Brazilian Stew Chicken Recipe

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then set it aside for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Place a 5.5 - quart Dutch oven or heavy - bottom pan on the stove and heat the olive oil over medium - high heat.

Add half of the chicken legs to the hot oil. Cook them until they turn a light golden brown on both sides. This will give them a nice crust. Once they're golden, remove the chicken legs from the pan and set them aside on a plate. Then, repeat this process with the other half of the chicken legs.

Drizzle a bit more olive oil into the pan. Then, reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onions and the white part of the scallions to the pan. Saute them until they become soft and start to release their sweet aroma, which should take a few minutes.

Add the Brazilian sofrito or the garlic to the pan. Saute it until it becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute.

Add the paprika and the ground mustard powder to the pan. Stir well to combine all the spices. Let the mixture cook for about a minute to toast the spices. Then, pour in the vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

Let the vinegar reduce by half. You'll notice the volume of the liquid decreasing. Then, add the reserved chicken back to the pan. Stir the chicken to coat it with the spiced mixture. Cook it until the acidic smell of the vinegar evaporates.

Sprinkle the flour over the chicken and the spiced mixture in the pan. Stir thoroughly to combine the flour and incorporate it into the sauce.

Add the potatoes, the chicken stock, the bay leaf, and the thyme to the pan. Give everything a good stir to make sure all the ingredients are well - combined and that everything is submerged in the liquid.

Bring the contents of the pan to a quick boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.

Uncover the pan and add half of the green onions. Stir the stew to distribute the green onions. Continue to simmer the stew for another 40 minutes to an hour until the liquid thickens to your desired consistency.

Add the rest of the green onions and the butter to the pan. Stir well to combine the ingredients and melt the butter. Turn off the heat. Taste the stew and adjust the salt and pepper according to your preference.

Serve the delicious Brazilian stew chicken with rice or crusty bread!