Happy Canadian Agriculture Day!

Thank you to the Canadian farmers who produce safe, nutritious and quality food for us!

To celebrate, I baked these Chicken & Vegetable Empanadas – made with delicious Canadian ingredients like chicken, cheese, mushrooms, eggs, corn, butter and canola oil. The phyllo pastry gives them a light and flaky crust. Enjoy!

Chicken and Vegetable Empanadas

Ingredients

2 T canola oil

1 onion chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 boneless chicken breast, diced into ¼” pieces

1 cup corn, fresh or frozen

1 cup finely diced mushrooms

2 T lime juice

1 – 1½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

pinch salt

pinch pepper

1½ cups shredded cheese (e.g. Old Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mix of your favourite cheese)

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 large sheets of phyllo pastry, defrosted and sliced into thirds lengthwise

½ cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook the onions until soft and slightly brown (a few minutes). Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
2. Add diced chicken and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Add corn, mushrooms and lime juice. Cook for a few more minutes.
4. Mix and sprinkle in cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.
5. Remove from stove and allow to cool.
6. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
7. Lay out the phyllo pastry sheets and cover with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
8. Once the chicken mixture has cooled, mix in the cheese and egg.
9. Take one phyllo sheet at a time and brush with melted butter.
10. Place 1 T of the chicken filling in the bottom left corner of the phyllo sheet.
11. Make a triangle by folding up the bottom right edge of the phyllo sheet. Continue folding this way all the way along the phyllo pastry. Don’t worry if the pastry tears, just keep rolling.
12. Brush the top of the triangle shaped empanada with a bit more butter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the chicken filling.
13. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the empanadas are a lovely golden brown colour.

Makes about 24 appetizer sized empanadas