Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas

Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas are an easy weeknight Mexican dinner recipe. Eat these in a burrito bowl, on a tortilla, or just on their own!

My husband was craving Mexican food over the weekend but our pantry was pretty bare-I found some chicken breast in the fridge and scraped together some ingredients to adapt my favorite Pork Carnitas recipe into a delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas meal. Not only is it easy to throw together in a pinch-it serves up wonderfully over rice or in tortillas.

Chicken Carnitas Ingredients

• chicken breast
• cumin
• salt
• black pepper
• chili powder
• oregano
• yellow onion
• garlic
• an orange
• limes

What is the Difference Between Pork Carnitas and Chicken Carnitas?

There were a few differences in making the pork carnitas and the chicken version. First, because the chicken breast has more surface area compared to the pork shoulder you need to cut the salt down in the rub or it will be too much.

Next, the pork cut has more fat on it so in order to keep the chicken from drying out I like to shred it about 30 minutes before I want to serve it-this lets it soak up the juices better and keeps it moist.

How to Make Chicken Carnitas

Combine cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder and oregano in a small bow. Rub mixture over the chicken breasts and place into a slow cooker. Top the meat with garlic and onion. Halve limes and oranges and squeeze juice over meat and place fruit on top of the meat. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 6-7 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and allow to sit in juices for 20-30 minutes before serving for more moist carnitas.

How to Serve Carnitas Made with Chicken

Serve with favorite toppings over rice or in taco shells or tortilla. I like mine over rice or in a wheat tortilla with cilantro, pico de gallo, and avocado-so delicious!!! It also pairs deliciously with these Oven Roasted Peppers.

If this recipe is right up your alley you might also like these Mexican recipes:

• Pork Carnitas in the Slow Cooker
• Easy Cheesy Chicken Taquitos
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Taquitos
• Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
• Easy Oven Baked Tacos

If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you! 

Slow Cooker Chicken Carnitas

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Melissa Riker
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 5 1x
• Category: dinner
• Method: slow cooker
• Cuisine: mexican

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Description

Slow Cooker Carnitas Style Chicken is an easy weeknight Mexican dinner recipe. Eat these in a burrito bowl, on a tortilla, or just on their own!

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Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless chicken breast-about 4 pieces
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 small or 1 large orange
• 2 limes

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Instructions

1. Combine cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder and oregano in a small bow.
2. Rub mixture over the chicken breasts and place into a slow cooker.
3. Top the meat with garlic and onion.
4. Halve limes and oranges and squeeze juice over meat and place fruit on top of the meat.
5. Cook on high 4-5 hours or low 6-7 hours.
6. Shred chicken with two forks and allow to sit in juices for 20-30 minutes before serving for more moist carnitas.
7. Serve with favorite toppings over rice or in taco shells or tortilla.

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Keywords: carnitas, chicken, slow cooker, crock pot,