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Galinhada
Galinhada: Goiás chicken and rice cooked together with golden turmeric, often with pequi
Sunday lunches, church festas and roadside restaurants in Goiás all revolve around a big pot of galinhada: chicken browned with garlic and onion, then cooked with rice in its own stock until each grain is golden from açafrão-da-terra. In Brazil that word means turmeric, not true saffron, and it is turmeric that gives the dish its colour. Goianos add pequi, the cerrado fruit with a heady, cheesy-tropical scent; you can buy it in jars in Brazilian shops, but warn your guests: the stone is covered in fine spines under the flesh, so nibble gently and never bite into it. It comes out moist, fragrant and comforting, finished with plenty of cheiro-verde. The common mistake is adding too much water, which makes it mushy; the rice should be loose, like a paella that has just settled. Chef's tip: brown the chicken until it leaves a dark crust in the pot, then let the rice dissolve it.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rub 2 ⅝ lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks with 1 lime, 2 ½ cloves garlic and 1 tsp salt, cover and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large, heavy pot over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken for 10 minutes, turning, until deep golden all over.
10 minStep 3: Add 1 onion, 1 green pepper and the rest of 2 ½ cloves garlic and cook for 4 minutes, then add 1 tomato, 1 tsp ground turmeric (açafrão-da-terra) and 6 pequi in brine, if using, and cook for 3 minutes.
7 minStep 4: Pour in 300 ml of 1 ¼ cups boiling water, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 5: Stir in 14 oz long-grain white rice until coated, add the rest of 2 ½ cups boiling water and 1 tsp salt, bring back to the boil, then cover and cook on a low heat for 18 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken reaches 165°F at the bone.
18 minStep 6: Rest off the heat, covered, for 5 minutes. Fork through 5 tbsp parsley and spring onion and serve from the pot.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does galinhada take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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