Recipe: Easy Crispy Chicken Carnitas

Christine Gallary
Christine GallarySenior Recipe Editor at The Kitchn
I grew up in a Chinese food-loving family, eating my first restaurant meals in Oakland's vibrant Chinatown. My love of food but lack of cooking experience led to me Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where I graduated with a Diplôme de Cuisine in French cooking. After culinary school, I learned how to test and edit recipes in test kitchens at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW, falling in love with the process of rigorously testing recipes to make sure they were foolproof for the home cook. I've worked with thousands of recipes over the past 15 years, including developing recipes for the James Beard-award winning Mister Jiu's in Chinatown cookbook. Living in the delicious diversity of San Francisco, I never get tired of finding new ingredients or cuisines to try. My favorite type is Cantonese home cooking — I'm on a quest to recreate the dishes my grandmother used to make. All the food I test at home is eagerly tasted and enjoyed by my husband, Hayden, and daughter, Sophie, while our little dog, Mochi, looks wistfully on.
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updated May 1, 2019
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Credit: Joe Lingeman

These tender, juicy chicken carnitas give pork carnitas a run for its money.

Serves4 to 6

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Carnitas of any kind (including peach!) is one of my very favorite dishes to make, with its tender juicy meat and browned edges. I always thought those who didn’t eat pork were missing out — until now. It turns out that chicken carnitas is a beautiful, delicious thing.

Quickly oven-braise chicken thighs in the same carnitas seasonings, and after a quick stint under the broiler, the shredded, flavorful meat has the same crispy bits that are the hallmark of a good platter of pork carnitas. Just grab some tortillas, and chicken tacos are at your fingertips!

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the cut of choice here because they cook quickly and stay nice and juicy. Season them with cumin and dried oregano, then place them on a bed of onions and garlic and braise for just 40 minutes in the oven. Strain out the cooking liquid and save for moistening later, then shred the chicken right in the baking dish and broil until golden-brown and crisp at the edges. Hit it with some fresh lime juice right at the end for freshness, and dinner is ready.

Besides using the carnitas in tacos, I like using it to add protein to a big salad at lunch, or chopping up the chicken for killer quesadillas. There are lots of options here once you let the oven and broiler do all the hard work!

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Easy Crispy Chicken Carnitas

These tender, juicy chicken carnitas give pork carnitas a run for its money.

Serves 4 to 6

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1/2

    medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

  • 2 cloves

    garlic, thinly sliced

  • 2 1/2 pounds

    boneless, skinless chicken thighs

  • 2 teaspoons

    kosher salt, plus more as needed

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    ground cumin

  • 1/4 cup

    water

  • Juice of 1/2 medium lime

  • Serving options: warmed tortillas, avocado slices, fresh cilantro, diced white onion, hot sauce, lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Place the onion and garlic in an even layer in a broiler-safe 9x13-inch baking dish. Place the salt, oregano, and cumin in a small bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle all over the chicken, then place the chicken in an even layer over the onions. Add the water.

  2. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and braise in the oven until the chicken is cooked through and very tender, about 40 minutes.

  3. Place the baking dish on a heatproof surface and uncover. Turn the oven onto broil. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate; pour the cooking liquid into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Return the chicken to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into large pieces.

  4. Broil until the chicken is browned and crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice over the chicken and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and moisten with some of the reserved cooking liquid if needed. Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

Recipe Notes

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Filed in:
Chicken
children
Dairy-Free
dinner
easy
Gluten-Free