Ingredients

1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
½ lb. (250 g) lean ground chicken
½ small red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
¼ cup (60 mL) mild green salsa (salsa verde), plus more for serving
1½ tbsp (22 mL) Garlic & Herb Rub, divided
1 pkg (13.8 oz./391 g) refrigerated pizza crust
4 oz. (125 g) Chihuahua cheese, cubed
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 egg, whisked

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken, bell pepper, and jalapeño to the skillet. Cook, breaking the chicken into crumbles, until the chicken is no longer pink, 6–8 minutes.
Stir the salsa and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the rub into the chicken mixture. Simmer until the salsa has reduced and the mixture is thick and somewhat dry, around 6–8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Unroll the pizza crust onto a flour-dusted countertop, stretching gently lengthwise to form an 8" x 16" (20-cm x 40.5-cm) rectangle and keeping the dough an even thickness. Cut into 8 4" x 4" (10-cm x 10-cm) squares.
Stir the cheese and onion into the chicken mixture.
To form the empanadas, gently stretch each pizza dough square until it’s 5" x 5" (13-cm x 13-cm). Use a 5" (13-cm) cookie cutter to cut each into a round disk.
Spoon about ¼ cup (60 mL) of the filling onto the bottom half of each disk. Fold the top of each disk gently over the filling and press the edges to seal. Carefully transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Using a fork or the tip of a knife, poke 3 or 4 vent holes on the top of the empanadas.
Brush the top of each with the egg wash and evenly sprinkle with the remaining rub. Bake 16–18 minutes, or until deep golden brown. If you’d like, serve with additional salsa.

Yield:

4 servings

Nutrients per serving:

U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 450, Total Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Sodium 990 mg, Carbohydrate 51 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 9 g (includes 6 g added sugar), Protein 27 g

Cook's Tips:

Sweet Spin: Use any leftover dough to make cinnamon and sugar twists or monkey bread!

Protein Preference: You can substitute the ground chicken with ground turkey or lean ground beef.

Pepper Perfection: If jalapeño is too spicy for you, just use 1 whole bell pepper.

Cheesy Choices: We love Chihuahua cheese in this recipe because of its mild buttery taste and cheddar-like sharpness. You can also use Monterey Jack or Muenster cheese.