If you love the idea of Brazilian street food but don’t love babysitting a pot of oil, this air fryer coxinha recipe is for you. You still get that signature crunchy crust around a creamy shredded chicken filling, just with a lighter finish that feels more weeknight-friendly.
I’ve made coxinha a bunch of ways — classic deep-fried, oven-baked, and air-fried — and the biggest difference between a great batch and a mediocre one always comes down to texture control: keeping the dough shell soft but not sticky, and keeping the filling rich but not wet.
“Coxinha” means “little thigh” in Portuguese, named for its teardrop shape, which resembles a small chicken drumstick. The shape isn’t just decorative — it actually helps the croquette cook evenly, with a thicker base protecting the filling and a thinner top that crisps faster.
There are a couple of stories about how coxinha came to be. One popular legend traces it to a 19th-century Brazilian prince who only liked eating chicken thighs; when the cook ran out, she improvised a croquette shaped to look like one. A more grounded account places its origin in São Paulo during the Industrial Revolution, when factory workers needed a portable, filling, one-handed snack for their shifts — and a local cook shaped seasoned shredded chicken and dough into something easy to eat on the move. Either way, it’s now Brazil’s most popular street food after pastel, sold everywhere from birthday parties to street carts.
Most coxinha failures aren’t about skill — they’re about moisture and structure. The dough shell needs enough hydration to shape smoothly but not so much that it turns sticky and hard to work with. The filling needs to be rich and cohesive, not loose and wet, or it leaks out during shaping and cooking. Get those two things right, and the rest of the process is straightforward.
16–18
coxinhas30
minutes18
minutes1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
3 cups chicken broth (from poaching the chicken, plus more if needed)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz cream cheese (or Catupiry-style cheese spread, if available)
2 tbsp chopped green onion or chives
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: red pepper flakes, for heat
1 egg, beaten (or milk, for an egg-free version)
1½ cups breadcrumbs or panko
Cook the chicken. Simmer the chicken in water or broth until cooked through to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C), about 15–20 minutes, or pressure-cook it if you have an Instant Pot. Let it rest a few minutes, then shred finely with two forks. Save the cooking liquid — it becomes the base for your dough.
Make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onion until soft, about 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the shredded chicken, cream cheese, green onion, salt, and pepper. Cook just until combined and slightly creamy, then set aside to cool — a warm filling is much harder to wrap without tearing the dough.
Make the dough. Bring the reserved chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, then stir in the butter and salt. Add the flour gradually, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture forms a smooth, thick dough that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan. That "clean pan" moment matters — if there's still wet paste clinging to the bottom, the dough will stay too sticky to shape properly. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, let it cool until safe to handle, then knead briefly until smooth.
Shape the croquettes. Take a portion of dough (about 2 tablespoons) and flatten it in your palm into a small disc. Place a spoonful of filling in the center, then fold and pinch the dough around it, shaping into a teardrop. Don't overfill — too much filling makes it hard to seal, and a poorly sealed coxinha is the most common reason for blowouts in the air fryer.
Bread each piece. Dip each shaped coxinha in beaten egg (or milk), then roll in breadcrumbs until fully coated, pressing gently so the coating sticks.
Air fry. Preheat your air fryer to 375–392°F (190–200°C). Arrange the coxinhas in a single layer with space between them — overcrowding blocks airflow and leads to uneven, soggy spots. Lightly spray with oil. Air fry 10–15 minutes, flipping or shaking the basket halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp.
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the breaded coxinhas on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space between them, and spray or brush lightly with oil. Bake 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp. The texture will be slightly less crisp than the air fryer version but still far lighter than deep-frying.
A cold beer or a caipirinha is the classic pairing at Brazilian gatherings. For dips, ketchup, hot sauce, or a zesty mayonnaise all work well alongside the savory filling. Pair with pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) for a fuller Brazilian snack spread.
A Brazilian street food snack made of shredded chicken wrapped in a soft, chicken-broth-based dough, breaded, and fried (or air-fried) until crisp. Its name and shape reference a small chicken thigh.
Yes — the air fryer gets you a similar crunchy exterior with far less oil. The oven method works too, though it’s slightly less crisp than the air fryer version.
Yes, you can bake coxinha instead of frying, and it’s a great option when you want a lighter snack. Use panko breadcrumbs, spray lightly with neutral oil, and bake hot (around 425°F / 220°C) so the crust crisps instead of drying out.
Yes — shape and bread them, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag. Cook straight from frozen (with a short rest at room temperature first) whenever you’re ready.
Catupiry-style cheese spread is the more traditional choice if you can find it. Mascarpone or a thick sour cream both work as reasonable substitutes.
Yes — shredded jackfruit or a soy-based meat substitute works well in place of the chicken, using the same seasoning and cheese filling.
Once you understand the dough texture and how to manage moisture in the filling, coxinha stops feeling fancy and starts feeling like a repeatable kitchen skill. This air fryer version gives you the classic Brazilian chicken croquette experience with a lighter, less messy method — make a batch, freeze half, and you’ll have a ready-made party snack whenever friends show up.
