rotisserie chickens or cooked turkey breasts at the store and remove all the meat. I keep this poultry portioned out in 1- to 2-cup helpings and stored in zip-top bags to use in recipes like this one. You can freeze the poultry this way to always have some on hand.
PER SERVING (2 EMPANADAS): Calories: 497; Total fat: 21g; Saturated fat: 7g; Cholesterol: 104mg; Sodium: 623mg; Carbohydrates: 47g; Fiber: 4g; Protein: 33g