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Greatest plates · Main
Chicken Carnitas
A lighter take on traditional pork carnitas — juicy, tender shredded chicken with crispy grilled edges, packed with citrus and Mexican seasonings. Made easily in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
Serves 8Prep 10 minCook 240 minChicken
Containsno known allergens identified
Inspired by a recipe from Isabel Eats ↗
Protein 43%Carbs 27%Fat 30%
About 355 kcal a serve — 38 g protein, 24 g carbs, 12 g fat. Each segment is that macro's share of the calories, within about 10%.
Ingredients
Serves 8
Method
Load the slow cooker
Add allAdd the chicken, chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, garlic powder, and dried oregano to the slow cooker.
In the slow cookerAdd all →
Cook low and slow
Slow cookStir everything together, cover, and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shreds.
3-4 hr high
Shred the chicken
ShredTransfer the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks. Arrange the shredded chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet and pour the cooking juices and broth from the slow cooker on top.
Crisp under the grill
Crisp it upPlace the tray directly under a hot grill and grill for 5 to 6 minutes, until the edges are crispy and caramelised.
Finish with lime and coriander
On topTop the crispy chicken with the remaining 2 tablespoons of lime juice and the chopped coriander.
On the trayTop →
Serve
ServeWarm the corn tortillas and serve the carnitas immediately in tacos, or use as a filling for burritos, nachos, or burrito bowls.
On the plateAssemble →
Cook's noteDon't throw away the cooking liquid — pour it over the shredded chicken before grilling to keep it juicy.
Estimated per serve
355 kcal · 38 g protein · 24 g carbs · 12 g fatestimates, within ~10%
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