Timed Reading — Street Food

Coxinha is one of the most popular street foods in Brazil. It is a small, fried snack made from dough filled with shredded chicken and cream cheese. The dough is shaped to look like a chicken leg. It is then coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried until golden and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Brazilians eat coxinha at any time of day — for breakfast, as a snack, or at parties.

The word “coxinha” means “little thigh” in Portuguese. According to one popular story, the snack was invented in the royal palace in São Paulo in the 1800s. Princess Isabel’s young son was a picky eater. He would only eat chicken thighs. One day, the palace cook ran out of chicken thighs. So, he took all the remaining chicken meat, shaped it to look like a thigh, coated it in dough, and fried it. The boy was happy. The cook served the same dish again and again — and eventually it spread beyond the palace walls.

By the mid-twentieth century, vendors were selling coxinha from carts and small shops across Brazil. They were cheap, easy to eat with one hand, and very satisfying. Over time, coxinha moved beyond the street. Today they are sold in supermarkets, airports, and restaurants. Popular restaurant chains like Burger King and Starbucks have even added them to their menus. This simple street snack has become a national food eaten across the country. Not bad for a dish that started with a picky prince and a clever cook.