Coxinha

Put the chicken breast in a pot, cover with 1.4 L water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Remove the meat, let it cool, and shred it finely with two forks; strain the broth — you'll need 600 ml.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Melt 20 g butter in a skillet, sauté the onion for 2-3 minutes until soft, add the garlic, ground coriander and paprika, and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes more.

Add the shredded chicken, pour in 100 ml of the strained broth, and simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until the liquid has almost evaporated. Season with salt and black pepper, remove from the heat and let the filling cool for about 15 minutes to room temperature.

Mix the cooled filling with 120 g cream cheese and chopped parsley. The filling should hold together in a firm mass without spreading; if needed, chill it in the fridge for another 10 minutes.

For the dough, combine the remaining broth (500 ml), milk and 30 g butter in a pot, and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once and quickly stir with a wooden spatula for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture comes together into a firm ball and pulls away from the sides of the pot.

Spread the dough in a thin layer on an oiled surface and let it cool for 20-25 minutes until warm, then knead briefly by hand until smooth.

Divide the dough into 16-18 portions. Flatten each ball in your palm into a disc about 0.5 cm thick, place 1 tsp of filling in the center, pinch the edges together and roll between your palms to form the characteristic teardrop shape of coxinha.

Lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Dip each piece into the egg, then coat in breadcrumbs; for an extra-crisp crust, repeat the coating a second time.

Heat oil to 180°C (350°F) in a deep fryer or a tall pot. Fry the coxinhas in batches of 4-5 for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, place on paper towels to drain excess oil, and serve hot.