Fluffy Portuguese Savoury Cake with Chicken and Chorizo

Easter in Portugal is never complete without some kind of hearty meat bread on the table, and this recipe is a fun little spin on that tradition. In Portugal, the classic Easter meat bread is called a “folar de carnes”, a dense, rustic bread stuffed or baked with cured meats, with plenty of variations from region to region. This savoury cake, or bola, is a variation of that same Easter spirit, more bready and soft in texture than a folar, but still keeping true to the tradition of packing bread dough full of meat and sending it to the table at Easter. Think of it as the folar’s slightly more modern and indulgent, cheesy cousin.

This particular bola is packed with chicken and chorizo, not the most traditional combination, but honestly, once you try it, you’ll wonder why it isn’t. The dough is closer to a thick, eggy batter than a kneaded bread, which is what makes it so wonderfully moist and dense. It gets baked in a bundt or castle-shaped pan, giving it that nice crown look that you want when you bring something to an Easter table. It’s the kind of thing that looks like you put in a lot more effort than you actually did.

Hey and when i made this, half of it disappeared in one sitting and the rest got sliced up and frozen, because a slice of this pulled from the freezer and quickly warmed up in a dry pan or oven is one of those little kitchen joys you don’t expect. It’s filling, it’s flavourful, and it’s just a little bit different from the usual Easter spread, which makes it all the more worth making. Let’s get to the recipe!

Fluffy Portuguese Savoury Cake with Chicken and Chorizo

Servings: 12
Time: 1hr
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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What if instead of a traditional Easter meat folar, you brought a savoury meat cake to the table? Packed with chicken and chorizo, a less common but absolutely delicious combination, hey i guess this is one Easter bake worth making.

Ingredients

Flour – 160g
Baking Powder – 1 Teaspoon
Eggs – 2 (Large)
Olive Oil – 20ml
Milk – 135ml
Chicken – 220g
Chorizo – 150g
Onion – 1 Large
Carrot – 1
Garlic – 4 Cloves
Flamengo Cheese – 150g
Paprika – A Pinch
Turmeric – A Pinch
Oregano – A Pinch
Pepper – A Pinch
Salt – A Pinch

Directions

Start by sautéing the chopped onion, garlic, and carrot in a skillet. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté until everything is nicely browned.

Then add the chicken, also chopped or, as I did, cut into strips, and season with a little more salt, pepper, paprika, turmeric, and oregano. Cook until the chicken is very tender. When the chicken is almost done, add the chorizo; I chopped half of it and cut the rest into strips just to add more texture. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs until creamy. Then add the flour with the baking powder, another pinch of salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Whisk well until you get a thick, honey-like batter, then let it rest.

Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (you can just grease and flour it, but parchment paper makes it a thousand times easier to remove from the pan); if necessary, use a little oil to ensure the paper sticks to the pan. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Add the chicken and chorizo mixture to the egg mixture, stir to combine, and pour everything into the springform pan. Top generously with cheese and bake for about 35 minutes, until tender and the top is nicely browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before unmolding. That’s it! It’s ready to serve. Bon appétit and Happy Easter!

Notes & Tips: You can easily make these as individual savoury muffins instead, just use a muffin tin and keep in mind they’ll take less time to bake, so start checking around the 20 minute mark.

If you have leftover cooked chicken, this recipe works just as well, just add it closer to the end of the cooking step rather than at the beginning, which also makes the whole thing quicker to pull together. If you’re starting from scratch, one large or two medium chicken breasts cooked and shredded will give you exactly what you need.

The cheese is very flexible here. The original used mild Edam style cheese (Portuguese Flamengo Cheese), but any melting cheese you enjoy will do, like cheddar, mozzarella, gouda, or even a mix. Don’t be shy with the quantity; the crispy cheesy top is one of the best parts.

For spices, this recipe keeps it fairly simple and clean tasting, which works really nicely. But if you like things a little bolder, this is a great base to play with, smoked paprika, cayenne, thyme, or even a mild curry powder all work well in this style of savoury bake. A little more garlic never hurts either.

Leftovers freeze beautifully sliced. To reheat, just thaw and warm in a dry frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes per side, it crisps up just slightly on the outside and stays soft inside or just throw it into the oven! ;D

This recipe for Fluffy Portuguese Savoury Cake with Chicken and Chorizo was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bola Salgada de Frango com Chouriço foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.