This Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas recipe could not be easier to make. The chicken is cooked low and slow in the slow cooker and then finished in the oven until crispy and golden brown. It’s flavorful, delicious, and perfect for tacos, bowls, salads, and more!

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Recipe

Easy – thanks to the slow cooker, this is a fairly hands-off recipe. Just combine the ingredients, and let them cook low and slow until the chicken in perfectly tender. Come back after a few hours to shred the chicken, pop it in the broiler, and dinner is done!
Versatile – you can enjoy these chicken carnitas a variety of ways! Use it tacos, salads, burrito bowls or just serve them with a side of rice and beans.
Perfect for meal prep – leftovers store really well, which means you can easily prep a large batch to keep on hand for quick, delicious meals throughout the week. I love making a batch of these to use in burrito bowls for an easy lunch!

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken: you’ll need 3 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Chicken thighs are juicy and stay tender even after cooking for a longer period of time so they work really well in this recipe. However, if you prefer, you could use chicken breast instead!

Garlic: cloves of fresh garlic give the chicken so much flavor!

Chicken Broth: I like to use low-sodium chicken broth for this recipe.

Citrus Juice: we’re using both orange juice and lime juice to help give the meat a vibrant citrus flavor.

Onion: I prefer the flavor white onion in this recipe, but a sweeter yellow onion will also work well!

Seasonings: cumin, dried oregano, paprika, chipotle powder, and of course salt all work together to make sure the carnitas have the best flavor.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas

Step One: Add all the ingredients to the base of your slow cooker, and stir to combine.

Step Two: Cover, and cook the chicken thighs on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours or until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.

Step Three: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker, and shred it with two forks.

Step Four: Transfer the shredded chicken to a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Pour some of the remaining braising liquid on top. Then, broil the meat in the oven on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until it’s browned and crispy. Serve warm, and enjoy!

chicken carnitas on sheet pan with fork before being broiled

chicken carnitas on thee pan with fork after being broiled

Serving Suggestions

Once you’ve made them, there are so many ways to use these slow cooker chicken carnitas! Some of my favorite ways to serve them include:

Bowls – Build a burrito bowl-eqsue recipe with cilantro lime rice, chicken carnitas, and your favorite toppings such as chopped cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, chopped lettuce, or pico de gallo.
Salads – I love to meal prep a bunch of carnitas, and use it as an added protein over salads for quick, healthy meals throughout the week.
Tacos – Use the shredded meat to make soft or hard-shell tacos!
Chicken Quesadillas – Stuff your quesadillas with shredded chicken carnitas for even more protein.
Nachos – Sprinkle the chicken over a pile of tortilla chips, and don’t forget to add plenty of cheese for the best nachos ever!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Transfer leftover chicken to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Allow your chicken carnitas to cool completely. Then, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Thaw frozen chicken in the fridge overnight. Then, reheat it in 30-second intervals in the microwave. You can also transfer it to the slow cooker set to warm. Or, heat the chicken in a skillet or small pot over medium heat on the stove.

chicken carnitas in bowl over rice and topped with toppings with fork

More Delicious Chicken Recipes

I hope you give this Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas Recipe a try! It’s an easy protein option that’s great for meal prep. If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.

Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

Author: Ashlea Carver
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Description

This Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas recipe could not be easier to make. The chicken is cooked low and slow in the slow cooker and then finished in the oven until crispy and golden brown. It’s fully flavorful, delicious, and perfect for tacos, bowls, salads, and more!

Ingredients

Scale

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 cloves fresh garlic
2 dried bay leaves
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

For Serving

chopped cilantro
lime wedges
avocado
chopped lettuce
pico de Gallo
white rice

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to the base of your slow cooker. Stir until everything is well combined.
Cook the chicken thighs on high for 2-3 hours until tender or on low for 4-5 hours or until the chicken is tender and easy to shred.
Remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred with two forks.
Transfer the shredded chicken to parchment lined sheet pan. Pour some of the remaining braising liquid over the meat. Broil the carnitas in the oven on high for 2-3 minutes until browned and crispy. Serve and enjoy!