Kids’ Chicken Empanadas with Pink Sauce + Snack Pretzel Nuggets with Cheddar Sauce

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, grapes, 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, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 45 mg, Sodium: 610 mg, Carbohydrates: 31g, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Protein: 9g. Download the nutrition labels to see final nutrition information for both lunch and snack components.

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 servings 4 servings
  • 1 apple
  • 2.25 oz red grapes
  • 1 ketchup
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 7.5 oz maspanadas chicken empanadas
  • 4 oz grape tomatoes
  • 6 oz pretzel bites
  • 4 oz cream sauce base
  • 0.5 cups cheddar cheese
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 apples
  • 4.5 oz red grapes
  • 2 ketchups
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 15 oz maspanadas chicken empanadas
  • 8 oz grape tomatoes
  • 12 oz pretzel bites
  • 8 oz cream sauce base
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  1. • Wash and dry produce.
    • Halve, core, and thinly slice apple. Halve grapes if desired.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and mayonnaise
    until combined.
  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. • To serve: Divide empanadas and magic sauce between
    plates. Serve with apple slices, grapes, and tomatoes on the
    side.
    • To stash: Let empanadas cool completely. Refrigerate
    empanadas, magic sauce, apple slices, grapes, and tomatoes
    in separate containers and pack as desired!
  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.
    Chicken and Vegetable Empanadas are fully cooked when
    internal temperature reaches 165°.