cooking · main course
Brazilian Chicken Stew with Tomato Sauce
From a video by Ana Zambrin · 15 min watch
Brazilian chicken stew with a rich tomato sauce, seasoned with paprika, garlic, onion, and finished with fresh herbs. The chicken is browned first for depth of flavor, then simmered in the sauce until tender and falling off the bone.
main coursestewBrazilian
Source video — Ana Zambrin on YouTube
From the creator
Total time
~20 minutesEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Hands-on
~15 minutesEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Servings
~4 servingsEstimated by Unreel from the complete recipe.
Difficulty
EasyEstimated by Unreel from the recipe steps — the creator didn't state this.
Extraction confidence: high
Auto-generated from the video and rewritten in our own words. Double-check quantities against the source before cooking.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled to 4 servings
- 1 kg chicken pieces (any cut), any cut such as drumettes, wings, thighs, or breast; 1 kg total
- chili pepper or black pepper, to taste, chili pepper for heat, or black pepper for milder version; omit for children
- salt, to taste, for seasoning the chicken
- paprika, to taste, smoked paprika preferred
- vinegar or lemon juice, to taste, 2 tablespoons vinegar or 1 lemon
- cooking oil or fat, to taste, olive oil, lard, or any cooking fat of choice
- large onion, large onion, finely chopped
- garlic cloves, 6 cloves, minced; pre-made seasoned garlic can be substituted
- ripe tomatoes, 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped, with skin and seeds; cherry tomatoes also work
- tomato paste, to taste, optional, for deeper red color; can substitute with 1 tsp coloral
- water, approximately 350 ml, enough to nearly cover the chicken
- fresh parsley and chives, to taste, fresh parsley and chives, chopped
Preparation
- Step 1 · 5 minutesSeason the chicken pieces with salt, chili or black pepper, paprika, and vinegar or lemon juice. Mix well. Heat a wide pan over high heat with a drizzle of oil or fat. Once hot, arrange the chicken pieces skin-side down in a single layer. Cover and cook on high heat for about 5 minutes until golden. Flip the pieces, cover again, and cook another 5 minutes until browned on the second side. The goal is browning, not cooking through — the chicken will finish cooking in the sauce.Doneness — golden brown on both sides
- Step 2Lower the heat slightly. Add the minced garlic and stir to release its aroma into the chicken. Add the chopped onion and cook until golden and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, stirring well to coat everything. Let the tomatoes and paste lightly fry in the pan for a moment to develop flavor.
- Step 3 · 8–10 minutesPour in about 350 ml of water, enough to nearly cover the chicken. Stir well, cover the pan, and simmer over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. The chicken is done when it easily pulls away from the bone and the sauce is rich and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh parsley and chives. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Any cut of chicken works — drumettes, wings, thighs, or breast; the creator prefers drumettes and wings for juiciness
- Seasoning the chicken in advance (even overnight) yields better flavor
- The pan must be hot before adding chicken to achieve browning rather than steaming
- Brown the chicken skin-side down first, then flip; do not move frequently during browning
- Omit chili pepper if children will be eating
- Smoked paprika is preferred by the creator
- Tomato paste is optional; if omitted, the sauce will be less red; coloral can be used as a substitute
- The same method works in a pressure cooker
- Serve with polenta, rice and beans, or pasta