Brazilian classics are my favorite recipes to cook at home! If you love it like I do, make sure to also check out my Feijoada, Camarão na Moranga, Moqueca Baiana and Feijão Tropeiro. I have yet to meet someone that can resist a plate of galinhada right out of the stove. It is truly a soul warming dish! Similar to Arroz con Pollo or a seafood-less paella, this Brazilian version is even better! I know, I know. You will say that I am biased, and I might be! But I guess you won’t be able to disagree with me until you make it and try for yourself. 😉 Whatever you do, do not skip marinading the chicken! That’s what makes all the difference, plus we also use the remaining marinade to add more flavor to the rice and to give the dish its signature yellowish color.
What is Galinhada?
Galinhada is a Brazilian dish that traditionally consists of hen cooked with rice and vegetables, similar to Arroz con Pollo and Spanish Paella. Its origins are disputed by the state of Goiás and the state of Minas Gerais. However, my research shows that the dish actually started with Portuguese expeditioners (bandeirantes), who explored Brazil searching for gold, especially in Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Goiás. They would either carry the hens with them, or would buy them from small farms along the way. Since Galinhada is filling and easy to make, it became popular and is now strongly associated with Brazilian cuisine! Nowadays, there are as many recipes as there are home cooks! Every family has a special galinhada recipe. Modern cooks (myself included) will use chicken instead of the traditional free-range hens, but purists will say that it’s a heresy! And while a pot of galinhada is a great call year round, it is often served on Holy Saturday, to celebrate the end of Lent. Legend has it that a good galinhada was a galinhada made with stolen hens, so – after fasting the 40 days for Lent – people would invade hen houses to steal their special ingredient! But, don’t worry, it was customary to then invite the previous hen owner to eat the galinhada! 😂 😂 😂 Another fun fact is that the dish is also popular as a cure for hangover. There is even a saying that says: “O que a pinga estraga, a galinha cura“, which translates to “What the pinga (a Brazilian spirit) ruins, the hen cures.”
Ingredients
To make Galinhada, you will need:
Chicken – This dish is traditionally made with a whole chicken, cut into pieces, but my version only calls for boneless chicken thighs as I find that it makes it easier to eat with just a fork.Sausage – I use calabresa sausage, which is a Brazilian sausage. If you can’t find it near you, you can substitute for kielbasa or even chorizo.A marinade – made of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, parsley, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.OnionCarrotTomatoes – The recipe calls for fresh tomatoes, but you can use canned diced tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand!Rice – Any long-grain white rice will work. In Brazil, this dish is traditionally made with agulinha rice, but here in the U.S. I like using jasmine rice to make this dish.White Wine – For deglazing the pan.Chicken Broth – Homemade or store-bought.Bay LeavesParsleySalt and Pepper
How to Make Galinhada
While traditional Galinhada was made on rustic wood stoves, with free-range hens, my version is easy, made with chicken thighs that you can find at any grocery store and cooked on your good old stove! Yes, it is easy to make but it does require some planning, as you will have to marinade the chicken. Don’t even think about skipping this step or your Galinhada won’t be the same! But the good news is that you can marinate the chicken the night before (or even the morning of, if you are making it for dinner). And as for which pot to use, I used a 3.6 quart Cast Iron Casserole Dish, but you can use a 4qt (or larger) Dutch Oven instead. Recommended tools and equipment: Food processor, Bowl, Braiser or Dutch Oven. Here’s how I make Galinhada. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!
Step 1: Marinate the chicken.
Prepare a paste with the olive oil, onion, garlic, turmeric, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper in the food processor.In a bowl, combine the diced chicken thighs with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 2: Cook the chicken, sausage and veggies.
Brown the sausage.Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later. Brown the chicken on all sides.Sauté the onion and carrot.Deglaze the pan with white wine. You can omit this step if desired!Add the chicken broth, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Step 3: Cook the rice.
First, rinse your rice. While we want our galinhada to be creamy, we don’t want it to be sticky, so it’s recommended to rinse to get rid of the extra starch.Add the rice, tomatoes, reserved marinade, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pot with the chicken.Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Let it sit for 10 minutes, covered, before stirring the chopped parsley and serving!
Serving Galinhada
Galinhada is perfect and satisfying as is, but you can also serve a simple green salad or a vegetable side to round out the meal! Some people like to serve it with lime wedges for squeezing, saying it helps to balance some of the richness of this dish. However, since my marinade recipe already contains apple cider vinegar, I find that it is not necessary.
Galinhada Variations
As I mentioned earlier, there are many versions of Galinhada. This is a dish that allows creativity, so feel free to play with it and create your version! Here are some suggestions:
Storage and Freezing
Fridge – Store leftovers (after they’ve cooled completely) in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.Freezer – Galinhada can be frozen in freezer safe containers or bags, for up to 3 months.
More Rice Dishes
Arroz de Forno (Creamy Rice Casserole)One Pan Mexican Beef and Rice CasseroleChicken and Chorizo PaellaBrazilian Dirty RiceDirty Rice with Smoked Sausage and Bacon
