Brazilian recipe
Whole-wheat Brazilian Chicken Pie (Empadão de Frango)
A hearty and delicious whole-wheat chicken pie with a crisp crust and creamy filling. A wholesome, satisfying meal perfect for any occasion.
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Ingredients
1 kg chicken breast, cooked and shredded
300 g fresh ricotta cheese
Milk (to bind the filling)
Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
Spring onions, chopped, to taste
1 cup cornflour
1 cup wholewheat flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup wheat bran
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 g margarine
Sunflower oil (to bind the dough)
Egg yolk (for glazing)
300 g fresh ricotta cheese
Milk (to bind the filling)
Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste
Spring onions, chopped, to taste
1 cup cornflour
1 cup wholewheat flour
1 cup cake flour
1 cup wheat bran
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
100 g margarine
Sunflower oil (to bind the dough)
Egg yolk (for glazing)
Where to find ingredients
Most of these ingredients are readily available at your local South African supermarket, like Pick n Pay, Checkers, or Woolworths. Look for wholewheat flour, cake flour, wheat bran, and cornflour (often labelled as corn starch) in the baking or health food aisles. Fresh ricotta can be found in the dairy section. If you're looking for specific Brazilian ingredients or pantry staples, try a dedicated Latin American or import foods store in larger centres, or check online specialty food retailers.
Preparation method
- Cook the chicken breast until tender, then shred it finely
- In a bowl, prepare the filling: mash or process the ricotta. Add about 1/2 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of cornflour (or cake flour), and salt to taste, mixing well to achieve a good binding consistency. Stir in the chopped parsley, spring onions, and any other preferred seasonings
- Allow the filling to cool completely
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for the pastry: cornflour, wholewheat flour, cake flour, wheat bran, salt, and baking powder
- Add the egg and margarine to the dry ingredients. Start working the mixture with your hands, rubbing the fat into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs, similar to making a 'farofa' texture
- Gradually add sunflower oil, just enough to bind the dough so it starts to come together and pulls away cleanly from your hands without being sticky
- To assemble the pie's top crust: place a portion of the dough onto a large plastic bag and roll it out into a rectangle, large enough to cover your baking dish
- Line the bottom and sides of a baking dish (approximately 30 cm in diameter) with the remaining pastry dough. Roll this thinner to line the dish evenly
- Fill the pastry-lined dish with the cooled chicken and ricotta mixture
- Carefully place the prepared top crust (from the plastic bag) over the filling, sealing the edges securely
- Brush the surface of the pastry with the egg yolk for a lovely golden glaze
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through
- Serve the pie warm, ideally with a side of brown rice and a fresh watercress salad
Observations
This whole-wheat chicken pie offers a healthier, fibre-rich twist on a classic Brazilian favourite, ensuring you don't miss out on flavour or comfort.
It's a brilliant combination of a crunchy whole-wheat pastry and a savoury shredded chicken filling with creamy ricotta. This makes for a truly wholesome and satisfying meal, ideal for a family dinner, a hearty lunch, or even packed lunches to take to work or school. It's a proper no-fuss dish that's bound to become a regular in your recipe rotation.
It's a brilliant combination of a crunchy whole-wheat pastry and a savoury shredded chicken filling with creamy ricotta. This makes for a truly wholesome and satisfying meal, ideal for a family dinner, a hearty lunch, or even packed lunches to take to work or school. It's a proper no-fuss dish that's bound to become a regular in your recipe rotation.
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