Brazilian Risoles (Chicken and Cheese Croquettes)

By
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Updated on 07/14/21
Brazilian Risoles

The Spruce / Marian Blazes

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1484 Calories
142g Fat
40g Carbs
17g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 1484
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 142g 181%
Saturated Fat 14g 69%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 676mg 29%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 13mg 65%
Calcium 143mg 11%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 257mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Risoles are a popular Indonesian specialty—crispy croquettes with a creamy filling. It turns out that risoles are quite popular in Brazil as well, although they are prepared in a slightly different way. Indonesian risoles have a crepe-like wrapper that you fill and roll up, and then deep-fry. Brazilian risoles are like breaded empanadas—the dough is rolled out and filled, breaded, then deep-fried. Both styles are delicious and can have many types of fillings. This recipe is for a standard (but yummy) chicken and cheese filling.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups milk

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 pound chicken breasts

  • 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chicken broth

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 cup minced onion

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper

  • 1 chicken bouillon cube

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/3 cup milk, or cream

  • 1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese

  • 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

  • 6 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Steps to Make It

  1. Place milk, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, then slowly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until you have a stiff batter.

  2. Continue to stir over heat for 2 to 3 minutes more, until well mixed, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.

  3. Place the chicken breasts in a larger saucepan and cover with water or chicken stock. Cover, bring to a gentle boil and poach chicken until it's just cooked through about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, reserving cooking liquid.

  4. Shred chicken into very small pieces when cool enough to handle (you can use a food processor with the plastic blade for this).

  5. Cook the onion, garlic, and bell pepper in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil until they are soft and fragrant.

  6. Add the shredded chicken to the vegetables with 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth and the cube of chicken bouillon. Cook, stirring until most of the water is absorbed or evaporated.

  7. Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the chicken mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the milk and cook until mixture is thickened and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  8. Knead the milk and flour dough lightly, adding a little more flour if necessary, until smooth. Pinch off a small piece and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a 4-inch circle (about 2 millimeters thick). Continue with remaining dough, stacking the circles of dough as you go. (Or roll out half the dough into a large rectangle and cut circles with a large round cookie or biscuit cutter, then repeat with the other half of the dough).

  9. Place about 1 tablespoon of the chicken mixture inside each circle of dough, and fold in half to close. Seal edges firmly.

  10. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs together with a 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.

  11. Dip each pastry into the egg wash, and then into the bread crumbs. Set aside on a plate.

  12. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy skillet with tall sides to 350 F.

  13. Fry the risoles in batches until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm.

  14. Risoles may be kept warm (or reheated) in a 200 F oven for up to an hour. Risoles may be prepared and breaded, then refrigerated for several hours before frying.