Fried Chicken Bites (Frango a Passarinho)

Fried chicken bites are a Brazilian appetizer (‘frango a passarinho’) that consists of chicken wings marinated, breaded, and fried until crispy. It is served with garlic oil and parsley, plus a very cold beer!

Do you love chicken wings?

Well, me too! I enjoy them, even more, when they are crispy and well seasoned.

These Brazilian fried chicken wings are these and more.

Although they are traditionally deep-fried, you can alternatively cook them in the air fryer or bake them in the oven.

They are also easy to prepare and budget-friendly. You may use the wings whole or divide them in the joint to get drumettes, wingettes, and wing tips.

They can be served as an appetizer for sports games such as The Super Bowl, Brazilian Carnival, casual parties, and get-togethers.

What's Frango a Passarinho?

Translated literally as 'little birdie chicken', frango a passarinho is a typical Brazilian appetizer consisting of small cuts of chicken (wings) marinated in lime juice and seasonings, breaded with a mixture of flour and cornmeal, and deep fried in oil until crispy.

Later on, they are topped with a mixture of toasted garlic, olive oil, and chopped parsley and served with chilled beer.

They are tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

Origin

The funny name for the dish is due to the wide availability of a small breed of chicken at the birth of this dish many decades ago, whose small size produced cuts ideal for an appetizer.

The dish became so popular that small cuts of today's larger chickens can now be purchased uncooked in bags at local markets in Brazil, under the same name as the dish.

Frango a passarinho is served by themselves, on a  bed of green salad leaves, or with French fries all year round at every bar in São Paulo, as well as many places in the rest of the country.

Calorie count? Forget about it!

This is a dish for pure enjoyment as these Chinese 5 Spice Wings and also these Keto Chicken Wings -- whether you have been dancing like wild on the streets for hours or not...

Fried Chicken Bites and Brazilian Carnival

Frevo, axé, maracatu, and many other rhythms take Carnival to a whole new level. In a large, diverse country like Brazil, rhythms and costumes vary from one region to another.

In the southeastern cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, for example, samba is a tradition at huge, organized parades led by samba schools...

On the other hand, in some Northeastern cities like Recife and Olinda, frevo and maracatu (influenced by local folklore and cultural manifestations), are the main rhythms at the largest street parades, with their festive giant dolls and colorful umbrellas. But that's not all!

 In the centuries-old Northeastern city of Salvador, the public dances to the beat of Afro-Brazilian axé rhythms played by trio elétricos (mobile soundstages that are driven through the streets).

But everywhere you go, Carnival is an event of mega proportions. Appetizers such as these fried chicken bites are widely consumed, all washed down with lots of beer, guaraná soda, and other cold energy drinks.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Marinade:

• Lemon
• Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Chicken wings, whole or cut into smaller pieces (drumettes and wingettes)

Breading:

• All-purpose flour (If you are on a low-carb diet, use almond flour instead)
• Corn flour (If you are on a keto diet, use almond flour)
• Sweet paprika (optional)

To fry:

• Vegetable oil (Just enough to deep-fry the chicken wings)

Sauce:

• Garlic (finely minced)
• Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh chopped parsley (if you don't have it at home, use cilantro)

How to Make Fried Chicken Bites

To make these fried chicken wings, follow the steps below:

1. MARINATE: In a large Ziploc bag, mix in lime juice, mustard, 1½ tablespoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper. Place the small cuts of chicken inside, seal the bag, and try to cover the chicken with the mixture as much as possible. Let rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
2. BREAD THE WINGS: In another large Ziploc bag, mix the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and paprika if desired. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shake off excess marinade, and place them into the flour mixture. Seal the bag and shake well until all pieces are well-covered with the flour mixture.
3. DEEP-FRY: Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), shake off excess flour, and deep fry chicken in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
4. It will take about 8 minutes (whole wings) or less (wingettes and drumettes), depending on the size of the piece. Place fried chicken bites onto a large sheet pan lined with a double paper towel to absorb excess oil.
5. PREP THE GARLIC OIL: Meanwhile, toast minced garlic with olive oil over medium heat in a small to medium nonstick skillet -- just until the garlic starts getting light brown. Watch carefully!
6. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool a bit, and spoon on top of the fried chicken bites. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
7. SERVE: Serve by themselves or with French fries or yuca fries, and chilled beer or other drink of your choice.

Alternative Cooking Methods for Making Fried Chicken Wings

Here are 2 healthy cooking methods for making fried chicken bites:

• Breaded Chicken Wings in Air Fryer: You must preheat the air fryer at 350° F (180° C) for 10 minutes and lightly grease the basket before frying the chicken. It takes a little longer to fry in the air fryer than to deep fry but it produces crispy chicken wings!
• Oven Fried Chicken Wings: Bake the chicken in a preheated oven at 350° F (180° C) until cooked through and crispy. The secret to making it crisp is to place the breaded chicken bites on a wire rack so that the air circulates well on all sides, including under the chicken pieces.

