Deep-Fried Coxinha with Shredded Chicken Filling

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-27 · Updated 2026-07-27

Brazilian street food snack featuring crispy fried dough filled with savory shredded chicken and cream cheese. This brazilian-inspired snacks ready in about 70 minutes turns (about 1 lb) chicken breasts, water, 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 320 calories and feeds 8, 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

• 2 (about 1 lb) chicken breasts
• 4 cups water
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (reserved from cooking chicken) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• enough to fill a deep pot vegetable oil for frying
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 2 chicken breasts and 1 tsp salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
2. Step 2: Remove chicken breasts from the broth, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and shred the chicken finely.
3. Step 3: In a skillet, melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Add 1 small finely chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove; sauté for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Step 4: Stir in shredded chicken, 1/2 cup cream cheese, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and cook for 2 minutes until well combined and creamy. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Step 5: In a saucepan, bring 1 cup reserved chicken broth to a boil. Slowly whisk in 2 cups all-purpose flour all at once, stirring vigorously to form a thick dough that pulls away from the sides.
6. Step 6: Transfer dough to a bowl and let cool until warm enough to handle.
7. Step 7: With wet hands, take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and flatten it into a disc. Place 1-2 tbsp of the chicken filling in the center and shape the dough around it into a teardrop shape, sealing the edges.
8. Step 8: Dip each shaped coxinha into 2 beaten eggs, then coat thoroughly with 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs.
9. Step 9: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry the coxinhas in batches for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.
10. Step 10: Drain on paper towels and serve hot as a savory snack or appetizer.