Coxinha Croquettes (Printable Version)
Classic Brazilian coxinhas with golden crunch, soft cheesy chicken in the middle, and fluffy potato dough. Just the thing for sharing with friends.
# Everything You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 -
450 ml whole milk
02 -
450 ml chicken broth or just water
03 -
1 tablespoon salt
04 -
50 g unsalted butter
05 -
625 g potatoes, peeled and mashed (about 2 large ones)
06 -
450 g sifted plain flour (use 500 g if it’s Brazilian flour)
→ Filling
07 -
300 g boneless chicken breast (roughly 2)
08 -
60 g unsalted butter (about a quarter cup)
09 -
4 smashed cloves of garlic
10 -
1 chopped onion, small
11 -
1 tablespoon paprika
12 -
Fresh parsley, chopped up (totally optional)
13 -
Salt and black pepper—put in as much as you like
14 -
2 tablespoons cream cheese
15 -
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
16 -
1 tablespoon water
→ Breading & Frying
17 -
Vegetable oil for frying
18 -
120 ml milk
19 -
Bread crumbs (plenty to cover each one)
# Steps to Cook:
01 -
Drop your chicken into a pot, pour in enough water or broth to cover, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes 'til fully done. Let ’em sit another 5 minutes in the liquid, pull ’em out, and shred up the meat. Hang on to that leftover broth—you’ll need it soon.
02 -
Throw some butter in a pan, melt it, and chuck in the onion. Give it a couple minutes, then toss in the garlic. Add paprika, cream cheese, tomato sauce, shredded chicken, that bit of water, salt, pepper, and parsley if you want. Stir it together and let it cool before you use it.
03 -
Chuck the mashed potatoes, butter, salt, saved broth, and milk into a big pot. Stir while heating until it starts to bubble. Slowly add the flour bit by bit, stirring nonstop so you dodge any lumps. After about 5–7 minutes, when the dough peels off the pot’s sides, plop it onto an oiled counter. Let it cool off, then knead until flexible and smooth.
04 -
Snag your dough, once cool, and scoop off balls about the size of a golf ball. Squash one flat in your hand, then poke a little well in the middle for a thick bump. Spoon in a little filling, pinch the edges closed, then pull the top to make that fun little teardrop shape. Any dough you’re not using, tuck under plastic so it stays nice and soft.
05 -
Start by dunking each coxinha into milk, then roll in bread crumbs to get ’em all covered. Heat up plenty of oil to around 180°C in a deep pan. Fry ‘em a few at a time, rolling ’em over until both sides are golden and crunchy—takes about 3–4 minutes. Lay them on paper towels so they’re not oily. Grab ’em while they’re warm, that’s the best!
# Extra Suggestions:
01 -
If dough’s sticky, just grease your hands to keep it from sticking everywhere.
02 -
Want crispier shells? You can swap out the milk for water mixed with cornstarch instead.
03 -
You can freeze coxinhas after breading (but before frying). They’ll last two months in the freezer. Let ’em thaw a bit, then fry as usual.
04 -
Say it kinda like koh-SHEEN-ya.