Brazilian Recipe for Chicken Fricassee: A Delicious Brazilian Pizza (Fricase de Frango)

Yes, the food in Brazil is more than good–it’s delicious! The cuisine throughout Brazil varies, as do visitors’ individual preferences. But because the country is so large, there is definitely some delicious food for everyone and anyone to find in this nation. This South American country produces terrific fried street food (churros, pastel, coxinha, quibe) and is known for its excellent meats and delicious fresh fruit juices and drinks (limonada, guarana, avocado vitamina). Churrascarias (Brazilian steak houses) can be found all over the world, and for good reason–they serve up some of the best from Brazil.

Fejoiada. If you have ever heard about Brazilian food, you probably know that rice and beans feature large in Brazilian cuisine. This South American country is famous for its bean stew called feijoada. Like most Brazilian dishes, there is no set recipe to make feijoada, and its ingredients can change according to family preferences. However, most of the time, feijoada is made of black beans, cuts of pork and/or sausage, garlic, onion, and–sometimes–vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes. And while the cuisine in Brazil varies vastly according to region, feijoada is one famous food that travelers can definitely encounter no matter where they travel in this giant nation.

Brazilian meals are quite different throughout the day. For breakfast, many families enjoy French bread (pao frances) smeared with butter, coffee to drink, and sometimes yogurt or a sweet (such as cake). Brazilian cuisine is famous for centering around beans and rice for lunch. Families add vegetables, French fries, salad, fresh fruit, and some type of protein (eggs, chicken, beef) to round out the meal. Dinner is often less formal, and food that Brazilians wouldn’t serve for lunch (hot dogs, pizza, hamburgers) is completely acceptable in the evening hours. The late evening hours, that is, as Brazilian dinner often takes place anytime between 7 pm and 10 pm at night.

Brazilian dinners vary widely according to the region of the country. In general, however, lunches in Brazil feature beans and rice, served with vegetables, fresh fruit, French fries or manioc fries, and a source of protein (eggs, chicken, beef, etc.). Supper is a bit more informal and can include foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, etc. Other common dinner foods in Brazil are stroganoff de frango (chicken stroganoff), lasagna (lasagne), empadao (a chicken pie), churrasco (barbecue), and feijoada (beans).

Garlic and onion are the most commonly used spices in food dishes throughout Brazil. The use of other spices varies according to region. In Southern Brazil, green onion and parsley are common seasonings, followed closely by chicken bouillon, bay leaves, cumin, and Tabasco sauce. Some regions also use chili peppers and special spice blends, such as tempero baiano.

Nearly every Brazilian savory dish incorporates garlic–either in cloves or powdered form. It is one of the signature flavors of Brazil. Garlic is key to dishes such as fejoiada, stroganoff, and pastel. Other common seasonings in Brazilian food include onion and green onion.

While Brazilian food is not necessarily spicy (compared, for example, to Indian cuisine), it is also not bland. Brazilian foods are bursting with the flavor of multiple seasonings (garlic, onion, green onion, chicken bouillon, bay leaves, etc.), as well as cheeses and meat.

Brazilian food is not traditionally spicy. However, this varies by region. In fact, some regions of the country use very minimal seasonings in their cuisine, while others might include some more spicy elements, such as peppers. However, some Brazilians throughout the country like to add spice to their dishes by using Tabasco sauce or other condiments.

in a butter fry bath. Frying the chicken in butter first results in more flavorful chicken, similar to the benefits of braising/searing a beef roast before adding it to a pot roast.

Chicken stew is made by boiling chicken, while chicken fricassee is made through a different process. For chicken fricassee, chicken is first fried in butter in a pan and then boiled. The result is a different skin texture on the chicken, and chicken fricassee is packed with flavor.

Well, for starters, you can make this Brazilian recipe for chicken fricasse pizza. 😉 Other uses for chicken fricassee are in chicken salad, as a topping for flatbread or filling for pita bread, and a mix-in for burritos or tacos.