Chicken Picadillo Salad

Maren requested that I post this recipe. It is my one of favorite dishes and it's really fun to make. I have to give credit where credit is due. This recipe comes from Kelly's aunt, Mariana, who is the most wonderful cook I know (sorry Mom and Kelly).

Disclaimer: I am totally guessing on the amounts of stuff. I just do what looks right.

Prep time: about an hour
Feeds 4-6
Things you need:
4 chicken breasts
1 lettuce head
1 bag of burrito sized flower tortillas
1 lb. of black beans or 1 can of black beans (don't buy the cheap ones)
1 plantain (big banana-make sure it mostly black)
1-2 yellow onions (1 big one may due)
1/2 cup of pitted green olives (you may not be able to find pitted ones so you may have to pit them yourself)
1/2 cup of raisins
4-5 roma tomatoes (or 2-3 big tomatoes)
2 cups of rice
1 cilantro bunch
1-2 jalapeños (optional)
1/2 tsp garlic
1/4 pound queso fresco
vegetable/cooking oil
powdered chicken bouillon (I like the brand "Knorr")
salt, oregano, thyme, and/or Italian seasonings.
Salad dressing of choice. I like ranch; Kelly likes poppy seed.
3-4 limes (optional)
(if you have a hard time finding anything try your local Mexican market)

Ok this recipe has four parts: rice, beans, picadillo (meat mixture) and salsa-optional.

Lets start with the beans.
(fresh beans) -- MUCH, MUCH BETTER THEN CANNED. For canned see below.
1 lb. fresh black beans
1/2 lg. onion, cut up
salt to taste
1 tsp chicken bouillon
Add beans, seasoning and 4-6 cups water to crock pot and cook on high 5-6 hours.
OR
(canned beans)
Heat up can of beans on stove top on low (do last if you do the can)

Now the rice. (green rice-yum!)
In a blender combine:
1 cup of water, 1/2 bunch of cilantro, 1/2 tsp. garlic , 1/4 of an onion.
Blend well.
In a good sized pot or I prefer deep wok style pan:
fry 2 cups of rice in 2-3 tbl. spoons of cooking oil until you start to see the rice brown make sure you stir it very frequently.
As soon as rice is brown add 3 cups of water and cilantro mix.
Add 2 tsp. of chicken bouillon. (I like to mix this with a little water first before I add it to the rice or else it tends to clump up.)
Boil for 3 min.
Cover and cook on low for 25 min or until rice is soft and water is gone.

Salsa. -This is optional and feel free to use your own recipe in its place or you really don't need it at all. Let me know if you find one that goes better with it-
Microwave 3 tomatoes and 1-2 jalapeños in water for 8 min.
Drain and remove skin from tomatoes and place in blender.
Add 1/4 bunch of cilantro, 1/4 union, and blend.
Salt to taste.
I always vary on this so do what ever tastes yummy.

Chicken Picadillo (meat mixture)

Boil 4 chicken breasts 10-15 min or until cooked through.
Cool chicken in cold water then shred in small pieces.
Chop up but keep separated: 1 peeled plantain, 1/2 cup raisins , 1/2 onion, 1/2 cup green olives, and 3-4 roma tomatoes.
In a large pan fry onions and plantains in about 1/8 cup cooking oil for a few min. stirring constantly. Add raisins, olives, and tomatoes and fry/stir for 3-4 more min.
Add 1-2 tsp of chicken bouillon (mix in small amount of water first)
Add chicken
Add 1/2 tsp. oregano, a little thyme and 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning
Mix and let cook for a few min. stirring occasionally.

Assembly:
In small amount of oil, heat tortillas in a frying pan.
Place lettuce on tortilla, add beans, then rice, then meat mixture, salsa, dressing, then crumble queso fresco on top. Place lime on the side, and serve.

I hope you enjoy.