Chili & Cheese Empanadas

Empanadas are a delicious, savory meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Perfectly grilled Anaheim green chilies and creamy Monterey Jack cheese make these empanadas extra satisfying. Devour them on the go, as an appetizer, or as the main event for dinner. There’s no wrong way to enjoy an empanada! Makes 16.

Empanada Dough:
3-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” cubes
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Filling:
8 Anaheim green chilies
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 Serrano pepper, chopped, stemmed and seeds removed
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Wash: 2 egg whites

DIRECTIONS:
1. IN A STAND MIXER WITH A PADDLE ATTACHMENT, mix the flour and salt on a medium-low speed. Add the butter and mix until the dough resembles coarse meal. Add the egg, milk, and vinegar to the flour mixture and continue to mix on low until just incorporated. Gather the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead gently to bring the dough together. Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
2. PREHEAT A WELL-OILED GRILL. Pierce the green chilies with a knife (this will help release steam), and grill the chilies for 4 minutes on each side, until their skin is black and blistered. Place the roasted chilies in a glass bowl and cover tightly for roughly 10 minutes. This allows the chilies to steam, making the skin easier to remove.
3. ONCE THE CHILIES HAVE COOLED, use your fingers to gently peel off the skin. Discard the stems, use a small pairing knife to remove the seeds, and chop into a dice.
4. HEAT THE OLIVE OIL, ONION, AND SERRANO PEPPER in a medium skillet over medium heat until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring occasionally. Add the chilies and cook over low heat until flavors are incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, salt and pepper until combined.
5. PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut the dough in half with a dough cutter/scraper. Form 8 round balls from each half of dough, making 16 balls in total. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls into flat circles, roughly 5” in diameter.
6. PLACE A GENEROUS DOLLOP OF FILLING ON ONE HALF OF EACH OF THE CIRCLES. Brush the edge of the dough with the egg wash and fold the dough to cover the filling, pressing with a fork to press the edges together. Place each empanada on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. REPEAT THIS PROCESS for all 16 empanadas and brush them with the remaining egg wash. Use a fork to carefully puncture the empanada tops to help release excess steam while baking. Bake for roughly 30 minutes until the empanadas start to brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.