Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas — When January Asks for Something That Cooks Itself

January cold and the kitchen stays busy. Winter cooking has its own particular pleasure — the oven doing double duty as heat source and meal maker, the smells of braise and bread filling a house battened against the cold. I've been on a slow-cooked beans kick all January: white bean and escarole soup, cassoulet adapted for a family of five, a Tuscan-style bean stew with rosemary and garlic that Ethan would recognize from his letters about Italian kitchens.

I've been working on the author bio and book jacket copy with Claire and Susan. The author bio asks you to summarize yourself in three sentences, which is both simpler and harder than writing fifty thousand words. "Michelle Larson is a cooking educator, community workshop teacher, and YouTube creator based in American Fork, Utah. Her work focuses on building kitchen confidence in home cooks and families facing food insecurity. She lives with her husband and four children and cooks every day." Three sentences. I've rewritten them eleven times.

Mason was accepted to the summer culinary intensive. He came home with the acceptance email and handed me his phone and said, "I got in." His face was the face of someone who is not going to show how much this means but absolutely needs you to see it. I said, "Mason. I'm so proud of you." He nodded and looked at his phone and then said, "I'm going to need some things." We made a list. Good knives — he has those. An apron that fits. A notebook. He's already planning.

That same January energy that has me nursing pots of white beans and Tuscan stew all day — the oven on, the house warm, something quietly doing its work while I’m doing mine — is exactly what I needed when Mason’s acceptance came in and the evening suddenly called for something celebratory but unhurried. This slow cooker chicken carnitas is the kind of recipe I reach for when the day already has enough going on: set it in the morning, crisp it at the end, and dinner feels like something you planned beautifully even when you were really just holding everything together. Serve it over rice and black beans to keep the spirit of this whole slow-cooked January exactly where it belongs.

Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 6–8 hours (slow cooker) + 10 minutes (broil) | Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small white onion, roughly chopped
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce)
• Juice of 1 orange (about 1/4 cup)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

1. Season the chicken. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne if using. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken on both sides.
2. Layer the slow cooker. Place the chopped onion and minced garlic on the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the seasoned chicken thighs on top in a single layer as much as possible.
3. Add the liquids. Scatter the minced chipotle pepper and adobo sauce over the chicken. Pour the orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth around (not over) the chicken to preserve the surface spice rub.
4. Slow cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is completely tender and shreds easily with two forks.
5. Shred and reserve. Transfer the chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet. Shred using two forks into rough, uneven pieces — varied sizes crisp up better. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid over the top and drizzle with olive oil.
6. Broil for crispiness. Set your oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat to broil (high). Broil the shredded chicken for 5–7 minutes, watching closely, until the edges are caramelized and crispy. Toss once halfway through if desired for even crispiness.
7. Serve. Serve immediately over cooked rice, black beans, or warm tortillas with your choice of toppings: fresh cilantro, diced white onion, sliced avocado, salsa, and extra lime wedges.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 265 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 480mg