Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff Recipe

You might be saying, ‘well, that doesn’t look like Stroganoff’. And the truth is, that’s what I said too. It's not the brown-beef-and-mushroom-sour-cream-sauce version that my Mom always made in the midwest. But this, my friends, is Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff and it is delicious!

As we are moving to São Paulo, Brazil from Hoboken, NJ, I figured it was time to get my Brazil on! This Stroganoff, called Estrogonofe de Frango in Portuguese, is a popular Brazilian dish. My version is a quick 30 minute dinner!

There are a few key differences vs. it’s Russian beef stroganoff cousin. Rather than beef broth and a brown mushroom sauce, it’s base is tomato sauce and chicken broth. I kept the mushrooms in my version, which I found in my research was in some, but not all Brazilian recipes. Then half and half (my variation on the traditional heavy cream) is added vs. sour cream to the sauce to give it that beautiful pink-orange color.

Finally, it’s served over rice rather than the egg noodles and garnished with potato sticks, or batata palha, on top!

Ingredients and Swaps

Fridge or Fresh Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless – You can swap in boneless skinless chicken thighs. I always have raw chicken breasts in the freezer as they can last up to 12 months if in an airtight container or packaging.
• Yellow onion, medium – You need about a cup diced, so you can use large or small onions to get to this amount. Shallots or red onions will work as well.
• Garlic Cloves, minced or 4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Mushrooms, sliced – Mushrooms are not necessary in the Brazilian version of Stroganoff, but I love them and they give a nod to the Russian version.
• Dijon mustard – there is little spice or heavy seasonings added to this recipe, so it really needed some flavor added and dijon adds the perfect amount of tang and spice.
• Half and half – You can use heavy cream in this recipe, as is what is typically used, but I wanted something a bit lighter, so I went with Half and Half.
• Cilantro, chopped – This recipe was screaming for some bright flavor and since I adore fresh cilantro cooked into Slow Cooker Brazilian Black Beans, I thought to add them here too. You could use dried cilantro in a real pinch, but fresh is really the way to go here. If you don’t have or don’t like cilantro, you could use fresh parsley. However, since parsley doesn’t have much flavor, I would also consider adding oregano.

Pantry Ingredients

• Olive Oil, Salt and Ground black pepper
• Tomato sauce – you could also use pureed, crushed, or diced canned tomatoes.
• Tomato paste – this adds depth of flavor, but you could leave it out if you don’t have it.
• Chicken broth or stock – You can also use vegetable broth or stock.
• Cornstarch – this is used as a quick and easy way to thicken the sauce just a bit.
• Uncooked long grain rice
• Potato sticks, or batata palha - These can be difficult to find at your local grocery store. If you cannot find any, you can get Batata Palha through Amazon. You can also sprinkle crushed potato chips on top.

Simple Kitchen Equipment and Tools

I made this recipe in a dutch oven.

You could use any other soup pot or high sided pan or skillet.

For mincing garlic, I used a Garlic Press.

How to Prep for Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff

Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch bite-size pieces and sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper. Set it aside.

Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves. Chop the cilantro and separate 2 tablespoons out for garnish.

Slice the mushrooms if they’re not already sliced.

Cooking Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff

Preheat a Dutch oven or high sided large pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, the mushrooms, and the onions. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, until the mushrooms reduce by half and the onions start to turn translucent.

Add the garlic and chicken and cook until the chicken is completely white, no longer pink on the outside, about 8 minutes (you can cover to speed up the cooking time to 4-5 minutes).

Add the fresh cilantro, dijon mustard, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and broth. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add according to taste. Once it begins boiling (takes about 2 minutes on med-high heat), reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the half and half or heavy cream and stir to combine. Simmer over medium heat for a final 5 minutes so sauce can thicken.

Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley. Enjoy!

What to Serve with Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff?

You can of course it this straight from a bowl. However, I love to serve it over a bowl of  Brazilian Rice {with Onions and Garlic}. It also tastes great with egg noodles. Quinoa or mashed potatoes would also be terrific.

You could also add this  Sauteed Kale with Bacon and Garlic {Couve a Mineira} for a nice green side dish.

And for dessert, how about  Brigadeiros! Brazilian Chocolate Dessert Truffles?

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this Chicken Stroganoff in the Slow Cooker?Yes, this can be made in the slow cooker! To do so, you can simply add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the half and half, rice, and reserved cilantro for garnish. Mix to combine and set the slow cooker to 6 hours or 8 hours, depending on your schedule. Add the half and half right at the end (Step 4).

Can I use chicken thighs in this stroganoff recipe?You can use chicken thighs in this Chicken Stroganoff and I recommend sticking with boneless skinless thighs for easy prep and cooking. Consider the amount of thighs that you will need as well. Generally, I estimate 16 ounces or 1 pound of chicken for 4 servings. That will likely mean 5-6 boneless skinless thighs, depending on their size. The recipe instructions will be the same for thighs as the breasts.

Can I serve this Brazilian Stroganoff over noodles?Traditionally, this Chicken Stroganoff is served over rice in Brazil. However, you can certainly serve it with egg noodles or even quinoa or other pasta.

Is this Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff Gluten Free?This Stroganoff recipe is gluten free with the ingredients listed. However, as with any recipe that you find online, make sure that you double check all packaging ingredient labels to ensure that it does not contain gluten.

Can I make this Stroganoff ahead?You can absolutely make this Chicken Stroganoff ahead! This dish reheats beautifully and is a great meal prep option for enjoying several days during the week! To reheat, you can place it in a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 1-2 minutes. Or you can place it back in a pot covered on the stove and warm it on medium heat. It will take about 10-15 minutes.

Be sure to check out the web story for this Brazilian Chicken Stroganoff!