Coxinha — Ad-Free Recipe, Ingredients First

The dough is cooked, not raw: a thick chicken-broth-and-flour paste that you knead until smooth. Cook the dough until it pulls from the pan like choux, or the coxinha will crack and leak in the fryer.

The Ingredients — and where to get them

Cook for 18 pieces

Chicken breast or thigh

Poached and shredded fine; thigh stays juicier in the filling.

1 lb

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All-purpose flour

Cooked into the broth to form the pliable dough shell.

2 cups

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Cream cheese

Stirred into the filling for the creamy, tangy center Brazilians love.

4 oz

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Breadcrumbs

The outer coating that fries up crisp and golden.

2 cups

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Frying oil

A neutral high-heat oil for deep-frying to a clean crisp shell.

for frying

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Onion, garlic, parsley

The aromatic base for the shredded chicken filling.

1 onion plus herbs

Onion → Garlic →

Using chicken breast? It behaves the way it does for a reason — what this cut is for and how to cook it →

The Rundown

Greedometer ●●●●● A fair little treat

A reasonable little indulgence.

EffortSome doing

Cook it with

Instant PotSlow cookerOne-pot

The Method

Make the fillingPoach and shred the chicken, saute with onion and garlic, then fold in cream cheese and cool.
Cook the doughBring the reserved broth with milk to a boil, add flour all at once, and stir hard until it forms a smooth ball that leaves the pan.
Shape teardropsFlatten a piece of dough, add filling, and pinch closed into the signature teardrop.
Bread and fryCoat in egg and breadcrumbs, then fry at 350F for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden.

The Toolkit

Heavy pot for frying · Spider strainer · Thermometer · Wooden spoon · Wire rack

Straight Answers

Can you make Coxinha in an air fryer? — Yes, with an insert

Not on its own — an air fryer can’t hold a pool of liquid. You can simmer it in an oven-safe dish or a silicone insert made to fit the basket, but the broth won’t reduce or brown the way it does on the stove, and that insert comes out scorching, so use oven mitts. For real depth, a pot on the stove wins.

Can you freeze Coxinha? — Yes

Yes — it freezes well. Cool it fully, portion into airtight containers, and it keeps a few months; thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.

Can you make Coxinha ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — it holds well and often tastes better the next day. Make it ahead and reheat gently before serving.

Is Coxinha gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

Is Coxinha vegan? — No

No — it contains meat, so it isn’t vegetarian or vegan.

Community Notes

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Coxinha, and where to source it