Coxinha – Brazilian Chicken Croquettes

Six fried balls of food on paper lined blue bowl, each topped with green leaf. Two glasses of beer, pot of creamy sauce, two forks around the bowl and more fried balls on a tray on a corner.

These Brazilian chicken croquettes are just moreish. In Brazil they are known as coxinha and are a popular street food. The shredded chicken mix is wrapped in dough, often in a teardrop shape, then deep fried. You can make the chicken mix and dough the day before, then deep fry when you’re ready to eat.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Chilling time 1

Course Appetiser, Snack

Servings croquettes

Ingredients

Chicken filling

1 litre Chicken stock
2 Superb Herb Bay Leaves
4 Waitoa Free Range Chicken Breast Fillets
2 tbsp Butter
1 Onion diced
2 Garlic cloves diced
½ tsp Paprika
½ cup Superb Herb Parsley chopped
1 pot 250g Cream Cheese, softened
Salt and pepper

Dough and panne

3 ½ cups Flour
3 Free Range Eggs whisked
2 cups Breadcrumbs
1 litre Vegetable Cooking Oil for deep frying
Paper Towels

Serve with

Mayonnaise
Tomato Sauce

Instructions

For the chicken filling: In a large saucepan bring chicken stock to a gentle boil. Add bay leaves and chicken and boil for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken has cooked through. Remove the bay leaves, place the chicken fillets on a chopping board and reserve the stock. Use 2 forks to shred the chicken. Place shredded chicken in a large bowl.
Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add onion and fry for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for another minute. Stir in paprika. Add buttery onion garlic mix to the chicken. Add chopped parsley and cream cheese. Mix well, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.
For the dough: Add 3 ½ cups of the reserved stock to a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Add flour and turn off the heat. Vigorously stir the flour into the stock. Once cool enough to handle knead the dough mix for a couple of minutes.
With floured hands take a golf ball size amount of dough, make an indentation, then add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling. Close the dough up in the shape of a teardrop. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
To panne: Add whisked eggs to a wide bowl and breadcrumbs to another. Panne the croquettes first in egg, then in breadcrumbs. Repeat with all remaining croquettes. Place on a lined tray and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight (optional).
Heat oil in a large non stick wok on high heat. Carefully add the croquettes in small batches and deep fry for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel.
Serve hot with your favourite dipping sauces.