Chicken braised with okra until the stew turns naturally thick and silky, a Minas Gerais countryside specialty.
Frango com quiabo comes from Minas Gerais, Brazil's mountainous interior state known for its rustic, farmhouse-style cooking, where chicken and okra are simmered together until the stew develops a naturally thickened, almost velvety consistency. The okra is sauteed separately first at high heat, a crucial step that helps reduce its characteristic sliminess before it joins the chicken, which is braised with tomato, onion and garlic until fully tender. Combined and simmered together in the final stage, the released okra starch thickens the sauce naturally without any flour or cornstarch, giving the dish its distinctive body, traditionally served with rice, angu (cornmeal porridge) and a side of collard greens.
Serves 4
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 10 minutes total; remove.
Cook onion in the same pot until soft, add garlic, then stir in tomatoes, cooking 5 minutes until they break down.
Return the chicken to the pot with stock, salt and pepper; cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Meanwhile, saute the sliced okra in the remaining oil over high heat with the lime juice, stirring frequently, 8-10 minutes until lightly browned and less slimy.
Sauteing the okra hot and fast in a separate pan before adding it to the stew reduces its characteristic sliminess considerably.
Stir the sauteed okra into the chicken stew and simmer together 10 more minutes until the sauce thickens naturally.
Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.
Saute the okra separately at high heat with a splash of acid (lime juice or vinegar) before adding it to the stew — this significantly reduces its sliminess.
Don't stir the finished stew too vigorously once the okra is added, since overworking it releases more of its natural mucilage.
Serve with a starchy side like rice or angu to soak up the thickened, flavorful sauce.
Some versions add a bit of smoked bacon or linguica for extra depth.
A vegetarian version uses mushrooms in place of chicken for a similar thickened stew.
Frango com quiabo is often paired specifically with angu, a simple cornmeal porridge, in traditional Minas Gerais meals.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove, as the sauce may thicken further on standing.
Frango com quiabo is a signature dish of Minas Gerais, a landlocked mountainous state in Brazil known for its rich culinary traditions rooted in colonial-era mining towns and rural farmhouse cooking passed down through generations.
Saute it separately at high heat with a splash of acid like lime juice or vinegar before adding it to the stew — this breaks down much of the mucilage.
Frozen okra works too, though it releases a bit more liquid; pat it dry before the high-heat saute step.
Simmer the combined chicken and okra a bit longer, uncovered, to let the natural okra starch thicken the sauce further.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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