Hello, foodies! I have been posting a lot of quick and easy recipes. Today’s recipe takes a bit longer but I promise it will be worth it. I’m excited to introduce you to a beloved classic from Brazil â Chicken Stroganoff. Prepare your taste buds for a flavorful adventure!
So what is chicken Stroganoff? Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff, also known as “Estrogonofe de Frango” in Portuguese, is a popular dish in Brazil. It has its roots in the classic Beef Stroganoff, which is a classic Russian dish that made its way to Brazil and underwent some delicious adaptations to suit local tastes and available ingredients. In Brazil, Chicken Stroganoff has become a staple in many households and is often served at family gatherings, celebrations, and restaurants. It’s a creamy and savory dish that combines tender chunks of chicken with a rich, flavorful sauce made from ingredients like tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and cream. It’s typically served with rice and often accompanied by shoestring potato fries (batata palha) for that perfect blend of textures and flavors.
Ingredients for Brazilian stroganoff:
- Approximately 800g of boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes or strips.
- button mushrooms (optional): Traditionally this dish is made with mushrooms, I will walk you through it in case you want to add mushrooms, but I will be omitting them from mine since I am not the world’s biggest mushroom fan.
- small yellow or white onion: always use finely chopped onions for stroganoff.
- 3 cloves of garlic: minced
- 1/4 cup of tomato sauce: I used tomato passata here, you can also use a tablespoon of tomato paste instead.
- for the creamy sauce you will also need : ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and brandy or whiskey. If you do not want to use alcohol that’s fine your recipe will still turn out great!
- 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream also called whipping cream: I believe the Russian version of this dish uses sour cream. Since sour cream is not readily available in Brazil, the recipe was adapted to use whipping cream instead. This does result in a dish that is considerably less sour.
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cut the chicken breast into 2.5cm cubes or strips and place them in a large bowl. Season them with salt. Keep them at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Slice the button mushrooms into 3 slices each (cut smaller ones in half).
- Peel and finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- Heat a large skillet pan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Brown the chicken cubes in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Use tongs or a silicone spatula to turn the cubes for even browning. Transfer them to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more olive oil and butter as needed. The goal here is to cook the chicken but not to overcook it so it does not become dry. Do not worry about browning the chicken, no one will see once its covered with sauce, just make sure it is not raw before removing it from the pan. Transfer all cooked chicken to a plate or bowl and set aside.
5. Reduce the heat of the pan and add another tablespoon of olive oil. To your empty skillet Add the chopped onion, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Use this time to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful bits.
6. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute to release its fragrance.
7. Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, and brandy mixing thoroughly to let the alcohol evaporate.
8. Return the browned chicken to the pan. Add the fresh cream, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
9. If you are using mushrooms, Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes until they become slightly tender.
10. Serve hot, traditionally with white rice and shoestring potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Yes! Â you can also make it with beef or even mushrooms for a vegetarian version.
Brandy adds a unique flavor to the dish, but if you prefer to omit it, you can do so. The dish will still be delicious.
Yes, you can use canned mushrooms if fresh ones are not available. Just make sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the dish.
While rice and shoestring potatoes are traditional accompaniments, you can also serve it with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or steamed vegetables, depending on your preferences.
The Russian version I believe uses sour cream. Since sour cream is not readily available in Brazil it is typical to use whipping cream/heavy cream instead.Â
Typically, simmering the sauce for about 10 minutes should suffice to achieve the desired thickness. However, if you find yourself feeling a bit impatient, here’s a trick you can try: create a slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with a small amount of heavy cream, then add this mixture to your pan. It will thicken the sauce, but honestly, I don’t believe it’s necessary. My recommendation would be to exercise a touch more patience and allow your sauce to naturally thicken as it cooks
yes you can substitute that for whipping cream
Yes, you can substitute that for whipping cream.Â
Because of the whipping cream used in this recipe, I would not recommend it.Â
This lasts for about 2-3 days if kept in an airtight container inside your fridge. You can reheat it in your microwave or use a small saucepan to reheat any leftovers.Â
glad you asked! yes! let me know if you would like me to post a recipe.Â
If you live in Canada you can order it from brazilianmarket.com and they deliver it to your doorstep. (There are no affiliate links in this post, this is just what I use).
Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff (Estrogonofe de Frango)
Equipment
- 1 large bowl
- 1 large skillet
- 1 kitchen tongs or silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 800g boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes or strips (approximately)
- 200 g of button mushrooms optional
- 1/2 small onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of brandy or whiskey: also optional.
- 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream also called whipping cream
- Olive oil as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into 2.5cm cubes or strips and place them in a large bowl. Season them with salt. Keep them at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Slice the button mushrooms into 3 slices each (cut smaller ones in half).
- Peel and finely chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
- Heat a large skillet pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and brown the chicken cubes in batches, without overcrowding the pan. Use tongs or a silicone spatula to turn the cubes for even browning. Transfer them to a bowl and repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more olive oil as needed. Transfer all cooked chicken to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat of the pan and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3 minutes. Use this time to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful bits.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute to release its fragrance.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, and brandy mixing thoroughly to let the alcohol evaporate.
- Return the browned chicken to the pan, Add the fresh cream, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 2 minutes until they become slightly tender.
- Serve hot, traditionally with white rice and shoestring potatoes.
How about you? Have you ever had a Brazilian dish before? And have you tried this Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff recipe? Don’t forget to leave us a review and share your culinary adventures with us on social media!
Turned out great!
Yay!!! Glad you liked it đ