Brazilian Golden Chicken and Rice (Galinhada)

Name: Brazilian Golden Chicken and Rice (Galinhada)
Prep time: 90 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Brésilienne
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut into small pieces; 3 cups long-grain rice; 1 onion, finely chopped; 1 onion, sliced into rings; 8 garlic cloves, crushed; Fresh parsley and chives, chopped; 2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced; Salt and black pepper to taste; Juice of 1 lemon; Vegetable oil for frying

By Marie Lefebvre · Updated November 2, 2026

Galinhada is the ultimate comfort food from Brazil's Minas Gerais region — crispy golden chicken pieces cooked together with fragrant rice that absorbs every drop of rich, savory broth. Simple, hearty, and deeply satisfying for a crowd.

Prep⏱️ 90 min

Servings👥 8 servings

Difficulty📊 Medium

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🛒 Ingredients

8 servings

1 whole chicken, cut into small pieces
3 cups long-grain rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 onion, sliced into rings
8 garlic cloves, crushed
Fresh parsley and chives, chopped
2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Vegetable oil for frying

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Directions

1
Cut the chicken into small, evenly sized pieces for uniform cooking.
2
In a large bowl, combine the chicken with salt, 4 crushed garlic cloves, pepper, lemon juice, and chopped onion. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
3
Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Fry the chicken in small batches until deeply golden on all sides. Set aside.
4
Meanwhile, toast the rice in a separate pan with a drizzle of oil, add slightly less water than usual, and cook until almost all water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
5
Once all chicken is fried, drain most of the oil from the pot, leaving just a thin layer.
6
Add onion rings, diced tomatoes, and remaining garlic to the pot. Sauté for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits.
7
Pour 3 cups of water into the pot and bring to a boil.
8
Add the par-cooked rice and golden chicken pieces. Stir in fresh herbs and adjust seasoning.
9
Arrange everything evenly, cover, and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
10
Serve straight from the pot, garnished with fresh herbs.

💡 Chef's Tip

The key to perfect galinhada is par-cooking the rice first — it finishes perfectly while absorbing all the flavor from the chicken broth. A pinch of turmeric adds a beautiful golden color typical of the traditional recipe.