Brazilian Creamy Passion Fruit Rice with Seared Chicken, Roasted Squash and Coconut Onion Farofa

Name: Brazilian Creamy Passion Fruit Rice with Seared Chicken, Roasted Squash and Coconut Onion Farofa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Brasileña
Ingredients: 1.3 lb chicken breast, cut into large cubes; 1.1 lb squash, cubed; 1 1/4 cups long-grain rice; 3/4 cup passion fruit pulp; 3 cups chicken broth; 1 1/4 cups yellow onion, chopped; 1 tbsp garlic, minced; 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp coconut milk; 3/4 cup cassava flour; 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 2 tbsp butter; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 whole lime, zest and juice; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro, chopped; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 3/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper

An original Brazilian-inspired main course featuring creamy rice cooked with passion fruit and broth, paired with seared garlic-lime chicken, roasted spiced squash, and a crunchy farofa made with cassava flour, coconut, and onion.

25 minPrep

45 minCook

70 minTotal

4Servings

Gluten-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

600 g chicken breast, cut into large cubes (skinless)
500 g squash, cubed (tipo kabocha or butternut)
240 g long-grain rice (enjuagado)
180 ml passion fruit pulp (with or without semillas)
720 ml chicken broth (hot)
180 g yellow onion, chopped (divided)
18 g garlic, minced (divided)
200 ml coconut milk (whole)
80 g cassava flour (for farofa)
35 g unsweetened shredded coconut (for farofa)
30 g butter (divided)
45 ml olive oil (divided)
1 unit lime, zest and juice (divided)
20 g fresh cilantro, chopped (divided)
4 g sweet paprika
2 g ground cumin
1 g red pepper flakes (optional)
10 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (or to taste)

Nutrition facts

per serving

678 kcal

Calories

38 g

Protein

54 g

Carbs

34 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

49 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Dairy

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. On a baking tray, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until browned and tender.
2
Meanwhile, season the chicken with the lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice, half of the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and the red pepper flakes if using. Let it rest for 10 minutes.
3
For the farofa, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add one third of the chopped onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Stir in the shredded coconut and cassava flour, cooking and stirring for 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Season with a pinch of salt, transfer to a bowl, and set aside.
4
In a wide pot, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add another third of the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and the rice, stirring for 1 minute to lightly toast it.
5
Pour in the passion fruit pulp and 2 1/2 cups of the hot chicken broth, reserving the rest. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6
Stir the coconut milk into the rice and continue cooking for 8 to 10 more minutes, adding the remaining broth little by little if needed, until the texture is creamy and the rice is tender. Adjust with salt, black pepper, and half of the chopped cilantro.
7
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until fully cooked and it reaches an internal temperature of 74 °C / 165 °F.
8
In the same skillet used for the chicken, add the remaining onion with a few drops of water and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Toss that sautéed onion with the roasted squash to deepen the flavor.
9
Serve a base of creamy passion fruit rice, top with the seared chicken and the roasted squash with onion. Finish with the coconut onion farofa, the remaining cilantro, and a few drops of the remaining lime juice.

Chef tips

If the passion fruit pulp is very tart, add 1 or 2 extra tablespoons of coconut milk to the rice to round out the flavor. Add the farofa only at the end to keep it crisp.

Substitutions

You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breast. Squash can be replaced with sweet potato. If you do not have cilantro, use parsley, though the flavor will be less distinctly Brazilian.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
View on Amazon