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.
Table of Contents
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 Recipe
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.
They also go well with these polenta fries!
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:
- 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, 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.
- 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 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.
- 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!
- Remove the 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.
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
- To start, pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.
- Place them over a cutting board.
- Extend every wing using your fingers.
- Then locate the two joints. You will be able to feel where they connect.
- 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.
- 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)
- Mac and Cheese with Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) with Bacon
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- How Long to Bake Chicken Breast
- How Long to Bake Chicken Thighs
PIN & ENJOY!
Fried Chicken Bites (Frango a Passarinho)
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.
- To start, pat wings dry with a paper towel.
- Place them over a cutting board.
- Extend every wing using your fingers.
- Then locate the two joints. You will be able to feel where they connect.
- 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.
- 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
** 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.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
Post first published on February 1st, 2016.
JB says
Love the flavor on these and the fact that the outside stays crispy while the inside is juicy!
restaurantthatdeliversnearme.website says
Thanks for the fried chicken bites recipe.
Indian Keto Vegetables says
You shared the Very Good and Informative Stuff about Fried Chicken Bites for Brazilians. I really like this great stuff. Before I don't read this beautiful information about this topic. you are doing great.
Ian says
Hell yes! The best fried chicken wings and legs that I had. The garlic makes a big difference. I served with very cold beers while watching a game.
Cristina says
Can they be frozen in the 2nd bag?
Denise Browning says
Hello, Cristina!
I assume you are talking about the bag containing the flour mixture. If this is the case, it is possible to freeze the chicken after pieces are coated with the flour mixture. The problem you may encounter is once thawed, the chicken pieces may loose part of their flour coating and present a few gaps/breaks once fried. If you don't mind, go ahead and freeze the pieces. I hope this helps. Wishing you a great day. Enjoy our dish!
Cristina says
Sim, isso que eu quis dizer. Obrigada Denise.
Denise Browning says
De nada! Obrigada a voce. Um abraco e espero que goste do nosso frango a passarinho.
Kim | Low Carb Maven says
Oh, wow! I love all of the flavors going on in this dish. We are always looking for new flavor combinations for chicken and this sounds amazing. Thanks for a great recipe!
Denise Browning says
Hi, Kim! Thank you for stopping by and also for your kind words. I hope you can make this one of these days and enjoy. It's a real family fave.
Kate says
Yum! I love the lime and dijon combination. Sounds divine!
Anna @ shenANNAgans says
Dang my lady! What a delicious combo of flavours, how would you stop at just one? Bet these featured at many a superbowl party earlier this week. 🙂
marcela says
Denise, you just made my mouth water... These chicken bites looks fantastic!
Asha says
This sounds so so good and the crispy top is simply divine. Chicken wings are so flavorful, love this one Denise.
Pinned for sure.
xx
Nydia says
Something that I really enjoy is eating chicken wings. I don't why people still preferring chicken breast, if wings are more tasty and moist.
Raymund says
Wow this is a perfect match with an ice cold beer, it would be a sin to eat that without a cerveza.
John/Kitchen Riffs says
I have a real weakness for fried chicken. This is perfect -- I can get great crunchy flavor, but have it as an appetizer. Much more sensible than having it for the main course! Really nice -- thanks.
Amira says
I always find garlic and lime to be a perfect combination in chicken marinades and this one looks super delicious with the addition of the other flavors as well. great job
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
Just scrumptious! A great alternative to the traditional wings often served for Super Bowl. I would love to go to Carnival, now that would be fun!
Chris Scheuer says
Yummy! I love all the flavors going on in here, lime, pepper, garlic... I would imagine it would be difficult to stop eating these!