Coxinha-Style Chicken Croquettes with Cream Cheese Filling

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-30 · Updated 2026-06-30

Brazilian street food favorite Coxinha recreated with shredded chicken and a creamy cheese center, coated in crispy breadcrumbs. This brazilian-inspired snacks ready in about 50 minutes turns boiled and shredded chicken breast, chicken broth, unsalted butter into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 300 calories and feeds 6, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. 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

• 1 lb, boiled and shredded chicken breast
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 oz, cut into small cubes cream cheese
• 1 small, finely chopped onion
• 2, minced garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2, beaten eggs
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• for deep frying vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 cups chicken broth to a simmer. Add 3 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tsp salt, then gradually stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour, whisking constantly until dough forms and pulls away from the sides, about 3 minutes.
2. Step 2: Transfer the dough to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Step 3: In a skillet, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat. Sauté 1 finely chopped small onion and 2 minced garlic cloves until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
4. Step 4: Combine the shredded 1 lb boiled chicken, sautéed onion and garlic, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a bowl.
5. Step 5: Wet hands slightly and take a golf ball-sized amount of dough, flatten it into a disc, place 1-2 tsp of the chicken mixture and one 1/2-inch cube of 4 oz cream cheese in the center, then fold dough around filling shaping into a teardrop or drumstick shape.
6. Step 6: Dip each shaped croquette into 2 beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with 2 cups breadcrumbs.
7. Step 7: Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep pan to 350°F. Fry croquettes in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.