Galinhada

Medium·20 min

A rustic one-pot of chicken and rice tinted golden with annatto or saffron, studded with peppers, peas and tomato. A countryside classic of Minas Gerais and Goias, born from the wandering bandeirante expeditions.

A countryside dish of Minas Gerais and Goias, traditionally cooked by the 17th-century bandeirantes on their expeditions.

Golden, fragrant rice carries the savoury juices of tender braised chicken in every bite. Sweet peas and peppers add little bursts of freshness against the warm annatto colour. Homey, satisfying and built for sharing.

Browning the chicken builds fond and renders flavourful fat that the rice toasts in, so the grains then absorb the chicken-infused stock for a deeply seasoned, evenly golden result.

Variations

galinhada mineira with pequi fruit, with sausage, with okra, soupier risotto-style version

On the Palate

Where Galinhada sits in the Brazilian flavor cloud

Ingredients

Serves 6

How it's made

8 steps · 20 min

1
15 min
Season bone-in chicken pieces with garlic, salt and lime, then let them marinate.
2
8 min
Brown the chicken in oil in a large pot until golden on all sides.
Watch out
Brown the chicken hard and deep on all sides — that stuck-on fond is what flavours the whole pot of rice.
3
6 min
Remove the chicken and saute onion, garlic and chopped tomato in the drippings.
4
2 min
Stir in annatto or a pinch of saffron to colour the fat golden.
5
3 min
Add the rice and toast it briefly in the seasoned base.
Watch out
Toast the rice in the seasoned fat until the grains turn glossy and smell nutty before any liquid goes in.
6
3 min
Return the chicken, add hot stock, and bring to a simmer.
7
20 min
Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the chicken cooked through.
Watch out
Cover and leave it alone until the rice drinks up the stock — lifting the lid or stirring makes it gummy.
8
3 min
Stir through green peas and chopped parsley before serving.