Brazilian Coffee Chicken Recipe
If you like exotic, cosmopolitan food, try this Brazilian Coffee Chicken Recipe. It’s a fantastic blend of the Asian and Brazilian cuisine
Being Brazilian and living in Brazil has many downsides. Eating good food is not one of them.
Our cultural syncretism brought together many different food influences from all over the world. One of those influences came from Asia with the Japanese immigrants that arrived in São Paulo in the 1920’s to work in the coffee business. Needless to say that a fusion occurred and several recipes were born from that cultural blend.
One of those influences came from Asia with the Japanese immigrants that arrived in São Paulo in the 1920’s to work in the coffee business.
The following stew was adapted from international recipes to match a common recipe we were used to enjoying when visiting Mr. Tanaka in the early 60’s. The Tanaka family worked as partners to some of my relatives in the silk business in the 50’s
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry
- 1/4 cup strong brewed Brazilian coffee
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 6 chicken legs
- ground black pepper to taste
- a subtle. untraceable pinch of cinnamon. (optional)
- a subtle. untraceable pinch of cloves. (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium, nonreactive container, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, coffee, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place chicken legs in the mixture. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove chicken from the marinade mixture, and set aside.
- Transfer the marinade to a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.
- Heat remaining olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season chicken with pepper and other optional spices, and brown on all sides in the skillet.
- Pour the hot marinade mixture into the skillet.
- Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Silk didn’t work very well in our region, but our friendship with the local Japanese community remained.
This recipe uses the following: soy sauce
I have tried some variations of the above with red peppers
Enjoy!