How to Cut Chicken Wings

1. To start, pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
2. Place them over a cutting board.
3. Extend every wing using your fingers.
4. Then locate the two joints. You will be able to feel where they connect.
5. Using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp Chef’s knife, cut through the center of each joint. It will leave you with 3 parts: the Drumette, the Wingette (also called a Flat), and the wing tip.
6. Use the Drumettes and Wingettes in our recipe. Then, store all the wing tips in a large freezer bag and freeze them to make chicken broth.

How to Store

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Do not freeze the chicken after frying as it will lose its crispiness when defrosted.

Other Chicken Recipes:

• 70 Easy Chicken Recipes for Dinner
• Keto Buffalo Chicken Dip (Easy)
• Gluten-Free Chicken Parmesan (Baked)
• Brazilian Mac and Cheese with Chicken (Macarronada com Requeijão)
• Grilled Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) with Bacon
• Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks)
• Air Fryer Chicken Wings
• How to Bake Chicken Breast (and How Long)
• How to Bake Chicken Thighs (and How Long)

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5 from 7 votes

Fried Chicken Bites (Frango a Passarinho)

Fried chicken bites are a Brazilian appetizer (‘frango a passarinho’) that consists of chicken wings marinated, breaded, and fried until crispy. It is served with garlic oil and parsley, plus a very cold beer!

Course:Appetizer

Cuisine:Brazilian

Keywords:bites, frango a passarinho, fried chicken

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

time to marinade 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 53 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories461.4 kcal

Author Denise Browning

Cost $ 1.00 per person

Equipment

• 1 pan

Ingredients

• Fresh juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or 2 tablespoon regular yellow mustard
• 1½ tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3 teaspoons ground black pepper divided
• 5 lbs chicken wings skin-on. NOTE: You can cook them whole or cut them at the joint (drumettes and wingettes)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour If on a keto diet, replace for almond flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal If on a keto diet, replace for almond flour, or skip
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika optional
• Vegetable oil enough to deep fry chicken pieces
• 8 large garlic cloves minced
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or more fresh

Instructions

• MARINATE: In a large Ziploc bag, mix in lime juice, mustard, 1½ tablespoons of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper. Place the small cuts of chicken inside, seal the bag, and try to cover the chicken with the mixture as much as possible. Let rest at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
• BREAD THE WINGS: In another large Ziploc bag, mix the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and paprika if desired. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shaking off excess marinade, and place into the flour mixture. Seal the bag and shake well until all pieces are well-covered with the flour mixture.
• DEEP-FRY: Heat the vegetable oil to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), shake off excess flour, and deep fry chicken in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
• It will take about 8 minutes (whole wings) or less (wingettes and drumettes), depending the size of the piece. Place fried chicken bites onto a large sheet pan lined with double paper towel to absorb excess oil.
• PREP THE GARLIC OIL: Meanwhile, toast minced garlic with olive oil over medium heat in a small to medium nonstick skillet -- just until garlic starts getting lightly brown. Watch carefully!
• Remove pan from the heat, let cool a bit, and spoon on top of the fried chicken bites. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
• SERVE: Serve by themselves or with French fries or yuca fries, and chilled beer or other drink of your choice.

Recipe Notes

• INACTIVE TIME: 30-60 minutes (marinade). SERVES 4-6 people.

 

STORAGE: 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze the chicken after frying as it will lose its crispiness when defrosted.

 ALTERNATIVE HEALTHY COOKING METHODS: 

Breaded Chicken Wings in Air Fryer: You must preheat the air fryer at 350° F (180° C) for 10 minutes and lightly grease the basket before frying the chicken. It takes a little longer to fry in the air fryer than to deep fry but it produces crispy chicken wings!

Oven Fried Chicken Wings: Bake the chicken in a preheated oven at 350° F (180° C) until cooked through and crispy. The secret is to make it crisp is to place the breaded chicken bites on a wire rack so that the air circulates well on all sides, including under the chicken pieces.

HOW TO CUT CHICKEN WINGS

1. To start, pat wings dry with a paper towel.
2. Place them over a cutting board.
3. Extend every wing using your fingers.
4. Then locate the two joints. You will be able to feel where they connect.
5. Using a pair of kitchen shears or a sharp Chef’s knife, cut through the center of each joint. It will leave you with 3 parts: the Drumette, the Wingette (also called a Flat), and the wing tip.
6. Use the Drumettes and Wingettes in our recipe. Then, store all the wing tips in a large freezer bag and freeze them to make chicken broth.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 461.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 30.3g | Fat: 30.5g | Saturated Fat: 7.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13.8g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 117.9mg | Sodium: 1442.5mg | Potassium: 315.5mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 438.1IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 32.9mg | Iron: 2.4mg

** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.

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Post first published on February 1st, 2016.