Chicken & Green Chili Empanadas

Ingredients:

For the filling:

2 tablespoons oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced

½ onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can green chilis

½ cup shredded cheddar

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ancho chili powder

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Salt & Pepper to taste

For the Corn & Poblano Salsa:

2 ears corn, roasted and removed from cob 

1 poblano pepper, roasted and diced 

½ red onion, diced 

3 clove garlic, minced 

¼ cup cilantro, chopped 

¼ cup fresh lime juice 

1 tablespoon honey 

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and brown chicken thighs.  Remove and set aside.

2. Add onion and garlic to pan and saute until softened.  Add chicken, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper to pan and cook until combined.

3. Remove to bowl and stir in green chili and cheese, after slightly cooled.

4. Remove dough from the fridge and place on a well floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it's about ⅛th inch thickness. Using cutter or a rim of a mixing bowl, cut out circles. I used a 5inch bowl and it yielded 8 empanadas. Feel free to make yours larger or smaller. 

5. Scoop a little filling onto one half of the dough round, leaving room around the rim. Fold the other side of the dough over the top of the fillings. Press down with a fork around the edges. Repeat with remaining dough, reserving any leftover filling. Brush the top of the empanadas with the egg wash. Place in the oven and bake 30-35 minutes until golden. 

6. While empanadas are cooking, stir together ingredients to salsa. Season with salt to taste. 

7. Serve empanadas warm with dipping sauce.