3 whole chicken legs, including thighs (2 to 2¼ pounds total)
1 t salt
¼ t black pepper
4½ T extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-wide strips
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
⅓ c finely diced Spanish chorizo (cured spiced pork sausage; 1½ oz; casings discarded if desired)
½ t Spanish smoked paprika (not hot)
½ c chopped pitted green olives
½ c golden raisins or currants
½ c dry white wine
½ c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound empanada dough (can substitute store-bought buttermilk biscuit dough such as Pillsbury Grands to save time)

Empanada Dough (double if needed — filling recipe can yield quite a bit!)
2¼ c unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ t salt
1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg
⅓ c ice water (or more as needed)
1 T distilled white vinegar

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.)

Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. (Can be made day before).

Make filling:
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning over once, about 6 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Sauté onions, garlic, and bay leaves in fat remaining in skillet, stirring frequently, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chorizo and paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add olives, raisins, wine, and broth and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits. Return chicken to skillet along with any juices accumulated on plate, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer chicken, covered, turning over once, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes total.

Transfer chicken to a clean plate. (Sauce in skillet should be the consistency of heavy cream; if it’s not, briskly simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.) When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely chop meat. Stir chicken into sauce and discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, then cool filling, uncovered, about 30 minutes.

Note: Filling can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Form and bake empanadas:
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and form each into a disk. Keeping remaining pieces covered, roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 5-inch round (about ⅛-inch thick).

Spoon about 2 tablespoons filling onto center and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal, then crimp decoratively with your fingers or tines of a fork. Transfer empanada to a baking sheet. Make 11 more empanadas in same manner, arranging on 2 baking sheets.

Lightly brush empanadas with some of egg wash and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.