Coxinha is a popular Brazilian street snack: a tender, broth-enriched dough wrapped around seasoned shredded chicken, shaped like a small teardrop, breaded, and fried until crisp. This home-style version makes the dough and filling from scratch, with an optional creamy catupiry center; Brazilian families and vendors use plenty of variations, so the method is a dependable starting point rather than a claim of one definitive recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, divided as needed between cooking the chicken and making the dough
- 1 small yellow onion, about 1 cup (150 g) finely chopped, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, about 1 tablespoon (9 g) minced, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola oil
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) paprika, sweet or smoked
- ¼ cup (15 g) finely chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: ½ cup (120 g) Brazilian catupiry cheese for filling; softened cream cheese is a practical substitute, though it tastes tangier and less mild
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, about 100 g without shells
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 2 cups (120 g) fine, dry breadcrumbs
- About 6 cups (1.4 L) neutral frying oil, or enough to reach a depth of 2 inches (5 cm) in a heavy pot
Instructions
- Cook the chicken. Put the chicken thighs, 3 cups (710 ml) of the broth, half of the chopped onion, half of the garlic, the bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon (3 g) of the salt in a saucepan. Add a little water if needed so the chicken is mostly submerged. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning the pieces once. Check the thickest piece with a food thermometer; USDA FSIS guidance sets 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it cool for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid, discarding the bay leaf.
- Shred and season the filling. Finely shred the chicken with two forks or your fingers once it is cool enough to handle. Warm the 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened, then stir in the remaining garlic for 30 seconds. Add the shredded chicken, black pepper, paprika, remaining ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt, and parsley. Stir for about 2 minutes so the chicken absorbs the seasoning. Taste and adjust the salt. The filling should be moist but not wet; if liquid pools in the pan, cook it off briefly. Set aside to cool slightly. If using catupiry, keep it separate for adding during shaping.
- Make the dough. Measure 2 cups (475 ml) of the reserved broth into a saucepan; top it up with fresh broth or water if you do not have enough. Add the butter and bring the liquid to a boil. Taste carefully and add a little salt if the broth is mild. Reduce the heat to low, add all the flour at once, and stir firmly with a sturdy spoon. Keep stirring for about 2 to 3 minutes, pressing the dough against the pan, until it forms a smooth ball and leaves a thin film on the bottom. This step cooks the flour and helps create dough that can be shaped without cracking. Turn it onto a clean work surface and let it cool for 10 minutes, until warm but comfortable to handle.
- Shape the coxinhas. Knead the warm dough briefly until smooth, then divide it into 20 equal pieces, roughly 1½ ounces (40 g) each. Keep the pieces covered with a clean towel while you work so their surfaces do not dry out. Flatten one piece in your palm into a disc about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, making the center a little thicker than the edges. Place about 1 tablespoon (15 g) of chicken filling in the middle. For a creamy center, add about 1 teaspoon (5 g) catupiry as well. Bring the dough edges up around the filling, pinch them closed, and smooth the seam. Roll gently between your palms and taper one end to make the familiar teardrop shape. If a crack appears, pinch it closed with a small piece of dough before breading.
- Bread the snacks. Beat the eggs with the milk in a shallow bowl. Put the breadcrumbs in a second bowl. Dip each coxinha in the egg mixture, let the excess drip away, and roll it in breadcrumbs until fully coated. Set the shaped snacks on a tray. Avoid stacking them, which can loosen the coating or flatten their tips.
- Fry until golden. Pour the frying oil into a heavy pot, leaving several inches of space at the top, and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Fry the coxinhas in batches of four or five for about 3 to 4 minutes, turning gently, until evenly golden. Keep the oil near 350°F (175°C); crowded or cold oil can make the crust greasy, while overheated oil can brown the coating before it heats through. Allow about 20 minutes total for batches and oil-temperature recovery. Lift the snacks out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or a paper-towel-lined tray. Let them stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving because the filling will be very hot.
Tips
- Keep the filling finely shredded and fairly dry. Long, wet strands make the dough harder to seal and can cause leaks in the fryer. If the chicken mixture seems loose, return it to the skillet for a minute or two to evaporate extra liquid before shaping.
- Use warm, not hot, dough. Dough that is too hot is uncomfortable to handle and can feel sticky; dough that cools completely may crack as you stretch it. Cover unused pieces while shaping, and knead in a teaspoon of warm broth if the dough becomes dry.
