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Brazilian Coxinha Recipe: Crispy Chicken Croquettes to Delight Any Appetite Recipe

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3.8 from 67 reviews

Brazilian Coxinha are crispy, golden-brown chicken croquettes shaped like little drumsticks, filled with a creamy, savory chicken mixture. This recipe involves simmering chicken in broth, mixing it with cream cheese and sautéed aromatics, creating a dough from the broth and flour, shaping and breading the croquettes, then deep-frying them to a perfect crunch. Ideal as a snack or appetizer, these coxinhas are a beloved Brazilian street food that delight any appetite.

  • Total Time: 3 hrs 40 mins
  • Yield: 24 pieces

Ingredients

For the Chicken Filling

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4 halves)
  • 4 to 5 cups chicken broth
  • 1 carrot, halved
  • 2 medium onions (1 for broth, 1 for sautéing)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste

For the Dough and Coating

  • 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 to 3 cups fine breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt and pepper, to season breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Gather the Ingredients: Collect all the listed ingredients and prepare your workspace for cooking.
  2. Cook the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in a large shallow pot. Cover with chicken broth and add water if necessary to submerge the chicken by at least 1/2 inch. Add the halved carrot, one peeled halved onion, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is just cooked through (no pink remains). Remove chicken as done and set aside to cool. Strain and reserve broth.
  3. Shred the Chicken: Shred cooled chicken into very small pieces using a food processor with a plastic blade or forks.
  4. Mix Cream Cheese and Lime Juice: Stir softened cream cheese and lime juice into the shredded chicken until well combined.
  5. Sauté Aromatics: Finely chop the remaining onion and garlic cloves. In a pan, sauté them in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until golden and soft. Add this mixture to the chicken and blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Prepare the Dough: Measure about 3 cups of the reserved chicken broth (add more if less than 3 cups). Bring broth to a boil and gradually add an equal amount of flour, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until dough forms a stiff ball. Remove from heat and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour to cool and firm up.
  7. Chill Chicken Filling and Dough: Optionally chill both the filling and dough for several hours or overnight to improve handling.
  8. Shape the Coxinhas: With floured hands, roll the dough into golf ball-sized portions. Hollow out the center and place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of chicken filling inside. Seal the dough around the filling and shape into a drumstick form, flouring hands as needed. Stand shaped coxinhas upright on a baking sheet. Repeat until all dough and filling are used.
  9. Bread the Coxinhas: Whisk eggs in a bowl. In a separate shallow dish, place breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper. Dip each coxinha in the egg wash, then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs. Chill breaded coxinhas for 1 hour to set coating.
  10. Deep Fry: Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 360°F (182°C). The oil should be deep enough to cover the coxinhas. Fry in small batches of 4 to 5 pieces until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes per batch. Remove and drain on paper towels.
  11. Serve: Serve the coxinhas warm as a delicious snack or appetizer and enjoy their crispy exterior and creamy chicken interior.

Notes

  • Best prepared a day ahead: make the filling and dough, then shape and fry the next day for optimum texture and flavor.
  • After cooling, knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth before shaping.
  • Check for cracks in formed coxinhas before breading; seal cracks with your finger to prevent splitting during frying.
  • Season breadcrumbs with about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper per cup for extra flavor.
  • Use enough oil for deep frying so coxinhas are fully submerged and cook evenly.
  • Maintain small frying batches to avoid oil temperature dropping. Each batch takes roughly 2 minutes.
  • If available, substitute Brazilian catupiry cheese for cream cheese for an authentic taste.
  • Refrigerate cooked coxinhas in an airtight container; reheat in a 350°F oven for 6 to 9 minutes or until 165°F internal temperature.
  • Freeze cooked coxinhas in a zip-close bag; reheat from frozen in 350°F oven for 9 to 12 minutes.
  • Freeze uncooked, unbreaded coxinhas on baking sheets and then bag for up to 3 months; coat with egg and breadcrumbs before frying, adding a couple extra minutes to frying time.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 70 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Brazilian

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/brazilian-coxinha-recipe-crispy-chicken-croquettes-to-delight-any-appetite-recipe/