Brazilian Coxinha (Shredded Chicken Fritters)

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-16 · Updated 2026-05-16

Brazil's most beloved street food — teardrop-shaped fritters with a golden wheat dough shell encasing creamy seasoned shredded chicken and cream cheese. The distinctive shape mimics a chicken drumstick, giving the snack its name (coxinha means "little thigh"). Sold at padarias and street stalls across Brazil, coxinhas are crisp outside, tender inside, and irresistible served hot. This brazilian-inspired brazilian ready in about 100 minutes pairs large (about 600g) chicken breast, cream cheese, medium white onion, finely diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 20, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 large (about 600g) chicken breast
• 200g cream cheese
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth (from poaching)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups fine breadcrumbs
• as needed neutral oil for frying
• to taste salt and white pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Poach the chicken: place chicken breasts in a pot, cover with salted water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes until cooked through. Reserve 2 cups broth. Let chicken cool, then shred finely with two forks.
2. Step 2: Make the filling: sauté onion in 1 tbsp butter over medium heat 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add shredded chicken, season with salt and white pepper, stir in cream cheese until melted and creamy. Add parsley. Remove from heat and cool completely.
3. Step 3: Make the dough: bring reserved broth and 1 tbsp butter to a boil in a saucepan. Add 3 cups flour all at once, stir vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls from the pan. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Cool 10 minutes.
4. Step 4: Shape: pinch off a walnut-sized ball of dough. Flatten into a 4-inch round. Place 1 tbsp filling in the center. Bring edges up and press together, then roll between your palms into a teardrop shape.
5. Step 5: Bread: dip each coxinha in beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat completely.
6. Step 6: Fry: heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a deep pot. Fry coxinhas in batches 3–4 minutes until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.