- Check the oil with a thermometer. If you do not have one, drop in a breadcrumb: it should bubble steadily and turn golden over a short time, not darken instantly. A thermometer is more dependable, and adjusting the burner between batches helps keep the crust crisp.
- Know your cheese options. Catupiry is a Brazilian requeijão-style creamy cheese and is traditional in coxinha com catupiry. It can be difficult to find outside Brazilian markets; softened cream cheese works, but use a modest amount because it is firmer and more tangy. The snacks are also delicious without cheese.
Serving Suggestions
Serve coxinha hot or warm as a snack, party appetizer, or part of a casual Brazilian-inspired meal. They are substantial enough to pair with a simple green salad, sliced tomatoes, or a bowl of vinaigrette-style tomato, onion, and parsley relish. In Brazil, snacks like these are often enjoyed with a cold drink; at home, offer sparkling water, lemonade, or a nonalcoholic fruit drink alongside them.
Set out hot sauce or a small dish of chili sauce for guests who want heat, but keep the first bite plain so the chicken, parsley, and crisp coating remain easy to taste. For a gathering, arrange the coxinhas on a platter with the pointed ends facing up and serve them soon after frying. A batch can also be made in stages: shape and bread the snacks ahead, then fry them shortly before guests arrive.
Variations
For a milder, richer center, add catupiry or a small spoonful of cream cheese to each coxinha. Keep the cheese inside the chicken rather than near the seam, and do not overfill; a generous filling can make the dough difficult to close. For a brighter chicken filling, add a teaspoon of lemon juice after cooking, or use finely chopped scallions in place of some parsley.
Some home cooks add mashed potato to the dough, which makes it softer and less elastic; that changes the texture, so this recipe keeps to a broth-and-flour dough that is easier to shape consistently. You can also make smaller party-size coxinhas by dividing the dough into 24 pieces and using slightly less filling in each. For a vegetarian variation, replace the chicken with well-seasoned shredded hearts of palm or sautéed mushrooms, cooking off excess moisture before shaping. These fillings are adaptations rather than the chicken version described here.
Storage and Reheating
For food safety, refrigerate cooked coxinhas within 2 hours of frying. Store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The breadcrumb coating will soften in storage, but the snacks can still be reheated. To freeze, cool them completely, arrange in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat from frozen for longer.
To restore a crisp exterior, place refrigerated coxinhas on a rack over a baking sheet and heat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 to 15 minutes; allow more time if they are large or still cold in the center. An air fryer can also work at 350°F (175°C), checking after 6 to 8 minutes and turning if needed. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C) in the center, as measured with a food thermometer. Avoid reheating repeatedly, and do not leave cooked snacks at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make coxinha without catupiry?
Yes. Catupiry is optional, and many coxinhas are filled with seasoned chicken alone. The dough seals more easily without the cheese, so this is a good choice for a first batch. If you want a creamy version but cannot find catupiry, use a small amount of softened cream cheese.
Why is my coxinha dough cracking?
The dough may have cooled too much, dried out, or been stretched too thin. Keep unused dough covered, work while it is still warm, and leave the center of each flattened piece slightly thicker. Pinch small cracks closed before breading, since openings can let filling escape in the oil.
Can I prepare coxinhas ahead of time?
Yes. Shape and bread them, cover the tray, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before frying. Let the tray sit out only while the oil heats, and keep the snacks refrigerated if plans are delayed. You can also freeze the shaped, breaded snacks as described above.
Can I bake them instead of frying?
They can be baked, but the result will not have quite the same evenly crisp shell as deep-fried coxinha. Arrange them on a lightly oiled baking sheet, brush or spray the crumbs with a little oil, and bake at 400°F (200°C), turning once, until browned and hot through. Timing varies with size and oven, so check the centers for 165°F (74°C) because the filling contains chicken.
What should I do if the crust browns before the snack is hot inside?
The oil is probably too hot, or the coxinhas are larger than the suggested size. Lower the heat and let the oil settle near 350°F (175°C), then fry a smaller batch. Shape evenly sized pieces and allow a few minutes to drain and cool slightly after frying before serving.
Related
- Brazilian Steak Recipe with Garlic-Lime Marinade
- Brazilian Pudim Recipe: Silky Custard with Caramel
- Brazilian Rice Recipe: Fluffy Garlic-Onion White Rice
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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