Brazilian Coconut Chicken with Toasted Farofa and Amaranth
Chicken breast marinated with cumin, chilli, turmeric and coriander, then seared and finished in a fragrant coconut, tomato, ginger and chilli sauce. Lime adds freshness while toasted cassava farofa provides a distinctly Brazilian textural contrast. Purple amaranth microgreens bring a dramatic final colour accent.
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Print Pin RateServings: 4 Servings
Calories: 486kcal
Cost: £12.00
Equipment
- 1 Bowl to marinate chicken
- 1 Heavy Duty Pan or Skillet
- 1 Frying Pan, for farofa
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- 3 g Ground Cumin 1 tsp
- 3 g Mild Chilli Powder 1 tsp
- 3 g Ground Turmeric 1 tsp
- 3 g Ground Coriander 1 tsp
- 3 g Fine Sea Salt ½ tsp
Chicken
- 4 each Chicken Breasts, approximately 170–180g each 6–6½ oz each
- 30 ml Olive Oil 1 fl oz
- 1 each Lime, finely grated zest
- 15 ml Fresh Lime Juice ½ fl oz
Coconut Sauce
- 120 g Onion, finely chopped 4¼ oz
- 15 g Fresh Ginger, finely grated ½ oz
- 2 each Green Chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 each Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- 300 g Ripe Tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped 10½ oz
- 15 g Clear Honey ½ oz
- 400 ml Coconut Milk 14 fl oz
- 100 ml Chicken Stock 3½ fl oz
- 15 ml Fresh Lime Juice ½ fl oz
- Fine Sea Salt as required
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper as required
Toasted Farofa
- 80 g Cassava Flour 2¾ oz
- 20 g Unsalted Butter ¾ oz
- 20 g Desiccated Coconut ¾ oz
- 2 g Fine Sea Salt ⅓ tsp
To Finish
- 20 g Fresh Coriander Leaves ¾ oz
- 15 g Purple Amaranth Microgreens ½ oz
- 20 g Toasted Coconut Flakes ¾ oz
- 1 each Lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Combine the cumin, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander and salt.
- Trim the chicken breasts and lightly flatten the thickest section to ensure even cooking.
- Rub the chicken with the spice mixture, lime zest and lime juice and leave to marinate for approximately 20–30 minutes..
- Heat half of the olive oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken breasts and sear for approximately 3–4 minutes on each side until well coloured.
- Remove from the pan and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining olive oil, onion, ginger, green chilli and garlic, cook gently for approximately 4–5 minutes until softened and aromatic..
- Add the tomatoes and honey and cook for approximately 6–8 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has become concentrated..
- Add the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring gently to a simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes..
- Blend the sauce until smooth using a hand blender.
- Return the sauce to the pan and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper and then add the chicken breasts to the sauce. .
- Simmer gently for approximately 5–7 minutes, depending on thickness, until the chicken is cooked through and remains moist.
- Remove the chicken and rest for 3–4 minutes and add the fresh lime juice to the sauce and adjust the seasoning..
For Farofa
- Melt the butter in a deep pan, add the cassava flour and cook, stirring continuously, for approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the desiccated coconut and salt and continue cooking until the mixture is lightly toasted, dry and aromatic.
- Remove from the heat and reserve.
Presentation
- Slice each chicken breast diagonally into four or five thick pieces.
- Spoon a generous pool of coconut sauce slightly off-centre and arrange the sliced chicken breast over the sauce in a loose overlapping fan, keeping the spice-seared surface visible.
- Place a narrow line or small mound of toasted coconut farofa alongside the chicken rather than scattering it across the entire plate.
- Finish with fresh coriander leaves, toasted coconut flakes and a small cluster of purple amaranth microgreens positioned against the golden chicken and sauce for strong visual contrast. Add a lime wedge at the edge of the plate.
- For a more dramatic Brazilian presentation, line part of the plate or serving platter with a small piece of banana leaf, ensuring the food remains principally on the plate rather than directly on the leaf.
Notes
The spice mixture may be prepared in larger quantities and stored in an airtight container. It also works well with prawns, pork, grilled vegetables and firm fish.
Searing whole chicken breasts rather than strips gives a cleaner restaurant presentation and helps retain moisture.
The sauce should be smooth, aromatic and lightly coating rather than thick or heavy.
Lime is important for balancing the richness of the coconut milk and should be added at the end to preserve its freshness.
Cassava flour is fundamental to Brazilian farofa and provides a distinctive toasted texture. When unavailable, coarse breadcrumbs may be used, although the result will be less characteristically Brazilian.
Purple amaranth microgreens are recommended primarily for colour and their mild earthy flavour. Purple radish microgreens may be substituted if necessary.
For buffet service, the chicken may be cut into thick strips before cooking and finished directly in the coconut sauce.
A small amount of finely diced fresh pineapple or mango may be added as a garnish for a more tropical interpretation, but I would keep it restrained so that the coconut, spice and lime remain the principal flavours.
Nutrition
Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 564mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1331IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 6mg
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