Mini Chicken Empanadas —Pastor Tuesday, Scaled for a Crowd

Training camp 2022. This is my fourth camp at Eldorado Prep. I have a rhythm now that I didn't have in year one — I know when to push and when to back off, when the team is hiding something and when it's genuinely finding its level. The knowledge that comes from years in the same place with the same kind of player is a specific advantage. You're not learning the culture. You are the culture.

Diego ran through camp as the unquestioned starter at running back. No competition narrative, no media angle about the coach's son — he earned the spot too clearly and too early for that story to have oxygen. What I notice in camp: he talks more. In his first year he was quiet, watching, absorbing. This year he's leading — not loudly, but consistently. He sets the tone in the position group before I've said a word. Tui noticed it first and told me at dinner one night: "The running back room follows him." Tui doesn't exaggerate. This is fact.

DeShawn Willis declared himself as a legitimate Division I prospect this summer — two scholarship offers, with more expected. He's been handling the attention with the equanimity I'd hoped for but wasn't certain of. Some kids go sideways in the spotlight. DeShawn got quieter and more focused. That's the tell. When the attention comes, the right response is to go inward, not outward. He figured that out without being told.

Made big batches of chicken al pastor for camp week — feeding the coaches, who are doing twenty-hour days and need actual food, not gas station sandwiches. Grilled in the backyard every Tuesday night, brought to camp Wednesday morning. This is a tradition I started in year one and the coaches have come to depend on it. Tui calls it "Pastor Tuesday." Pastor Tuesday is sacred. Nobody touches the leftovers before I plate them.

The al pastor tradition I started in year one eventually grew into something bigger than one dish — it became about showing up for the people doing the hardest, most invisible work. These Mini Chicken Empanadas have become part of that same Tuesday-night ritual: they travel well in foil trays, reheat without falling apart, and hold up in a coach’s hand between film sessions and field checks. When Tui tells me the running back room follows Diego, I want to make sure the coaching staff is fed well enough to notice things like that. Food is how I hold up my end.

Mini Chicken Empanadas

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 8 (3 empanadas each)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, finely shredded
• 2 packages (14 oz each) refrigerated pie crust dough
• 1/2 cup salsa (medium heat)
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup finely diced white onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• Sour cream or salsa verde, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat. Heat oven to 400°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, salsa, Monterey Jack, onion, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed.
3. Cut the dough. Unroll pie crust dough on a lightly floured surface. Using a 4-inch round cutter (or the rim of a glass), cut out as many circles as possible — re-rolling scraps once to get approximately 24 circles total.
4. Fill and fold. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape. Press the edges firmly together, then crimp with a fork to seal.
5. Egg wash. Arrange empanadas on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Brush the tops evenly with beaten egg.
6. Bake. Bake 18–20 minutes, until empanadas are golden brown and crisp on the edges. Rotate pans halfway through for even browning.
7. Rest and serve. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan before transferring. Serve with sour cream or salsa verde. For camp transport, pack in a foil tray covered tightly with foil — they hold heat well for up to 2 hours.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 17g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 23g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 430mg