Coxinha de Frango

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken breast, poached and shredded
• 4 cups reserved chicken poaching liquid
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 yellow onion, finely minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 liter oil for frying

Step by step

1. Prepare the filling

   Sauté onions and garlic in a skillet. Add the shredded chicken and parsley. Cook until any excess moisture evaporates. The filling should be cohesive, not soupy.

2. Make the dough

   Bring the poaching liquid and butter to a rolling boil in your heavy pot. Dump in all the flour at once and stir constantly. Continue cooking the dough over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes until it is glossy and elastic.

3. Knead and cool

   Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Once cool enough to touch, knead it briefly until it is completely smooth. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

4. Shape

   Take a walnut-sized piece of dough, flatten it into a disc, place a spoonful of chicken in the center, and bring the edges up to form a teardrop shape.

5. Coat and fry

   Dip each coxinha into the beaten eggs, then roll in breadcrumbs. Fry in 360°F oil until deep golden brown.

Tips

• Use a fine-mesh strainer to ensure the poaching liquid is perfectly clear before adding the flour.
• If the oil is too cool, the coxinha will soak up grease; test with a small piece of bread dough first.
• Drain on a wire rack rather than paper towels to keep the base from steaming and softening.

Variations

• Catupiry: Add a small dollop of firm cream cheese inside the chicken filling before sealing the dough.