Mini Brazilian Coxinha (Birthday Party Size)

Classic Brazilian coxinha adapted for small, birthday-friendly portions that are easy to serve by hand.
The dough is enriched with cooking broth for flavor while keeping hydration controlled for reliable shaping.
Designed for 30 mini coxinhas with stable texture after frying and short hold time on a party table.

• ⏲️ Prep time: ~55 min
• 🍳 Cook time: ~35 min
• 🍽️ Servings: 30 mini coxinhas (about 28 g each)
• ❄️ Freezer-friendly (formed, breaded coxinhas)

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

• 450 g chicken breast
• 700 mL water
• 8 g fine salt (adjust to taste)
• 3 g ground black pepper
• 120 g onion, finely diced
• 8 g garlic, minced
• 10 g olive oil
• 70 g tomato sauce
• 18 g parsley, finely chopped

Dough

• 500 mL strained chicken cooking broth
• 250 mL whole milk
• 12 g unsalted butter
• 10 g fine salt (adjust to taste)
• 360 g all-purpose flour

Breading and Frying

• 60 g all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 30 mL water
• 180 g breadcrumbs
• 1 L neutral oil

Directions

Chicken Filling

1. Add chicken breast and 700 mL water to a pot, bring to a simmer, and cook until the chicken reaches safe internal temperature.
2. Remove chicken, reserve the cooking liquid, and shred the meat finely.
3. Heat 10 g olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute onion for 4 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
5. Stir in shredded chicken, tomato sauce, salt, and black pepper.
6. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the filling is cohesive and not watery.
7. Turn off heat, fold in parsley, and cool completely before shaping.

Dough

1. Strain and measure 500 mL of the chicken cooking broth.
2. Combine broth, milk, butter, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add all flour at once and stir continuously with a wooden spoon.
4. Cook and mash the dough for 3-5 minutes until it forms a smooth mass that releases from the pan.
5. Transfer dough to a work surface and knead carefully while warm until smooth and uniform.

Shape, Bread, and Fry

1. Divide dough into 30 pieces of about 18 g each and keep covered to prevent drying.
2. Flatten one piece into a disc, add about 10 g filling, then close and shape into a small teardrop.
3. Repeat until all mini coxinhas are formed.
4. Place flour in one bowl, whisk eggs with 30 mL water in a second bowl, and place breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
5. Coat each coxinha lightly in flour, dip in egg wash, then coat in breadcrumbs.
6. Heat oil to 170-175 C and test with a small dough piece; it should bubble actively without burning fast.
7. Fry coxinhas in small batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, avoiding overcrowding so oil temperature stays stable.
8. Drain on a rack or paper-lined tray and serve warm.

Portioning & Storage

Per portion (party serving):

• 3 mini coxinhas per guest
• Per mini coxinha: about 28 g final fried weight

Storage

• Refrigerator: 3 days (cooked, covered)
• Freezer: 2 months (formed and breaded, before frying)

For birthday service, fry close to serving time and hold in a warm oven at low heat for short periods only.

Nutritional Information (Approximate)

(1 portion = 3 mini coxinhas, about 84 g total fried weight)

Sodium assumption: values assume about 12 g total salt retained in cooked batch and standard sodium contribution from breadcrumbs.

Notes

• Keep the filling dry and fully cooled before shaping to avoid dough rupture.
• Mini size improves throughput for birthdays because fry time is short and portions are naturally bite-sized.
• If pre-shaping for a party, freeze breaded pieces on trays first, then bag to prevent sticking.
• Fry directly from frozen by adding about 1 extra minute per batch at the same oil temperature.
• If you prefer a lighter coating, you can dip in milk then breadcrumbs instead of flour plus egg.
• Reference video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJS9x54pIgQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2-Y5kQF5Vk