My Coxinhas

I reconnected with Daniela Narciso in São Paulo and she really wanted me to try one of Brazil's most famous snacks... COXINHAS! 

Daniela takes me to a new and upcoming monthly 'Street Food Festival' and introduces me to Pricilla Moretto who owns a restaurant downtown called Tangerine but comes along monthly to promote her business, build relationships with other traders and make her beloved Coxinhas.

Traditionally made with chicken breasts and cream cheese then wrapped in a flour and a chicken stock pastry, breadcrumbed and then deep fried. These snacks can be found mainly in bars served quite wonderfully next to a cold beer. Fresh, they are one of the finest bar snacks ever created, old and chilled they can be bland and disappointing.

Sao Paulo's Street Food Festival

Pricilla's on the other hand are anything but disappointing, she has made them since she was a child and believes her recipe is worthy of any dish even though she is now a restaurant chef and owner. She can sell up too 500 a day and her success is down to frying them fresh and serving straight away. She doesn't just stick to Chicken either, Duck & Apricot, Ox Cheeks and Truffled Mushrooms are just some of the other stuffings she produces. She's says if its tasty and fresh then it works. 

She then invited me behind the stall and teaches me how to fill and mould into the famous 'Chicken Leg' shape that they're known for. As look up, I notice her queue keeps getting bigger and bigger. Brazilians love them and now that I have been taught how to make Coxinhas, I totally have the bug and I am have made my very own version.

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My Coxinhas

Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs

• 2 tsp hot smoked paprika

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

• Olive oil

• Sea salt and black pepper

• 150g cream cheese

• 50g plain flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 100g dry white breadcrumbs

• Vegetable oil for deep frying

For the pastry:

• 500ml chicken stock

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter

For the salad:

• Half a cucumber, peeled, deseeded and finely diced

• 1 banana shallot, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

• Small bunch basil, leaves shredded

• Small bunch mint, leaves shredded

• Juice of 1 to 2 limes

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the chicken thighs in a bowl with the paprika, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Tip the chicken into a roasting tin, cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes. Remove the skins and shred the meat into a bowl. Mix with the cream cheese and season to taste.

For the pastry, bring the stock and butter to the boil in a large saucepan, season and gradually whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes together to form a stiff dough.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill for one hour. To shape the Coxinhas, dust your hands with flour, take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll into a smooth ball. Use your thumb to hollow out the centre then add a tablespoonful of the chicken filling.

Press the dough closed around the filling then pinch and roll the top to make a chicken drumstick shape. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Toss each Coxinha in flour, then dip in egg, then coat in breadcrumbs and lay on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Heat the oil for deep frying to 160 degrees Celsius or 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fry the Coxinhas in batches for 5 to 6 minutes until golden brown then drain on kitchen paper. Season with sea salt whilst still warm.

Meanwhile, combine the salad ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Serve the warm Coxinhas with the salad.