Best 6 Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Recipes

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Preparing slow cooker chicken carnitas is a delectable culinary journey that promises a flavorful and tender feast. Embark on this adventure with us as we explore the secrets of creating succulent, slow-cooked chicken infused with Mexican spices and citrus. Let your taste buds dance to the rhythm of authentic Mexican flavors as you discover the best recipe for slow cooker chicken carnitas.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CARNITAS



Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas image

Chicken variation on the classic pork carnitas. Serve in tortillas with whatever toppings you want. Enjoy.

Provided by Chef Dan J

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 4h40m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 22

2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 (4 ounce) can fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon Mexican-style seasoning blend
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon garlic and herb seasoning blend
¼ teaspoon chile powder
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 orange, zested and juiced
4 cloves garlic

Steps:

  • Dissolve chicken bouillon in boiling water.
  • Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until translucent and browned, about 5 minutes. Add jalapenos and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add green chiles; cook for 3 minutes more.
  • Mix salt, cilantro, Mexican seasoning, cumin, basil, oregano, garlic powder, seasoning blend, chile powder, paprika, mustard powder, and black pepper together in a bowl.
  • Trim chicken as needed. Coat all sides with the seasoning blend.
  • Place onion mixture in a slow cooker. Add chicken broth, juice and zest from the limes and orange, and garlic cloves. Place chicken on top. Cover and cook on Low until chicken is no longer pink inside and very tender, 4 to 6 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 177.9 calories, Carbohydrate 8.1 g, Cholesterol 66.1 mg, Fat 4.6 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 25.9 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 824.7 mg, Sugar 3.7 g

SLOW-COOKER PORK CARNITAS



Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas image

This easy and delicious slow-cooker recipe will impress any taco lover. While it's an extra step, crisping up the shredded meat in a skillet before serving adds extra flavor and creates the crunchy bits that are typical of carnitas. And don't skip the pickled red onions! They complement the richness of the pork.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 5h15m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 27

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Small pinch ground cloves
Kosher salt
1 medium white onion, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 bay leaves
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lard
Soft corn tortillas, for serving
Cilantro leaves, for serving
Sliced jalapenos, for serving
Pickled red onions, recipe follows
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Kosher salt

Steps:

  • Add the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, cloves, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt to a large slow cooker and whisk to combine. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves and stir to combine. Add the pork and toss to coat. Cover and cook on high until the meat is tender, about 5 hours.
  • Transfer the pork to a large bowl with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves, onion, and garlic. Shred the pork into bite-size pieces with 2 forks, leaving some larger chunks, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the lard in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shredded pork and press down into an even layer with a spatula. Cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisped and browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 tablespoons lard and shredded pork.
  • Serve with tortillas, cilantro, jalapenos and pickled red onions.
  • Put the sliced onions in a medium heatproof, nonreactive bowl. Put the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, bay leaves, sugar, coriander and 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the red onions and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.

SLOW-COOKER CARNITAS



Slow-Cooker Carnitas image

We shared these flavor-packed tacos with friends from church who came over to help us move. They're so good, I put them on my blog, manilaspoon.com! The slow cooker makes this recipe extra easy, and I love that whenever I make it, I'm reminded of the wonderful people back in Michigan. -Abigail Raines, Hamden, Connecticut

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 8h25m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 13

1/2 cup salsa
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 whole cloves
1-1/4 cups water
2 medium onions, chopped
1 bone-in pork shoulder roast (6 to 7 pounds)
24 corn tortillas (6 inches) or taco shells, warmed
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped tomato, onion, cilantro and lime wedges

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, mix first 9 ingredients. Place onions in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Place roast over onions; pour salsa mixture over roast. Cook, covered, on low until pork is tender, 8-10 hours., Remove roast; remove and discard bone. Shred pork with 2 forks. Serve in tortillas with toppings as desired. Freeze option: Freeze cooled pork mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring occasionally; add water or broth if necessary.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 393 calories, Fat 18g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 100mg cholesterol, Sodium 757mg sodium, Carbohydrate 25g carbohydrate (2g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 32g protein.

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS RECIPE BY TASTY



Slow Cooker Carnitas Recipe by Tasty image

Have you ever gone out for Mexican food, eaten carnitas, and thought "gosh, I wish I could make this myself"? Well, you can with the help of your slow cooker. Just add pork butt or shoulder to a slow cooker with citrus juice, garlic, onion, and some spices, then let it cook for about eight hours until it's tender and easy to shred with a fork. Then, you can enjoy your home-cooked carnitas in tacos, burritos, or on top of your favourite grains.

