Chicken Empanada with Olives & Chorizo

I am a fan of family-style dishes - a dish to share, pass and enjoy!  Chicken marries well with the bold flavors of Chorizo and Green Olives to deliver flavors reminiscent of Spain.

2 - 11 oz. tubes thin-crust prepared pizza dough
5-6 lbs lbs chicken breast, skin-on/bone-in
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper - to season chicken breasts
3 large onions, halved/quartered and sliced
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 bay leaves
4 link Chorizo - diced
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 cup green olives (halved if large)
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a large saute pan over medium heat, bring olive oil to shimmer.  Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Place breasts into pan skin-side down and cook for around 5 minutes, turn over and cook for 2-3 minutes - remove from pan and set aside in bowl.

Place onions into pan and saute for five minutes, then add garlic and bay leaves - saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add diced Chorizo, paprika, olives, wine and stock - bring to a boil.  Add chicken back in,cover and reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove chicken and continue to simmer uncovered until sauce has reduced, thickened and become the consistency of light gravy.

While sauce is reducing, and chicken cools remove from bone and shred using your fingers.  When sauce has come to the right thickness, add chicken and stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove bay leaves and allow to cool for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Remove dough from tubes and roll out each to a 15"X10" rectangle.  Place one onto a silpat-lined baking sheet and using the tines of a fork, poke holes all over crust bottom.  Place filling onto unbaked crust, leaving a 1" edge to seal with.  Dab edge with water and place second crust on top, pressing edges together and rolling them up or crimping them to create a sealed edge.  Using tines of fork, prick holes into top crust and brush top crust with olive oil, then bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, place another silpat and baking sheet on top of partially baked empanada - grab sides of pan with hotpad and flip pan upside down so now the top is the bottom and vice versa.  Brush new top with more olive oil and place back into oven for 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes.  Slice and serve.