Brazilian Chicken Stew with Pequi
A soul-warming dish straight from Brazil's Cerrado savanna, where the exotic pequi fruit infuses the chicken with its bold, unmistakable flavor. This hearty one-pot stew is a staple of Minas Gerais and Goiás home cooking, celebrated for its rich golden broth and aromatic spices. A true taste of Brazil's heartland.
🛒 Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 whole chicken (about 2 kg), cut into pieces
- 15 to 20 pequi fruits, rinsed
- 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1 large bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp homemade seasoning (garlic, salt, black pepper)
- 1 heaping tbsp sweet paprika
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 malagueta peppers (or bird's eye chilies)
- 1 tbsp salt
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Directions
- 1
Cut the chicken into even pieces. Mix vinegar with half a cup of water, soak the chicken for 5 minutes, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water.
- 2
Season the chicken with the homemade spice blend and let it marinate for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- 3
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add crushed garlic and paprika, stirring for 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden.
- 4
Add the rinsed pequi fruits and sauté for 3 minutes, allowing them to release their distinctive aroma into the oil.
- 5
Add the chicken pieces and brown on all sides over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes.
- 6
Stir in onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and chilies. Cook together for 5 minutes.
- 7
Gradually add hot water (about 500 ml), cover and simmer on low heat for 30–40 minutes until the broth thickens and the chicken is fully cooked.
💡 Chef's Tip
Never bite into the pequi pit — it has tiny hidden spines that cause an intensely painful sensation! Simply suck the yellow pulp off the seed at the table. Outside Brazil, look for canned pequi at Latin American grocery stores.
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