Meats and oven dishes

Cabidela de galinha

Chicken cooked in a dark vinegar sauce, a Portuguese tradition with a strong flavour.

RegionMinho / North
DifficultyDifficult
Total time1 hour 40 minutes
Servings6 servings
Photo of Cabidela de galinha — traditional Portuguese recipe
Photo of the traditional Portuguese recipe.

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family and cook.

About the recipe

Cabidela de galinha is a recipe with a strong personality, rooted in rural cooking and whole-animal use.

The dark, vinegary sauce marks the dish; therefore, it should be prepared with care, respecting the preferences of those eating it.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken in pieces
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 150 ml of red wine
  • 80 ml of vinegar
  • Culinary blood suitable for cabidela, when available and safe
  • 80 ml of olive oil
  • Bay leaves, salt and pepper
  • White rice to serve

Method

  1. Season the chicken with garlic, wine, salt and pepper.
  2. Sauté onion and bay leaves in olive oil.
  3. Add the chicken and brown lightly.
  4. Add the marinade and cook until tender.
  5. Mix the culinary blood with vinegar, if using.
  6. Add it at the end, without boiling aggressively, and serve.

Tips from Empório Portugal

  • Only use ingredients suitable for culinary preparation and from safe sources.
  • Vinegar helps balance the sauce.
  • Free-range chicken requires longer cooking.

Possible replacements in Brazil

  • Without blood, make a vinegared chicken with wine sauce as an adaptation — it will not be authentic cabidela.
  • Regular chicken reduces cooking time.

Pairing

A red wine from Minho or Douro. For people over 18 years old; drink in moderation.

Editorial note from Empório Portugal

This recipe is part of the editorial curation of Empório Portugal, developed from the Portuguese culinary tradition. Like any traditional recipe, it can vary depending on the region, the family and the cook.

Do you have a family Portuguese recipe?

Send it to the Empório Portugal community. The recipes received are analyzed before any publication.

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Quick facts

Prep
30 min
Cooking
1 hour 10 minutes
Total time
1 hour 40 minutes
Yield
6 servings
Difficulty
Difficult
Occasion
Regional recipe, traditional table

Pairing

A red wine from Minho or Douro. For people over 18 years old; drink in moderation.

Empório tip

Only use ingredients suitable for culinary preparation and from safe sources.

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