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Friday, March 4, 2011

Chicken Picadillo with Chili Lime Sauce - A Crock-Pot Meal



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Recipes for picadillo, a Spanish hash, can be found in Mexico, Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and South America. The version I'm featuring today is an amalgam of recipes from various countries. I first sampled it at a luncheon held at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. The luncheon was part of an award ceremony sponsored by Rival, the company that makes the Crock-Pot slow cooker. On that occasion it was served as an appetizer. I served it this past weekend in large muffin-size tortilla cups. It was part of a tapas-type meal that we enjoyed as we watched the Academy Awards. This is an effortless dish that will really delight folks who love crock-pot meals. As nearly as I can determine, the recipe came from BBQ Pit Recipes, a cookbook distributed by the Crock-Pot Brand which, unfortunately, is no longer available. There are no tricks to making this. The chicken goes into the crock and is covered with a chipotle sauce that's made special by the addition of creme fraiche and lime. At the four hour mark, the chicken is removed from the pot and pulled into shreds. It's then returned to the pot to cook for another hour. It can be served over rice or with tortillas. I go the extra mile and make easy tortilla cups for serving. I warm 6-inch flour tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds and then place them over inverted custard cups. The cups are used to help push the tortillas into Texas-size muffin pans. I bake the cups in a 375 degree F. oven until they are golden brown. I let them cool slightly before removing them from the pans. They can be made ahead of time and stored in air-tight contains or bags. While the cups are for show, the picadillo is delicious. I really hope you'll try this. I promise you won't be sorry. Here's the recipe.

Chicken Picadillo with Chile Lime Sauce inspired by BBQ Pit Recipes

Ingredients:
Chili Lime Sauce
1-1/2 cups creme fraiche ( 3/4 cup sour cream mixed with 3/4 cup plain yogurt may be substituted)
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 t0 1/2 teaspoon sambal or chili paste to taste
Pinch of sugar
Chicken
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any visible fat
2-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 cup raisins
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
1/8 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup chili lime sauce from above
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) To make chili lime sauce: Mix creme fraiche, lime juice, sambal and sugar together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2) To make picadillo: Rinse and dry chicken and place in stoneware of a crock-pot or slow cooker. Combine tomatoes, raisins, chipotles, vinegar, chili lime sauce, cinnamon, garlic and salt in a blender or food processor and pulse to blend (do not puree). Pour over chicken and toss to coat. Cook on Low for 4 hours or until chicken is very tender. Using tines of 2 forks, shred chicken and cook for 1 hour more. Serve in tortilla cups or over rice. Top with reserved chili lime sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cuban-Style Picadillo - A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
Picadillo Dreams - La Cocina de Leslie
Turkey Picadillo - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Picadillo - Sweet Bites
Picadillo or Cuban Minced Beef - Chow and Chatter
Picadillo with Mexican Rice - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Picadillo - Food and Wine
Pork Mango Picadillo - Simply Recipes
Fast and Easy Dinner: Chicken Picadillo - Yum Sugar
Chicken Picadillo - Laura Rebecca's Kitchen
Cuban Picadillo - Gina's Skinny Recipes

69 comments:

  1. This is just lovely! And no one would guess it's made in a slow cooker.

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  2. This looks sensational, i love the slow cooker, and your tortilla cups are perfect.

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  3. Sounds really delicious, I have never heard of this before

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  4. Sounds really good. I have not seen Spanish hash before. This is something that I would love to try. Thank you for sharing..have a lovely weekend.

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  5. Mary,
    I can't get tired of your recipes...they all look amazing and full of flavour.The photos are wonderfull and i'm learning many things in your blog..Thanks so much.

    Kisses,
    Rita

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  6. Looks so beautiful Mary and flavourful. I like how this is all done in a slow-cooker. Brilliant.
    Have a great day.

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  7. Thanks for stopping by Foodtrainers. These look great, a slow cooker recipe with a kick. I'll admit I probably wouldn't go the extra mile for the cups but they are beautiful.

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  8. Crock pots are so handy to have around when you want a dellcious dinner ready and waiting for you when you get home from work. I really should use mine more often.

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  9. Love it! Filipino picadillo in a crock pot is a definite thumbs up!

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  10. I'm enjoying getting in touch with my crock pot and this sounds like a good workout for it.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  11. I have made chicken in the crockpot for chicken taco's forever... but this sounds like it would have great flavors... thanks for sharing this!

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  12. P.S. Thanks for the "print" suggestion. It's on my blog "to do" list.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  13. I LOVE cooking in my crock pot, but I find that so few of the recipes out there rev my engine. My engine has now been revved! This looks awesome! Love the chipotle lime combo!

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  14. I was intrigued, then I saw chipotle sauce and I was sold!! This sounds wonderful. And I love your presentation!

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  15. Those tortilla cups are just great - I love how you make those! I may make a version of this dish this weekend as I love all the flavors and have been craving them! I happen to love the sweetness rasins add to spices dishes too! Very nice Mary!

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  16. What a gorgeous appetizer, Mary! I love how you made those tortilla cups, that's ingenious. And the picadillo sounds scrumptious.

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  17. This is a truly rocking dish, love the flavors!

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  18. Great dish but the best part is the cups. My mind is racing with things they could be filled with. Thanks for explaining the process.

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  19. I'm always thrilled to find a good crock pot recipe! I know my husband, especially, would love these flavors! Your tortilla cups are beautiful,too!

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  20. I love all the flavors you've combined in this tasty dish. Crock pot meals are just what I need right now. And the tortilla cups are the perfect way to serve it.

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  21. This is on my agenda for next week. Possibly for the day we are slated to get another foot of snow. Love the idea of the slow cooking for the tender meat and have yet to make a picadillo.

