administratorCoxinha is a delicious and hearty Brazilian snack. According to legend, the recipe was created by accident, much like many other famous dishes. The story goes that the son of former Brazilian rulers loved chicken drumsticks and would only eat that part of the bird. One day, the court chef ran out of drumsticks, so he used the remaining chicken meat to shape a snack resembling a drumstick. The dish was an instant hit, and since then, it has become a staple not on tables but on the streets of Brazil.
Coxinha tastes somewhat like meat dumplings, but unlike dumplings, it is deep-fried to golden perfection.
Ingredients:
3 cups water
2 bouillon cubes
500 g (about 1 lb) chicken breast
1 large potato
2 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
½ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Breadcrumbs, for coating
Oil, for deep-frying
Instructions:
Pour the water into a pot. Add the chicken breast (cut into large chunks) and the potato cut in half lengthwise. Add the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil.
When the potato and chicken are cooked, remove them from the water, but save the cooking liquid.
Mash the potato or press it through a potato ricer. Shred or grind the chicken meat. Measure 2 ½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid. If there’s not enough, add a little water.
Pour the liquid back into the pot over medium heat. Add the mashed potato and stir in the butter.
Once the mixture boils, gradually add the flour while continuously stirring. Cook over the heat until it forms a smooth dough. Remove from heat and let it cool.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp oil and sauté the onion until translucent. Season with salt, pepper, or your favorite spices. Add the shredded chicken and cook together for a few minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley and remove from heat.
Take portions of the cooled dough and flatten them in your hand into circles about 10 cm (4 in) in diameter and 1 cm (½ in) thick. Place 2 tbsp of the chicken filling in the center and shape into a cone, sealing the edges.
Coat each cone in breadcrumbs, then dip in beaten egg, and coat again in breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 180ºC (350ºF) and fry the coxinha until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.