Coxinha (Shredded Chicken Croquettes)

Put the chicken breast, the whole onion half, 500ml water and a good pinch of salt in a pot. Simmer 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Lift out the chicken and let it cool a little. Strain and KEEP the poaching broth — you need it for the dough. Discard the boiled onion.

💡 That broth is what makes coxinha taste of chicken all the way through. Water alone gives a bland, pasty dough.

Shred the cooled chicken finely with two forks.

In a pan, soften the finely chopped onion and garlic in a little oil, stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the shredded chicken, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir 2 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the cream cheese until the filling is creamy and holds together. Let it cool completely.

💡 Warm filling melts the dough as you shape it. Cold, firm filling is far easier to seal inside without splitting.

Measure 300ml of the reserved broth into a pot with the milk and butter and bring to a boil.

Tip in all the flour at once and stir hard with a wooden spoon over low heat until it forms a smooth ball that pulls cleanly from the pan, about 3–4 minutes.

💡 Keep stirring past the point it first comes together — a minute of extra cooking dries the dough just enough to stop it being sticky and hard to shape.

Tip the hot dough onto a surface and knead briefly once cool enough to handle, until smooth. Cover so it doesn't dry out.

Take a golf-ball of dough, flatten it into a disc in your palm, place a teaspoon of filling in the centre, then pinch the edges up and around into a teardrop with a pointed top.

Roll each shaped coxinha through the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs, pressing gently so they stick.

Heat the oil to 170°C. Test with a cube of bread — it should sizzle and brown in about 40 seconds.

💡 Too hot and the crust browns before the dough heats through; too cool and they drink oil and turn greasy. Fry in small batches to hold the temperature.

Fry a few at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Drain on a rack or paper towel.

Rest 2 minutes — the filling is molten straight from the oil — then serve hot with hot sauce or lime.