Caribbean Chicken Picadillo in Tortillas

Susie D's Note:

This colorful & veggie loaded version of picadillo was inspired by the colors of the fresh vegetables sitting on my counter. There are as many versions of picadillo as there are chefs cooking in their homes. This one pleased my family with it’s slight sweetness and the spicy complement of the topping. I hope it works for your family too. This recipe was created for RSC #8.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
• olive oil, divided, as needed
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup butternut squash, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried coconut
• 1 cup diced tomatoes with juice, canned
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 3 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Spicy Curry Dip

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, sweet or mild
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Directions:

1. Dice all vegetables and divide as follows; In one bowl place onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapenos, & butternut squash. In second bowl place raisins, coconut, and tomatoes. Note; all vegetables and chicken should be similar in size to help the dish cook evenly.
2. In a small bowl stir together vinegar, cornstarch, cinnamon, & nutmeg.
3. Make Spicy Curry Dip. Mix all ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.
4. In large skillet place 1 T olive oil and heat pan. Add chicken pieces and stir until done.
5. Add bowl of vegetables containing onions, garlic, jalapenos, & butternut squash. Stir in & cook until vegetables are tender.
6. Add the vinegar/ cornstarch/ spice mixture & stir until all ingredients are well coated.
7. Add bowl of ingredients containing raisins, coconut, & tomatoes.
8. Add water & salt. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
9. In bowl beat together eggs, 2 T water, cayenne & a generous grating of nutmeg. Pour into a shallow bowl that will accommodate the flour tortillas for soaking. Add 2 of the flour tortillas and turn to coat with egg mixture. Let them rest in bowl. As you use one replace it with a new tortilla in the egg mixture.
10. Heat large skillet and add 1T oil. (Note; I used an electric skillet so I could do 2 at a time.) Place egg coated tortilla in pan and cook on one side until lightly browned. Turn over and add ½ cup of the meat & vegetable mixture to center of tortilla in a lengthwise pattern. Fold two sides in and press down with spatula. Cook until bottom is golden brown, then turn to do the other side. Remove to rectangular pan & place in warm oven while you complete the rest of the tortillas. Replace the 1 T oil as needed. I found I needed very little using a nonstick pan.
11. Serve with a dollop of the curry dip on top. Garnish with a sprinkling of cilantro leaves on top of the dip for presentation.

Reviews

[A Good Thing]

It was love at first bite! A terrific dish! Made for ZWT3 as a thanks for our tour guide. (:

[katia]

This is an EXCELLENT recipe. It was the first time that I made picadillo and I just could believe that I was the one that made such a glorious dish! I didn't use any raisins and I used fresh tomato. That was the only changes I made. Susie that was a more than 5 stars recipe. Thanks!

[evelyn/athens]

This was a really delicious recipe and came together very easily - the instructions make the process seem longer than it actually is cause they're so detailed. The picadillo filling is wonderful - spicy/sweet/savoury. The egg wash dip for the tortillas was new to me - I don't know if that's done in other recipes or if it's an 'original Susie' but it was good. The tortilla remained soft and tender but did achieve crispness on the outside. Much enjoyed for a summery, weekend meal.