Oftentimes chefs don’t want to cook another meal when they get home after an arduous 12-hour stretch behind the burners. But throwing together a comforting snack to help take the edge off the day is another proposition entirely. These scrumptious nibbles don’t require a degree from the Culinary Institute of America to make, but they’re worthy of winning a Top Chef Quickfire Challenge.

This week, Cuba Libre’s concept chef Guillermo Pernot reveals the recipe for his restaurant’s signature empanadas packed with chicken, corn, sweet peppers and Monterey Jack cheese. Making these Cuban street food favorites might sound like a daunting task, but using empanada discs (which can be found at specialty grocers and in the frozen section of many grocery stores) instead of making dough from scratch cuts down on the prep exponentially. That way you can spend your time doing more important things, like gorging on homemade empanadas.

Get the recipe on CityEats’ Plate blog now.