South American Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Coxinha
Brazil's beloved fried street snack — creamy shredded chicken filling encased in golden, teardrop-shaped dough, crispy outside and irresistibly tender within.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Make the dough: In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth and butter to a rolling boil. Dump in the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a cohesive dough that pulls away from the sides. Let it cool.
- 2
Prepare the filling: Mix the finely shredded cooked chicken with the cream cheese (or traditional catupiry), sautéed onions, garlic, and parsley.
- 3
Shape the croquettes: Take a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the center.
- 4
Form the teardrop: Fold the edges of the dough up and pinch them together, shaping the croquette into a pointed teardrop (resembling a chicken thigh).
- 5
Bread the coxinhas: Dip each shaped coxinha into the beaten eggs, then roll them in fine breadcrumbs until fully coated.
- 6
Fry: Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) and deep fry the coxinhas until golden brown and crispy on the outside and hot on the inside. Drain on paper towels.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
68/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving555
Calories
38 g
Protein
50 g
Carbs
22 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Coxinha is one of Brazil's most beloved street snacks, a teardrop-shaped croquette of shredded chicken wrapped in a soft dough, breaded and fried. Its name means little thigh, a nod to its shape mimicking a chicken drumstick, and legend ties its origin to a 19th-century Sao Paulo cook feeding a prince who loved chicken thighs. Today it is everywhere, from bakeries to birthday parties.
Listahan note
This version makes the classic chicken coxinha with a dough cooked in seasoned broth so it stays tender and pliable, plus a creamy catupiry-style filling. Patience while shaping is what gives them their signature teardrop.
Technique cues
- Cook the dough in the chicken broth until it pulls cleanly from the pan, which develops the smooth, pliable texture you need to shape it without cracking.
- Knead the dough while still warm; once it cools and stiffens it tears when you try to wrap the filling.
- Fry at a steady moderate temperature so the dough cooks through before the crumb crust burns; too hot and you get raw centers.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Poach and shred the chicken first; while it cools, use its broth to cook the dough so both are ready to assemble.
- Make-ahead
- Shape and bread the coxinhas a day ahead and refrigerate, or freeze them raw and fry from frozen.
- Leftover move
- Reheat leftover coxinhas in an oven or air fryer to re-crisp, then split and add hot sauce for a snack.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Set up the breading station, egg then crumbs, in two shallow dishes and bread all at once to contain the mess.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
chicken thighs
the filling
Purpose: Shredded chicken, traditionally thigh for flavor, is the savory heart of a coxinha.
Handling: Poach in seasoned broth, then shred and mix with sauteed aromatics.
Adaptation: Shredded rotisserie chicken speeds things up; chicken breast works but is drier.
chicken broth
the dough liquid
Purpose: Cooking the dough in the poaching broth infuses it with flavor and keeps it tender.
Handling: Reserve the broth from poaching the chicken to cook the dough.
Adaptation: Good-quality stock if you are using pre-cooked chicken.
all-purpose flour
the dough structure
Purpose: Flour cooked into the hot broth forms the smooth, pliable dough that wraps the filling.
Handling: Add all at once to the simmering broth and stir into a cohesive mass.
Adaptation: A gluten-free 1-to-1 blend can work but is more fragile to shape.
cream cheese (catupiry-style)
creamy filling enrichment
Purpose: A soft cheese folded into the chicken gives the classic creamy, melty interior.
Handling: Mix into the warm shredded chicken so it binds the filling.
Adaptation: Cream cheese is the easiest stand-in for Brazilian catupiry.
breadcrumbs
the crisp coating
Purpose: A breadcrumb crust fries to the crackly shell that contrasts the soft dough.
Handling: Dredge shaped coxinhas in egg, then breadcrumbs before frying.
Adaptation: Panko gives an even crunchier crust.
egg
the breading binder
Purpose: Beaten egg helps the breadcrumbs adhere to the dough for an even crust.
Handling: Beat and use as the dip before the crumb coating.
Adaptation: A flour-water slurry for an egg-free coating.
Technique notes
- Work the warm dough with lightly oiled or wet hands so it does not stick while you shape the teardrops.
- Keep the filling fully cooled and not too wet, since a hot or runny center makes the dough split during frying.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady and the crust browns evenly.
Ingredient swaps
- Baked direction
- Brush breaded coxinhas with oil and bake until golden for a lighter, less greasy version.
- Vegetarian direction
- Fill with seasoned shredded jackfruit or hearts of palm and the same creamy cheese.
- Dairy-free option
- Use a dairy-free cream cheese to bind the filling.
Serve alongside
- Hot pepper sauce for dipping
- Simple green salad
- Pao de queijo
- Pickled vegetables
- Guarana soda
- Cold Brazilian lager
- Fresh limeade
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keep fried coxinhas in the fridge for up to three days and re-crisp in an oven or air fryer rather than a microwave, which softens the crust. Raw breaded coxinhas freeze well for two months and fry straight from frozen with a slightly longer cook. Cooked ones also freeze and reheat from frozen in the oven.
Equipment
- Heavy pot for cooking the dough
- Deep pot or fryer for frying
- Thermometer to hold oil temperature
- Two shallow dishes for breading
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