Butter Chicken Empanadas
Golden, crispy empanadas stuffed with rich, creamy butter chicken. Tender yogurt-marinated chicken is tossed in a spiced tomato cream sauce, layered with melty mozzarella, then sealed in empanada wrappers and fried until perfectly crisp. Finished with garlic butter and served with extra sauce for dipping, every bite is bold, cheesy, and seriously irresistible.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, chicken, dinner
Cuisine: American, Indian
Keyword: butter chicken, empanadas
Servings: 9 empanadas
Author: kingcooks
- 9-12 empanada wrappers
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded or cubed
- Canola oil for frying
Butter Chicken Marinade
- 1-2 lbs chicken thighs boneless skinless
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or minced
- 1 tbsp ginger paste or minced
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Creamy Butter Chicken Sauce
- 1 28oz can tomato puree
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup onion diced small
- 2 tbsp butter unsalted
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste or minced
- 1 tbsp ginger paste or minced
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Olive oil for cooking
Garlic Butter
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp parsley dried or freshly chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt
Garnish
- Cilantro chopped
- Heavy cream
Butter Chicken Marinade
In a bowl add all ingredients listed under “ Butter Chicken Marinade.” Mix thoroughly to combine. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
When ready to cook, add an even layer of the marinaded chicken thighs to the tray or basket of your air fryer. Cook at 400F for a total of 18 minutes flipping half way through.
Once cooked, chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.
Creamy Butter Chicken Sauce
To a pan over medium heat, add some olive oil and butter. Sauté the diced onions, garlic and ginger. Season with coriander, garam masala, chili powder, cumin and paprika. Allow to cooked for 2-3 minutes.
Add one cinnamon stick, a couple of bay leaves and tomato paste. Stir and allow to continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Then, add an entire can of tomato puree. Mix to combine and add a bit of sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, add the chopped chicken pieces and heavy cream. Stir, and simmer until the sauce thickens for about 4-5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of heavy cream. Removed from heat and let cool.
Assemble
Place a 6-inch empanada wrapper on a clean, flat surface or cutting board.
Add a spoonful of the cooled butter chicken filling and mozzarella cheese to the center of the wrapper, leaving about a half-inch border around the edge to allow for sealing.
Be careful not to overfill. About 2 tablespoons of filling is ideal to prevent leakage.
Carefully fold the empanada wrapper in half to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges together to seal, then crimp the edges using the tips of a fork to ensure the empanada is tightly closed.
Continue assembling the remaining empanadas using the same method.
Heat a large pot of canola oil to 350F.
Working in batches fry the empanadas until they are golden brown and crispy. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
Once cooked, brush immediately with garlic butter and rest on a cooling rack until you’re ready to eat.
Serve with the creamy butter chicken sauce and enjoy!