Ingredients:

Makes 8 

• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
• 100ml chicken stock 
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• Juice of 2 limes 
• 3 tablespoons barbecue sauce 
• A handful of fresh coriander 
• 1 sheet of shortcrust pastry 
• 1 egg  

Method:

1. Grate the garlic, then put it into the slow cooker with the chicken, stock, dried thyme, paprika, cayenne and juice of 1 lime
2. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 6. When cooked, remove the chicken thighs from the stock and place them in a bowl with the barbecue sauce, the juice of 1 lime and 2 tablespoons of the stock from the slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the chicken and set aside
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Chop the coriander
4. Roll out the pastry sheet so it’s really thin, about 4mm, and cut out 8 circles, using a small bowl as a template
5. Put a heaped tablespoon of the chicken mixture on one half of each circle, add some chopped coriander, then brush the edges of the pastry with a little water, and fold the other half over. Press down the edges of the pastry with your finger and thumb to seal, then crimp the edge into a crust. Alternatively use a fork to seal the edges
6. Whisk the egg and brush some over each empanada
7. Put them on a baking sheet and pop into the oven for 15 minutes, until golden brown

Book credit: Cardiff Mum’s Thrifty Feasts by Ashleigh Mogford (Penguin Michael Joseph, £22) – follow her on Instagram: @cardiff.mum 

Photography credit: Ella Miller