Chicken Picadillo Recipe
“Delicious chicken picadillo recipe made using ground chicken meat, raisins, and loads of vegetables. A combination of sweet, salty, and savory all in one bite.”
Chicken picadillo is a variation of the Latin American classic dish that is usually prepared by using ground beef.
This recipe is easy to prepare and will quickly become a new favorite in your meal collection. Your family will love it.
What is picadillo
Picadillo is a traditional dish that originated in Spain that has several Latin American variations. It has versions in Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The main ingredients of picadillo are ground meat, tomato, potato, and carrots. Picadillo is frequently made using ground beef and/or ground pork, depending on the country.
In this recipe, I used ground chicken and added some extra vegetables to make it healthier, appetizing, and taste even better.
What would you love about this chicken picadillo
- Ground chicken has a neutral flavor and absorbs all of the ingredients it is cooked with.
- Flavorful! There’s so much flavor in every bite.
- Easy to prepare ahead of time, this dish is ideal for meal preparation. It tastes even better after a day.
- It’s versatile that it can be used in many other recipes.
Ingredients and substitutes in cooking chicken picadillo
Ground chicken. Absorbs all the flavors from the recipe. Aside from that, it’s also more affordable than other meats and always available. You may use other types of ground meat like turkey, beef, or pork (commonly used by Filipinos).
Chopped Tomatoes. Fresh is always good so I recommend using it. Canned chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce can also work on this recipe. Just adjust it accordingly
Carrots & potatoes. In making picadillo, carrots and potatoes are the most common vegetables used. Aside from the color, they are always available in every season.
Bell peppers. You can use any color of bell peppers in this recipe. You can combine different colors such as red, green, or orange. It will give a vibrant color to the dish, making it more appetizing.
Olives. I used whole black olives in this recipe as it gives another contrasting color to the dish plus a bonus health benefit. I also find it less bitter than the green ones. You can use whatever you prefer, green olives, pitted or sliced. Or totally omit it if you don’t like it or not available.
Other vegetables. You can add other vegetables you prefer, such as green peas (frozen or canned), sweet corn, or beans. The choice is all yours, just be mindful of the combination so it will not be a mix of tastes.
Raisins add extra sweetness to the dish and balance the tanginess of the tomatoes. You can substitute other sun-dried fruits you desire or just leave them. My daughter started to love raisins after she tasted it with this dish and finish all her food on her plate, yahoo!!
Serving Ideas
You can serve chicken picadillo in a variety of ways. Serve it over steamed or fried rice or cauliflower rice.
You can also stuff it into a quesadilla, taco, empanada, egg roll skin, or even a lettuce wrap.
Storing left over chiken picadillo
Most probably, you will have leftovers when you cook this dish as it is very filling especially when paired with steamed rice.
To store, refrigerate leftover chicken picadillo for three to four days in an airtight container.
Or freeze chicken picadillo in a freezer-safe container for up to six months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat it in a skillet or saucepan on the stovetop.
I hope you’ll try cooking this recipe and enjoy it as well. Happy tummy!
Chicken Picadillo Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping board and knife
- Peeler (if available)
- measuring spoons and measuring cups
- deep pan or wok and wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 500 grams ground chicken breast, or minced chicken
- 4-5 large fresh tomatoes, chopped or in can (400g)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 medium potato, diced
- ¼ cup green bell pepper
- ¼ cup red bell pepper
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup black olives — or green, pitted or whole
Instructions
- In a wok or deep pan over medium heat, add olive oil.
- Sauté garlic and onion and cook until aromatic and translucent.
- Add chicken and cook until almost cooked through.
- Stir in soy sauce, chopped tomatoes, salt and ground black pepper. Cover and cook until the tomatoes render its juices for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add carrots and potatoes and gently mix. Put the lid back and let it cook for another 5 minutes.
- Toss in the diced bell peppers, raisins and olives. Stir well to fully combine.
- Cook for another 3 minutes and remove from heat.
- Serve hot in with rice or use as stuffing for quesadilla, taco, empanada, egg roll skin or make a lettuce wrap.
- Share and enjoy!
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