Brazilian recipe
Creamy Chicken Bobó: A Traditional Recipe (Bobó de frango)
Experience the rich, velvety texture of this classic Brazilian chicken stew, expertly thickened with root cassava and infused with fragrant dendê oil.
0.0 / 5 by 0 Reviews
Ingredients
1 kg chicken breast, cubed
4 large onions, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg cassava (aipim/mandioca)
2 tablespoons azeite de dendê
200 ml coconut milk
1/2 liter white cachaça
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 liter chicken stock
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
4 large onions, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
1 kg cassava (aipim/mandioca)
2 tablespoons azeite de dendê
200 ml coconut milk
1/2 liter white cachaça
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 liter chicken stock
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish
Where to find ingredients
Cassava (manioc) and fresh tropical produce can be sourced at municipal markets or local farmers' markets in Fiji. Look for 'dendê' oil and 'cachaça' at specialized international grocers or well-stocked supermarkets in urban centers like Suva or Nadi. If azeite de dendê is unavailable, red palm oil is the closest culinary equivalent, though it will slightly alter the authentic flavor profile.
Preparation method
- Peel the cassava and place it in a large pot, ideally an earthenware clay pot.
- Layer the sliced onions over the cassava.
- Season with salt and cover with the chicken stock.
- Simmer over low heat until the cassava is thoroughly tender.
- Remove the cassava from the heat and mash it while still warm.
- Set aside the cooking liquid from the cassava.
- In a separate large pot, sauté the crushed garlic and chopped onion in olive oil until golden.
- Add the cubed chicken and sear until browned on all sides.
- Stir in 4 tablespoons of cachaça and allow the alcohol to evaporate completely.
- Use the remaining cachaça for the subsequent simmering process.
- Mix in the azeite de dendê, tomato sauce, and the chicken stock to the sautéed mixture.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set them aside.
- Place the pot with the remaining cooking broth back over the heat.
- Whisk in the mashed cassava and coconut milk until smooth.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until a thick, creamy consistency is achieved.
- Return the reserved chicken pieces to the cassava cream and heat through.
- Remove from the heat and fold in the chopped parsley.
- Transfer the bobó to a serving dish and serve piping hot.
Observations
Chicken Bobó is a revered staple of Brazilian comfort food, cherished for its smooth, velvety consistency and deep, layered flavors. This traditional preparation features tender chicken breast cubes, boiled and mashed cassava (also known as manioc or yuca), rich coconut milk, and the hallmark addition of azeite de dendê, which imparts a vibrant color and unique earthy note to the sauce.
Perfect for a hearty Sunday family meal or for impressing guests at a dinner party, this dish is surprisingly straightforward to master. The secret lies in the base: cassava, once boiled and pureed, melds seamlessly with the aromatics and chicken stock to create a luxuriously thick foundation that perfectly coats each morsel of sautéed chicken.
Perfect for a hearty Sunday family meal or for impressing guests at a dinner party, this dish is surprisingly straightforward to master. The secret lies in the base: cassava, once boiled and pureed, melds seamlessly with the aromatics and chicken stock to create a luxuriously thick foundation that perfectly coats each morsel of sautéed chicken.
Ratings and comments