Oaxacan-Style Chicken Picadillo Recipe

Learn how to make this Oaxacan-style Chicken Picadillo Recipe. It is a healthier version of Picadillo made super easy with rotisserie chicken, tomatoes, onion, raisins, and almonds.

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Awhile back, during the height of the pandemic I had the privilege of sitting in on a Zoom cooking class hosted by my friends from Salt and Wind with one of my favorite chefs, Rodolfo Castellanos. If you ever visit Oaxaca, you must go to his restaurant, Origen.

During the class we made this glorious Chile Relleno Recipe. Unlike most Chiles Rellenos that are filled with melted cheese, these peppers were stuffed with a savory shredded Chicken Picadillo and I loved it so much I’ve made it on its own many, many times.

Chef Castellanos made his Picadillo Recipe with a combination of pork and chicken but I’ve substituted all shredded rotisserie chicken for a quick and easy comfort food recipe.

More To Explore

Ground Beef Picadillo with Potatoes and Carrots

Cuban Picadillo

Freezer-Friendly Mexican Picadillo Enchiladas

Why Is It Called Picadillo?

The name Picadillo comes from the Spanish word, picar which means to chop and anything with the suffix, illo, is even smaller. Therefore, Picadillo means to chop something very small (or mince), referring to the fact that this famous Latin dish is typically made with ground meat.

Chicken Picadillo Recipe Ingredients

I particularly love the warm spices of cinnamon and allspice combined with the savory flavor of tomatoes, onions, and garlic in this Picadillo recipe. I always use a stick of canela or Ceylon cinnamon sticks. You can find these in bulk at your local Latin market.

• Roma tomatoes when in season, otherwise use a 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes.
• White onion
• Garlic
• Avocado oil or olive oil
• Kosher salt. I always use Morton Kosher Salt unless otherwise specified.
• Granulated sugar
• Rotisserie chicken
• Canela
• Ground allspice or ground clove would also work.
• Ground cumin
• Chipotle chili powder or your favorite ground chili powder
• Chicken broth
• Italian parsley or fresh cilantro
• Sliced almonds or whole almonds, chopped
• Raisins

How To Make It!

Using rotisserie chicken makes this dish a snap to make. All the spices, plump raisins, and crunchy almonds make it taste way more complicated than it is to prepare.

step one

Shred chicken. Remove the bones and skin from the rotisserie chicken and shred into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. You won’t use the entire chicken, you only need 1 pound of shredded meat which is about 3 cups.

step two

Saute. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and the three cloves garlic and season with salt (not the measured amount yet). Stir occasionally until the onions become translucent. You can season with freshly ground black pepper too if you’d like.

step three

Add tomato. Add tomato, the measured teaspoon of salt, sugar, canela, allspice, cumin, and chili powder. Simmer, cover with a lid, until the tomato has broken down to create a tomato sauce, about 15 minutes.

step four

Add chicken. Add shredded chicken to the pan along with the chicken broth, the 1/3 cup raisins and almonds and continue cooking until chicken is warm and has soaked up most of the sauce. Some people like to add raisins and olives with the sliced almonds. If you are adding olives, add them here.

step five

Serve. Stir in parsley. Taste and add more salt if needed then serve with white rice or use as a filling for chiles rellenos. Armando and Hiro like to eat their Picadillo with hot sauce, so you might want to put a bottle on the table for those who like things spicy.

What To Serve With It

Typically any type of Picadillo is served with rice and this Chicken Picadillo is no exception. Here are some of my favorite sides to make this a complete meal:

• Sofrito Black Beans
• Simple Cilantro-Lime Rice
• Papas con Chile
• Easy Broccolini Recipe (from our sister site, Kate’s Best Recipes)
• Coconut-Cilantro Rice

Storage and Freezing This Picadillo Recipe

Any leftover Picadillo will keep covered in an airtight container for up to 4 days. You can also freeze Picadillo in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure the Picadillo is completely cool before covering and freezing.

What Nationality Is Picadillo?

Originating in Spain, Picadillo has a variation in almost all Spanish-speaking countries as well as the Philippines and even the Caribbean. Cuban versions include green olives with pimento, raisins, and bay leaf. While many Mexican versions (including my Mother-in-Law’s) are made of ground beef, potatoes, and carrots.

Filipino Picadillo includes onion, garlic, raisins, and peas and is seasoned with salt, pepper, fish sauce, and soy sauce.

More Easy Mexican Dishes To Try!

• Grilled Bell Pepper and Zucchini Skewers
• Easy Jalapeno and Avocado Salsa
• Spicy Marinated Green Olives with Roasted Garlic and Oregano
• Healthy Taco Salad with Ground Turkey
• Our Best Ever Canned Black Beans
• Arroz Blanco {Mexican White Rice with Peas}
• How To Make Corn Tortillas

Need An Easy Dinner with Incredible Flavor?

Then follow these simple instructions for Chicken Picadillo! Let me know when you make it by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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