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  22. Just gorgeous! You've done it again, as you ALWAYS do! Blessings.

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  23. So glad you put crock pot meal in the title or I might've gone right on by. This looks delicious and I will so be trying it soon!

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  24. Wow - this looks fabulous and I can't wait to try it. We never get enough chipotle around here. This recipe may help me get over my aversion to crock pots.

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  25. While our daughter is at home I have the use of her crock pot - trying to decide if I really need one or not. I love the look of this meal - something festive for a Friday night.

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  26. When I first saw the title of this post I was mesmerized and then you went and included, A Crock-Pot Meal. Right up my alley indeed.

    Oh Mary, this sounds simply wonderful! I would never think to remove the chicken to shred it and add it back. I guess I'm from a time that says leave it and don't open it. I'll have to check and see if I have that book. In the mean time, I am SO saving this recipe.

    Thank you so much for sharing your tips too!!!

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  27. Dear Mary look absolutely delicious! gloria

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  28. Hi Mary, Thank you so much for you lovely comment and hope you continue to enjoy my posts and recipes.

    I will look forward to sharing recipes with you and the many talented bloggers who are following you.

    Thanks so much for sharing and have a wonderful weekend,
    Joanne
    http://wineladycooks.blogspot.com

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  29. The cups caught my attention first! Looks so crispy,like fried wonton skin...the meat looks so juicy sitting in the crispy cups! Hope you have a great weekend Mary:)

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  30. what you're putting up here and the way you present it makes a wonderful and appealing appetiser!

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  31. Very interesting recipe should really try this. I love any thing with crispy.

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  32. Loving the flavors and textures in this dish! It looks fantastic Mary.

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  33. I love the tortilla cup they make an everyday meal special.
    Mimi

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  34. Looks delicious! I have a friend who makes something similar but puts the picadillo inside dough, fried meat pie kind of thing. Great flavor, I must try this.

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  35. Looks mouthwatering Mary just like all your recipes!

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  36. Mmmmm, this looks fabulous and delicious, Mary! The lime sauce sounds really good.
    Have a beautiful weekend!

    xx,
    Tammy

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  37. Any kind of oil on the tortillas for the tortilla cups? They look so fun!

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  38. I've done beef picadillo before, can't wait to try chicken.

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  39. I've made picadillo before but something about this sauce seems way more intriguing than the one I made. I love that you served it in taco bowls!

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  40. I have embraced my crockpot this year, Mary, and I am utterly smitten. :-) This dish looks fantastic!! I love the creme fraiche and lime additions. Oh mercy, that would just be heavenly. ;-)

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  41. Looks so yummy...first time here...you got a superb space...

    FunWidFud

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  42. This could be most delicious looking picadillo I have ever seen! And I love that you used tortilla cups to serve.

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  43. Dear Mary, This sounds like something I am sure to like..I have never used a crock-pot..but I do see so many good recipes using them...I will have to consider purchasing one. Have a wonderful weekend..Many blessings, Catherine

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  44. Mary,

    I'm so glad you found your way to my blog. I appreciate the nice comments. I love your blog and the idea of the perfect bite. I've enjoyed reading through your recipes. I like that you pull from different sources and credit those sources. It helps illuminate the true process of cooking.

    I just made a French vegetable soup this week that turned out amazing. It included a pistou. (I think that's how it's spelled) I'll have to blog about it soon.

    I'm following you now, would appreciate you doing the same.

    lindalou

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  45. i adore this recipe, especially how you put them in those great tortilla bowls. i'm very unfamiliar with spanish food, but this looks like a great way to start!

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  46. Tortilla bowls! What a fantastic idea :)

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  47. This looks delicious Mary, I love Spanish food, I grew up there!
    Hope you have a lovely weekend! All the best, Natasha
    www.theramblesandshamblesblog.blogspot.com

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  48. My taste buds have been craving these flavors all week....Yum!

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  49. Wow, Mary - this looks & sounds delicious! I'm making chicken in my crockpot today to shred for burritos, but will definitely try your recipe next time - what a unique blend of flavors!

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  50. Mary that looks so yummy!! My husb would die for me to make those. Thanks again for another amazing recipe :)

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  51. Mary, this sounds easy, full of flavor and very satisfying! You made it look good in the tortilla cups!! Blessings to you! Tanna

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  52. I'm always looking for a new crock pot meal and this one looks like a keeper! I enjoyed seeing you stop by my blog!

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  53. I am a crockpotophile! Thanks for swinging by psdeepdish.blogspot.com today, giving me an opportunity to come snoop out your awesome blog!

    Can't wait to try this recipe :)

    Thanks for sharing!

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  54. Seriously amazing!! I love any recipe that you can make in a slow cooker. I am definitely making these! :)

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  55. This looks really good and the ingredient combination is really interesting.

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  56. I still havent used a slow cooker yet. This recipe looks great. I love flavours of lime and chilli

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  57. Gosh this looks delicious. And easy!

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  58. wow, this is just AMAZING! I have never tried this dish before..sounds delish!

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  59. This looks fantastic! Im all about slow cooker recipes! Thanks for sharing!

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  60. Excellent presentation! looks beautiful.

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  61. This looks great, I love the idea of this recipe!

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  62. I find that I pretty much print every recipe you put out! I love that you can make this in the crock pot love the sound of the chili lime sauce. I need to get a TX sized muffin pan for both this and the pecan rolls! Yum!

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  63. I made this and its awesome, I had to use beef as I did not have chicken. Hubby loved it! thank you for the recipe.

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  64. My mom used to make something like this back home. I suddenly missed it. It is really delicious.

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  65. I've never thought of making picadillo this way but I may give this one a go! We eat picadillo all the time in my house, Cuban style!

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