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Kids’ Chicken Empanadas with Magic Sauce + Snack: Pretzel Bites with Cheddar Sauce

Main Course · Serves 2

Kids’ Chicken Empanadas

with Magic Sauce + Snack: Pretzel Bites with Cheddar Sauce

By Recipe0 System

Empanadas (meat pies) are perfectly portable for lunchboxes, and great fuel for zooming out into the backyard. These heat-and-eat hand pies are filled with gently seasoned chicken and vegetables, and baked to golden perfection. You’ll just whip up a ketchup and mayo “magic sauce” for dipping, and serve with sliced apple, mandarin oranges, and grape tomatoes. But just you wait, it’ll be snacktime in no time—so we’ve included kid-pleasing chewy-soft pretzel bites with our chefs’ shortcut to a velvety cheese sauce for dipping. Yup, we’re thinking outside the lunchbox! This recipe is designed to provide lunch and snack components for multiple days. For each lunch and snack meal, 3 servings and 6 servings are provided for a 2 person and 4 person box respectively. Nutrition information under the Nutrition Values section below is for the lunch portion. The following nutrition information is for 1 serving of the snack meal: Calories: 320, Fat: 18g, Sat. Fat: 9g, Chol: 45mg, Sodium: 610mg, Carbs: 31g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Protein: 9g. Download the nutrition labels to see final nutrition information for both lunch and snack components.

Main Course
Difficulty
medium
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Instructions

4 steps
  1. 1

    Wash and dry produce.

    Halve, core, and thinly slice apple. Peel and separate oranges into segments if desired (or simply pack whole oranges in lunch bags to peel later!).

    In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and mayonnaise until combined.

  2. 2

    Place empanadas in a single layer on a microwave-safe plate (you may need to work in batches for 6 servings). Cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave until warmed through, 60-90 seconds.

    AIR FRYER ALTERNATIVE: Coat an air fryer basket with cooking spray; arrange empanadas in basket. Coat tops with cooking spray. Air fry at 375 degrees until golden brown, turning halfway through, 10-12 minutes. Work in batches if necessary.

  3. 3

    To serve: Divide empanadas and magic sauce between plates. Serve with apple slices, orange segments, and tomatoes on the side.

    To stash: Let empanadas cool completely. Refrigerate empanadas, magic sauce, apple slices, mandarin oranges, and tomatoes in separate containers and pack as desired!

  4. 4

    Spray tops of pretzel bites with water, then sprinkle with salt. TIP: If desired, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake salted pretzel bites until warmed, 3 minutes.

    In a small pot, heat cream sauce base over medium-low heat until it reaches a low simmer; cook, whisking, until sauce begins to thicken, 1 minute.

    Reduce heat to low. Gradually whisk in cheddar and cook, whisking constantly, until cheese melts and sauce has thickened, 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve pretzel bites with cheddar sauce on the side for dipping.

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