Provided by Scott Loitsch

Categories     Dinner

Time 8h10m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

4 lb boneless pork butt, or shoulder, cut into six equal pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, quartered
3 leaves bay leaf
1 lime, juiced
1 large orange, juiced, save the spent halves
tortilla, taco shell
rice
1 can black beans
salsa
guacamole
sour cream
fresh cilantro
1 cup cheese

Steps:

  • Cut pork into 6 equal pieces. Add it to the slow cooker.
  • Add salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, garlic, onion, bay leaves, lime juice and juice the orange. Add orange to the cooker as well. Mix together until the meat is well-coated.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily.
  • Remove the pork and transfer to a foil-lined baking sheet. Shred the pork and spread across the baking sheet in a single layer.
  • Pour about 1 cup (235 ml) of the liquid remaining in the slow cooker over the shredded pork. Broil for 5-10 minutes until the meat browns and crisps along the edges.
  • Serve immediately. Great as a filling in tacos, burritos, salads, or nachos!
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 810 calories, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 72 grams, Sugar 5 grams

SLOW COOKER CARNITAS



Slow Cooker Carnitas image

Carnitas means 'little meats' and is traditionally fried then braised. This recipe is made much easier using the slow cooker but the results are just as tasty. This makes a great filling for tamales, enchiladas, tacos and burritos. This filling is also great combined with your favorite barbecue sauce and served on buns.

Provided by Erin Parker

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Mexican

Time 10h10m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Steps:

  • Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
  • Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 222.7 calories, Carbohydrate 0.7 g, Cholesterol 73.3 mg, Fat 13.8 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 22.2 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 474.3 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

THE BEST EVER SLOW COOKER CARNITAS



The BEST EVER Slow Cooker Carnitas image

What makes these carnitas different? They are crisped and browned on the stove after low and slow cooking in the crock pot. These are incredibly easy to make and have replaced traditional taco filling at our house. These carnitas or "little meats" are great in Tacos, Burritos, Enchiladas, Tamales or Nachos. When served with corn tortillas, they are also gluten free!

Provided by sellingsavannah

Categories     Mexican

Time 7h40m

Yield 8-10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 lbs boneless pork shoulder or 4 lbs boston butt
1 large onion, cut into large pieces
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups water
2 tablespoons canola oil or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Steps:

  • Mix cumin, garlic powder, oregano, coriander, kosher salt and ground black pepper together in a small bowl to make a dry rub. Pat the pork shoulder roast or boston butt dry with paper towels, and then cover roast with dry rub.
  • Place the pieces of onion and the bay leaf in the bottom of your slower cooker, lay the roast on top. Carefully pour the chicken stock or the water around the roast, taking care not to wash away the dry rub. Cook on low for 6 hours or until the pork easily falls apart.
  • Once the pork is easily falling apart, remove from slow cooker to cool. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the excess fat, shred the remaining pork.
  • Place the reserved cooking liquid in a large non-stick skillet with shredded pork. Cook over medium high heat until the liquid is absorbed, tossing the pork occasional to coat.
  • Once the cooking liquid is absorbed, add the oil and crisp up the carnitas to your desired doneness. We like our extra crispy, usually about 14-18 minutes.
  • Serve with your favorite taco fixings, like corn or flour tortillas, cilantro, lime, shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, sour cream and cheese.

Tips:

  • Choose the right cut of meat: Pork shoulder is the best cut for carnitas because it has a good amount of fat that will render down and make the meat tender and flavorful.
  • Sear the meat before slow cooking: Searing the meat before slow cooking will help to develop flavor and color.
  • Add plenty of spices: Carnitas is a flavorful dish, so don't be afraid to add plenty of spices. Common spices used in carnitas include chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano.
  • Cook the carnitas on low heat for a long time: Carnitas is a slow-cooked dish, so it's important to cook it on low heat for a long time. This will allow the meat to become tender and fall apart.
  • Shred the meat before serving: Once the carnitas is cooked, shred it with two forks. This will make it easier to eat and will help to distribute the spices evenly.

Conclusion:

Carnitas is a delicious and versatile dish that can be used in a variety of different ways. It can be served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or simply on its own with rice and beans. No matter how you choose to serve it, carnitas is sure to be a hit.

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