One of the first things that comes to mind when you think about Queens is food. The beauty of it being such a diverse borough is all the different kinds of cuisines that come with it.
And this morning we're highlighting one of them - Latin American food from The Empanada Spot.
The local Queens chain has been serving New Yorkers since 2009.
Danny Castro and Marlen Otalora, owners of The Empanada Spot, and Alba Bastidas, the original founder, showed the "Mornings On 1" crew how to make the perfect chicken empanada.
Chicken Empanada Dough Ingredients:
- Dough
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Oil
- Warm Water
- Salt
Chicken Empanada Filling Ingredients:
- Chicken Breast
- Ground Cumin
- Potatoes
- Adobo
- Peas
- Salt
- Carrots
- Red & Green Peppers
- Scallions
Cooking Steps:
Dough:
- Mix yellow corn flour and water. (measurements depend on # of empanadas you want to make)
- Add salt and oil to flour and water mix.
- Scoop dough and roll into balls by hand
- Use roller to flatten balls of dough and then mold into half circles
Filling:
- Add chicken, red and green peppers, scallions, ground cumin, adobo and salt. Cook until chicken is ready. (About 30 min).
- Remove chicken from pot, and add potato, peas and carrots. Cook until tender. (About 30 min. Potatoes, peas & carrots should be cooked in the same pot to soak up juices from chicken).
- Once potatoes, peas and carrots are cooked, mix the chicken back into the pot.
- Add filling to the empanada dough. Seal and fry.