Coxinha

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the chicken breast in a small saucepan with the water and half of the chopped onion. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 12-14 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and reaches 74°C in the centre. Lift out the chicken and reserve 240 ml of the cooking broth for the dough.

2. 2

   While the chicken cooks, boil the diced potato in lightly salted water for 8-10 minutes until very tender. Drain well and mash until smooth with no lumps; a dry mash gives a firmer dough.

3. 3

   Shred the cooked chicken very finely with two forks or by pulsing briefly in a food processor; the filling should be fluffy, not pasty.

4. 4

   Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the remaining chopped onion for 2 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds to remove the raw edge. Add the shredded chicken, 4 g salt, black pepper, and parsley; stir for 2 minutes until the mixture is cohesive and fairly dry. Cool for 2 minutes, then fold in the catupiry so it stays creamy and distinct. Set aside.

5. 5

   For the dough, place the reserved 240 ml chicken broth in a saucepan with the mashed potato, butter, and 2 g salt. Bring to a boil, then add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides, leaving a thin film on the pan. This cooking step removes the raw flour taste and makes shaping easier.

6. 6

   Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled surface or plate and let it rest for 5 minutes, just until cool enough to handle but still warm and pliable.

7. 7

   Divide the warm dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disc about 8 cm wide, keeping the centre slightly thicker than the edges. Spoon in some chicken filling, adding a little of the creamier catupiry-rich portion to each. Close the dough around the filling and shape into teardrops, pinching the top neatly. If the dough sticks, dampen your hands very lightly.

8. 8

   Whisk the egg with 15 ml water in a shallow bowl. Coat each coxinha first in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres evenly and completely.

9. 9

   Heat the neutral oil to 175°C in a deep, medium saucepan. Fry the coxinhas in 2 batches for 3-4 minutes per batch, turning as needed, until deep golden brown and heated through. Do not overcrowd the pan or the oil temperature will drop and the coating may absorb excess oil.

10. 10

    Drain briefly on a rack or paper towel for 1 minute and serve hot, while the crust is crisp and the filling is creamy.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Using very finely shredded chicken is key to authentic texture; larger chunks make shaping difficult.
• •If catupiry is unavailable, use a thick Brazilian-style requeijão or a firm cream cheese loosened with 1-2 teaspoons of milk.
• •Keep the filling relatively dry or it can burst through the dough during frying.
• •The frying oil amount reflects the vessel needed for deep-frying; actual absorbed oil is much lower and is what the nutrition estimate accounts for.

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