Buffalo Chicken Empanadas

The possibilities of all the items you can make with the famous two-ingredient dough are endless. I’m trying more and more things, and these empanadas are one of the items that turned out perfectly. Savory, baked dough encases tender chicken, melted cheese, and a bit of heat from Frank’s hot sauce. You all know I love buffalo chicken, so it was definitely the first flavor I tried while making these empanadas, and I was not disappointed. But, it’s easy to change up the flavor, if you prefer something different. Just check out the tips and tricks below. 

These buffalo chicken empanadas are easier to make than you think. They’re easy enough to whip up on a busy weeknight! I used my zero point ranch dressing to keep the points low, and I highly suggest doing that. The flavor is still spot on. if you are one of those that must use blue cheese in their buffalo chicken then feel free to swap it out, although it will increase the points. Let’s get to baking! 

Three reasons why you need to make this recipe!

It’s a fun way to break up boring chicken meals. 

If you’re tired of making chicken and veggie meals for every dinner, just to keep points low, you’re in luck. These empanadas will add spice to your life, without adding in a ton of extra work. 

You can easily change up the flavor. 

If you prefer beef or turkey – those work in this recipe too! Use the base recipe and instructions to keep things timely, but add in the flavors you like. 

These make a fantastic lunch the next day. 

Buffalo chicken empanadas are easy to store in the fridge and pack up for lunch the next day. There’s barely any mess while you eat them, so it’s a quick, clean eat. You can pop them in the air fryer to crisp them back up before eating. 

Ingredients you need to make Buffalo Chicken Empanadas: 

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt 
• 1 cup (4oz) cooked, shredded chicken
• 2 oz light cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup ranch dressing (zero point ranch preferred) 
• 2 tablespoons Frank’s hot sauce
• ½ cup reduced-fat shredded cheese 
• Egg whites for egg wash
• Little extra flour for dusting

How to make Buffalo Chicken Empanadas (step by step): 

1. Preheat the oven to 375F,  and line a baking sheet with some parchment paper. Lightly spray it with cooking spray.
2. First, make the 2 ingredient dough by mixing the flour with the Greek yogurt. For best results, I use just a little less yogurt than flour. Knead the dough together and shape it into 2 balls. Divide those 2 balls into 3 balls each.
3. Now make the filling by mixing together the chicken, cream cheese, ranch, shredded cheese, and hot sauce.
4. Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll each dough ball out with a rolling pin.
5. Scoop about ¼ cup of filling onto the rolled out dough, fold the dough over forming a pocket, and then use a fork to seal the ends shut. Also, use the fork to poke some holes in the middle of your finished empanada. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
6. Place the empanadas onto the baking sheet and brush them gently with the egg whites.
7. Bake them in the oven for 26 minutes or until golden brown. Remove them from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings. Nutrition info for 1 serving: Calories 268,  Fat 8 g, Saturated fat 2.85 g,  Carbs 34 g,  Fiber 1.3 g, Sugars 2.42 g, Sodium 1025 mg, Protein 16 g. 

WW Points 

• Self-rising flour 12 points
• Nonfat plain Greek yogurt 0 points
• Cooked shredded chicken 0 points
• Light cream cheese 5 points
• Zero point ranch dressing 0 points OR regular ranch dressing 10 points
• Frank’s Hot Sauce 0 points
• Reduced fat shredded cheese 7 points
• Egg whites 0 points
• Little extra flour for dusting 0 points

6 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator if you use regular ranch dressing. 4 points per serving if you use Zero Point Ranch.  

If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below. 

Personal Points- 4-5 depending on your 0PP foods 

Freestyle SP- (blue & purple) 4 using WW recipe builder

Smart Points- (green) 5 using WW recipe builder

Points Plus- 4 using PP calculator

Different ways to change up this recipe: 

• Use a leftover rotisserie chicken for extra flavor. 
• Change up the flavor by using lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef. This would also be a great recipe to bulk up with veggies. 

Tips and Tricks for Making Buffalo Chicken Empanadas: 

• For best results, use just under 1 cup of nonfat Greek yogurt. It’s too sticky if you use a full cup, and you can always add a bit more if you feel you need to. 
•  I weighed my dough balls out so that they were all the same size. Each ball of dough was 2.2oz (so you need 6 balls weighing approx 2.2oz each). 
• If your egg whites are from an egg, and not a carton, I suggest whisking the egg whites until frothy before brushing over top of the empanadas. Otherwise, the egg whites from the egg are just too gloopy. 
• These will freeze well, just make sure they are all the way cooled before storing them in a zip loc bag.
•  Store any leftovers you have in the fridge, and use an air fryer to crisp them back up before eating them the next day. 

Similar recipes you’ll enjoy: 

• Chicken Fajita Pasta Bake
• Perfectly Cooked Instant Pot Pork Chops
• Chicken Parmesan Pasta

No ratings yet

Buffalo chicken empanadas

By: Drizzle

Servings: 6

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 26 minutes mins

Total: 46 minutes mins

4-5PP, 4SP blue & purple, 5SP green

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup self raising flour
• ▢ 1 cup non fat plain greek yogurt, for best results I like to use just under 1 cup
• ▢ 1 cup 4oz cooked shredded chicken
• ▢ 2 oz light cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 1/4 cup ranch dressing, I used my zero point recipe linked above in write up
• ▢ 2 Tbsp Frank's hot sauce
• ▢ 1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese, I used Trader Joe's 3 cheese blend
• ▢ Egg whites for brushing
• ▢ Little extra flour for dusting

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375F, and line a baking sheet with some parchment paper. Lightly spray it with cooking spray.
• First make the 2 ingredient dough by mixing the flour with the Greek yogurt. For best results, I use just a little less yogurt than flour. Knead the dough together and shape it into 2 balls. Divide those 2 balls into 3 balls each.
• Now make the filling by mixing together the chicken, cream cheese, ranch, shredded cheese and hot sauce.
• Dust the work surface with a little flour and roll each dough ball out with a rolling pin.
• Scoop about ¼ cup of filling onto the rolled out dough, fold the dough over forming a pocket, and then use a fork to seal ends shut. Also, use the fork to poke some holes in the middle of your finished empanada. Repeat with remaining dough balls.
• Place the empanadas onto the baking sheet and brush them gently with the egg whites.
• Bake them in the oven for 26 minutes or until golden brown. Remove them from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Notes

6 points per serving based on the WW app recipe creator if you use regular ranch dressing. 4 points per serving if you use Zero Point ranch.  

If you’re using an older version of WW, check out these points below. 

Personal Points- 4-5 depending on your 0PP foods 

Freestyle SP- (blue & purple) 4 using WW recipe builder

Smart Points- (green) 5 using WW recipe builder

Points Plus- 4 using PP calculator

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 16gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2.85gSodium: 1025mgFiber: 1.3gSugar: 2.4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main meals

Tried this recipe?Mention @drizzlemeskinny or tag #drizzlemeskinny!