Frango com Quiabo (Brazilian Chicken and Okra Stew)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 8bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 tbspolive oil(divided)
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 3tomatoes(diced)
• 1.5 cupschicken stock
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 500 gokra(sliced into rounds)
• 1 tbsplime juice
• 2 tbspchopped cilantro(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the chicken

   Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 10 minutes total; remove.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Cook onion in the same pot until soft, add garlic, then stir in tomatoes, cooking 5 minutes until they break down.

3. 3

   Braise the chicken

   Return the chicken to the pot with stock, salt and pepper; cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until the chicken is tender.

4. 4

   Saute the okra separately

   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.

5. 5

   Combine

   Stir the sauteed okra into the chicken stew and simmer together 10 more minutes until the sauce thickens naturally.

6. 6

   Serve

   Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove, as the sauce may thicken further on standing.

Frequently Asked Questions