Creamy Coxinha (World's Best)
Creamy Coxinha (World's Best)
Ingredients
For the Filling and Dough
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 potatoes, medium
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- as needed salt
- as needed black pepper
- as needed vegetable broth or water
For Breading and Frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- as needed vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Remove the skin and mash them with a fork until you have a purée with some small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 2
Remove the skin from the chicken thighs. In a frying pan, heat the skin over medium heat until the fat renders and the skin becomes golden and crispy. Reserve the fat and crispy skin separately.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Season the skinless chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, paprika, and lemon pepper. Fry the seasoned thighs in the rendered fat from the skin until golden brown on all sides.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Once browned, add vegetable broth or water to the pan until the thighs are covered. Cook over low heat until the thighs are completely cooked and tender. Remove the thighs and reserve the cooking liquid.
⏱️ 20 min
- 5
Shred the chicken meat from the thighs and chop it into small pieces. Reserve the chicken bones, which will be used for assembly.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
In the same frying pan, sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion until golden. Add the chopped chicken meat and cook until it begins to brown. Add the reserved cooking liquid and let it reduce slightly. Finish with the chopped fresh herbs.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Add the mashed potatoes and cream cheese to the chicken mixture in the pan. Mix well until a creamy and homogeneous consistency is achieved. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until VERY cold. Once cold, incorporate the shredded mozzarella.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Chop the reserved crispy chicken skin into very small pieces and mix with the panko breadcrumbs.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
To assemble the coxinhas, take a portion of the cold creamy filling. Insert a chicken bone into the center and mold the dough around the bone, forming the classic coxinha shape (a teardrop or chicken drumstick shape).
⏱️ 15 min
- 10
Bread the coxinhas in the following sequence: first in all-purpose flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the mixture of panko breadcrumbs and chopped crispy chicken skin.
⏱️ 10 min
- 11
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot to a HIGH temperature. Fry the coxinhas in batches, turning them occasionally, until golden and crispy. High temperature is crucial to prevent the coxinha from falling apart. Drain on paper towels before serving.
⏱️ 15 min
Kitchen Tools
Creamy Coxinha (World's Best)
For the Filling and Dough
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 potatoes, medium
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs, chopped
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- as needed salt
- as needed black pepper
- as needed vegetable broth or water
For Breading and Frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- as needed vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- 1
Cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender. Remove the skin and mash them with a fork until you have a purée with some small pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 2
Remove the skin from the chicken thighs. In a frying pan, heat the skin over medium heat until the fat renders and the skin becomes golden and crispy. Reserve the fat and crispy skin separately.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Season the skinless chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, paprika, and lemon pepper. Fry the seasoned thighs in the rendered fat from the skin until golden brown on all sides.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Once browned, add vegetable broth or water to the pan until the thighs are covered. Cook over low heat until the thighs are completely cooked and tender. Remove the thighs and reserve the cooking liquid.
⏱️ 20 min - 5
Shred the chicken meat from the thighs and chop it into small pieces. Reserve the chicken bones, which will be used for assembly.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
In the same frying pan, sauté the minced garlic and chopped onion until golden. Add the chopped chicken meat and cook until it begins to brown. Add the reserved cooking liquid and let it reduce slightly. Finish with the chopped fresh herbs.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Add the mashed potatoes and cream cheese to the chicken mixture in the pan. Mix well until a creamy and homogeneous consistency is achieved. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until VERY cold. Once cold, incorporate the shredded mozzarella.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Chop the reserved crispy chicken skin into very small pieces and mix with the panko breadcrumbs.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
To assemble the coxinhas, take a portion of the cold creamy filling. Insert a chicken bone into the center and mold the dough around the bone, forming the classic coxinha shape (a teardrop or chicken drumstick shape).
⏱️ 15 min - 10
Bread the coxinhas in the following sequence: first in all-purpose flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the mixture of panko breadcrumbs and chopped crispy chicken skin.
⏱️ 10 min - 11
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot to a HIGH temperature. Fry the coxinhas in batches, turning them occasionally, until golden and crispy. High temperature is crucial to prevent the coxinha from falling apart. Drain on paper towels before serving.
⏱️ 15 min