Baked Empanada with Cheesy Saffron Rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cups Canned Sweet Corn
• 2 whole Jalapeno Peppers
• Seeded And Diced
• 1/2 cups Black Beans
• Rinsed
• 1/2 cups Salsa (any Variety)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1 whole Lime
• Juiced
• 1/4 cups Cilantro
• Chopped
• 2 packages (14.1oz Each) Refrigerated Pie Pastry
• 1 whole Chicken Breast
• Cooked And Diced
• 1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese
• Shredded
• 1 package (10 Ounce Package) Saffron Yellow Rice (I Used Vigo Brand)
• Additional Required Ingredients Specified On The Rice Mix
• 4 ounces
• weight Cream Cheese
• 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese
• Shredded
• 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1/4 teaspoons Onion Powder
• 1/4 teaspoons Paprika

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix corn, jalapenos, black beans, salsa, cumin, lime juice and cilantro.
2. Set aside.
3. Unroll pie pastry onto a floured countertop.
4. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut circles out of pastry.
5. Re-roll the scraps and repeat, using both sheets of pie pastry.
6. I ended up with 24 circles.
7. Preheat oven to 450 F. In the center of each circle, add corn and bean mixture, about a tablespoon of diced chicken and a teaspoon of cheese.
8. Fold over the dough (into a half circle shape), pinch edges together and fold them over to secure.
9. Repeat for remaining circles.
10. Lay each empanada on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake in a 450 F oven for about 12 minutes, until browned.
11. Serve with remaining corn and black bean salsa and a side of rice.
12. Meanwhile, prepare yellow rice according to package directions.
13. Combine hot cooked rice (about 5 cups cooked rice) with cream cheese, Monterey jack cheese, cumin, salt and onion powder.
14. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish.
15. Sprinkle with paprika.
16. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 F oven for about 25 minutes.