Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Tacos
Try this Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Tacos recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Tacos recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 3/4 cup orange juice (~2 oranges)
- 1/4 cup lime juice (~2 limes)
- 12 small tortillas
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro torn
- salsa to taste (i like a salsa verde here)
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Carbohydrate 260.880444800761 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 16.6938170996905 g
- Fiber 37.0769154505312 g
- Protein 33.4960178608194 g
- Saturated Fat 2.65696957057123 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (766g)
- Sodium 270.9664455328 mg
- Sugar 223.80352935023 g
- Trans Fat 1.69708409941387 g
- Calories 1273 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker along with the mixture of the orange juice, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook on low until tender, about 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken, mix in 1/4 cup of the juices, spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil until it starts getting crispy, about 5 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup of the juices, mix everything up and broil for another 5 minutes before mixing in another 1/4 cup of the juices.
- Assemble the tacos on the tortillas with the chicken carnitas along with the onions and cilantro and serve with the lime wedges.
Substituting chicken breast for skin-on thighs alters the rendering fat content, yielding a less unctuous finished product that requires watchful broiling to avoid desiccation. Compact kitchen setups often lack massive counter space, meaning the slow cooker handles the bulk protein phase while freeing burners for accompaniments. Pairing rich, slow-simmered poultry with bright, high-acid additions like salsa verde and raw red onion cuts through the rendered fats. Balance the heavy seasoning profile by keeping raw vegetable toppings crisp and dry. Excess moisture on cilantro or onions steams the tortilla instead of providing structural crunch. Shred the cooked meat thoroughly to maximize surface area before the baking sheet goes under the broiler. Watch the oven closely during the final five-minute crisping window because sugars from the citrus juice scorch rapidly under direct heat. Store leftover shredded meat in its cooking liquid for up to three days in an airtight glass container to prevent moisture loss.
