Coxinha (Brazilian arancini)

Name: Coxinha (Brazilian arancini)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Chicken breast 10.6 oz; Carrots 1; Celery 1 rib; Onions 1; Tomato purée 2 spoonfuls; Garlic 2 cloves; Parsley to chop 2 spoonfuls; Bay leaves 2 leaves; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Chicken broth 1.67 cups; Type 00 flour 2 cups; Whole milk ½ cup; Butter 1.75 oz; Egg yolks 1; Type 00 flour 0.4 cup; Whole milk &frac13; cup; Breadcrumbs to taste

it es fr de br

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 6
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

If you're hunting for something really tasty from Brazil, coxinha is the way to go. This delicious treat—seriously, it's so good—has deep roots in Brazilian royal history and is a staple of Brazilian street food. You'll find these bites at markets, parties, pretty much everywhere in the country. The name "coxinha" means little chicken drumstick, and you know what, that's exactly what it looks like. Inside, you've got seasoned chicken mixed with onions, garlic, and sometimes extras like peas, mushrooms, or a touch of creamy cheese spread for a moist and savory bite. Want a vegetarian twist? Soy-based meat works wonders, keeping it rich and flavorful. The outer layer is made from flour, butter, and eggs, then coated in batter and fried to a golden and crispy perfection.

Now, while you might see arancini in Sicily, in Brazil, these Brazilian chicken croquettes are the stars of the show. Making coxinha can take some time, and I gotta say, the payoff is huge—a snack that's both tender inside and super super crunchy outside. People love to add their own twist, like extra veggies or more cream cheese for that smooth, almost melt-in-your-mouth goodness. If you're planning a menu with Brazilian appetizers, this dish is a must-have. Really, it's a nice break from the usual fried snacks. It's one of those traditional Brazilian snacks that totally jazzes up a party spread, bringing a true taste of Brazilian culture. Pair it with other Brazilian party food to make the meal feel like a celebration—full of good, flavorful bites. Whether it's a casual get-together or something more festive, coxinha adds that special touch with its unique and delicious taste. So go ahead, enjoy this Brazilian delight, where every bite is like a little celebration of South American flavor. And the sauce? Seriously good.

INGREDIENTS

for 14 coxinhas: Chicken breast 10.6 oz (300 g); Carrots 1; Celery 1 rib; Onions 1; Tomato purée 2 spoonfuls; Garlic 2 cloves; Parsley 2 spoonfuls - to chop; Bay leaves 2 leaves; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

for the dough: Chicken broth 1.67 cups (400 ml); Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g); Whole milk ½ cup (125 ml); Butter 1.75 oz (50 g); Egg yolks 1

for the batter: Type 00 flour 0.4 cup (50 g); Whole milk ⅓ cup (75 ml)

for breading: Breadcrumbs to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Coxinha (Brazilian arancini)

To prepare the coxinhas, cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces 1. Peel the onion and cut it in half, wash and peel the carrot and cut it into chunks, and finally wash and cut the celery into chunks as well 2; place the chicken and vegetables in a tall pan, add two bay leaves, a clove of garlic 3 and

pour water 4 until the ingredients are covered and add salt. Boil the chicken until the meat is white and tender. Once the chicken is boiled, drain the chicken pieces (making sure to save the broth which will be used for the dough that surrounds the filling) and finely chop them with a knife or with the help of a blender (5-6).

Sauté a crushed or finely chopped clove of garlic in two tablespoons of oil and let the oil infuse. Add the chopped half onion 7, let it wilt for at least 10 minutes, and then add the tomato sauce 8, cook for a few minutes, and incorporate the chopped chicken 9. Salt and pepper to taste.

Flavor the filling with parsley 10 and set it aside to cool. Now focus on the dough that will wrap the filling: melt the butter in a pan. Add the previously obtained chicken broth 11. Pour in the room-temperature milk 12 and bring everything to a boil.

Add the sifted flour 13 and stir quickly with a whisk while everything continues to cook on low heat until the flour has absorbed the liquids and the dough detaches from the pot and becomes compact 14. Let cool slightly and finally combine the egg yolk into the dough 15.

Now you can shape the coxinhas: take a portion of dough the size of the palm of your hand, about 1.7 oz 16. With the thumb of the other hand, create a cavity in the center and fill it with the filling, about 0.35 oz 17. Close the ball by wrapping the filling with the dough and shape it into a drumstick 18.

The ingredients listed are sufficient for 14 coxinhas 19. Now prepare a batter with the milk and sifted flour and place the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Coat each coxinha first in the batter 20 and then in the breadcrumbs 21.

When the oil is hot (to check if the oil has reached the right temperature, use the toothpick test: immerse the tip of a toothpick in the oil, if you see it start to fry, then it is hot enough) begin frying the coxinhas one by one for a few minutes (22-23), or until the breading is golden. Drain them and let them drip on a tray lined with absorbent paper 24. Serve the coxinhas hot.

Storage

You can prepare the coxinhas in advance and then reheat them in the oven before serving.
Freezing the coxinhas is not recommended.

Curiosity

Tradition has it that this recipe was born in the 19th century from an ingenious idea of the cook of the Brazilian imperial family, who had to prepare the favorite dish of the young heir to the throne, son of Princess Isabel and Gaston d'Orléans, which was fried chicken legs, and having few legs available in the pantry, he invented this fried dough resembling a chicken leg. In this way, the cook transformed a whole chicken into many fake fried legs that were very appreciated by all members of the royal family.

Tip

For absolutely perfect street food, skewer a stick or toothpick through the narrow end and wrap the coxinha with aluminum foil, as if it were a stick: finger-licking good!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.