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    Home » Recipes » Mexican

    Mexican Chicken Picadillo

    Published on January 17, 2020 - Updated on January 16, 2023 by Chef Rodney - 1 Comment - This post may contain affiliate links.

    56 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    I love this Mexican Chicken Picadillo served over a bed of hot rice. Simple to make and ready in about 30 minutes. A delicious healthy dish!
     
    picadillo served over white rice

    We are no strangers to Picadillo in this household. One of my all-time favorite dishes is Chef Ofelia's Cuban Picadillo. I've also made a superb Turkey Picadillo. And now we get to enjoy this delicious Mexican Chicken Picadillo.

    mexican chicken picadillo

    In its simplest form, a picadillo usually includes some sort of sofrito, meat, raisins and olives. Different countries all prepare their picadillo differently. Regardless of where it comes from, they are all delicious!

    mexican chicken picadillo

    Unlike Ofelia's Cuban Picadillo, this picadillo recipe does not have any alcohol in it. Which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on who you are serving it to!

    mexican chicken picadillo

    💭 What is a Chayote

    A chayote is a type of squash often used in Latin American cuisine. if you have a hard time locating chayote at your local grocery store you can substitute for zucchini. It will change the flavor profile but is an acceptable substitute. But if you do have access to Chayote's, do yourself a favor and give them a try.

    chayote

    🌡️ How Hot are the Peppers

    The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.

    Pepper TypeScoville Rating (Heat)
    Bell Pepper0-0
    Banana Pepper0-500
    Poblano Pepper1000-1500
    Jalapeño Pepper2500-8000
    Serrano Peppers10,000-25,000
    Manzano Pepper12,000-30,000
    Tabasco & Cayenne30,000-50,000
    Habanero Pepper100,000-300,000
    Ghost Pepper855,000-1,000,000
    Carolina Reaper1,500,000-2,300,000

    🔥 How to Roast Poblano Peppers

    Roasting Poblano Peppers might be a challenge for some especially if you've never done it before. But don't stress, I wrote an article on 3 different ways on How to Roast Poblano Peppers.

    poblano peppers
    Poblano Pepper

    💭 Recipe Tip

    Don't you hate it when raisins get stuck together in a big clump? To unstick the raisins, wet your hands with a little water then work the raisins apart.

    mexican chicken picadillo

    For more great recipes with Poblano Peppers, I suggest you check these recipes out:

    • Simple Poblano Ranch Sauce
    • Sweet Potato Wraps
    • Copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Chili
    • Chili Con Carne

    📋 What ingredients do I need

    You will need the following ingredients to make this Mexican Chicken Picadillo recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Ground Chicken, Yellow Onion, Chayote, Poblano Peppers, Green Olives, Raisins, Water, Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Ground Cinnamon and Petite Diced Tomatoes.

    🥣 How to make Mexican Chicken Picadillo

    In a large pan, brown the chicken over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, crumbling it with a wooden spoon.
    Add all remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
    Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let cook for 20 minutes.
    Serve hot with rice.

    mexican chicken picadillo

    Mexican Chicken Picadillo

    I love this Mexican Chicken Picadillo served over a bed of hot rice. Simple to make and ready in about 30 minutes. A delicious healthy dish!
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mexican
    Servings 6
    Calories 213 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 lb Ground Chicken
    • 1 ½ cups Yellow Onion, chopped
    • 1 ½ cups Chayote, peeled & diced
    • 1 cup Poblano Pepper, roasted & chopped
    • ⅓ cup Green Olives, chopped
    • ¼ cup Raisins
    • ¼ cup Water
    • 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
    • 15 oz Petite Diced Tomatoes
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pan, heat olive oil. Brown the chicken over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, crumbling it with a wooden spoon.
    • Add all remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.
    • Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let cook for 20 minutes.
    • Serve hot with rice.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 16gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 283mgPotassium: 827mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 669IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg

    Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.

    Tried this Recipe?Leave a Comment below and share a picture on Instagram and tag @hot_rods_recipes and hashtag #hotrodsrecipes!

    More Mexican Recipes

    • Lisa’s Chili Verde
    • Mexican Street Corn Quinoa
    • Black Bean Burritos
    • Diabetic Shredded Beef Tacos
    hot rods recipes

    Reader Interactions

    1 Comment

    1. L.T.

      June 28, 2022 at 8:34 pm

      I doubled the veggies and spices and for some reason my spices seemed slightly bitter but I think it was a particular brand of chili powder I had that was very strong in cumin. So strong that I didn’t add any more cumin and added some plain dark red chili powder to balance it out. I added garlic salt and removed the bitterness and rounded out the flavors with 3 chicken bullion cubes, a little sugar, and some cocoa powder which is common in American Southwest cooking such as New Mexico and that really made it a great dish. I served it over a half black shirt grainy rice and half white Jasmine rice which added an interesting sweetness that was very nice especially with the raisins in the dish. Wasn’t sure I’d like this dish as I’m not used to this combination of ingredient flavors but after my tweaks to my own person tastes I am really nuts over it and will definitely make again. It is something different I will enjoy and husband liked it.

      Reply

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