Everything You Love About Carnitas…In 30 Minutes Or Less!

I’ve been on a serious Mexican food kick lately. Whether we’re ordering tacos from our favorite neighborhood spot or DIY-ing it at home, carnitas is always a go-to.

It’s hard to beat the rich, succulent flavor of pork carnitas, cooked low and slow. But, let’s be real–when those carnitas cravings hit unexpectedly, it can turn dinnertime into a bit of a scramble. That’s where this Chicken Carnitas recipe comes in.

Shredded crispy chicken carnitas on a small silver baking sheet atop a white surface, surrounded by winter citrus pico de gallo, guacamole, radishes, charred corn tortillas, queso fresco and corn tortillas. this Recipe for Later!
Chicken carnitas are the perfect solution to carnitas cravings at home when you need dinner fast! These easy carnitas bake on a sheet pan in less than 30 minutes!

I’m honestly a little giddy about this recipe because it’s so good. While traditional carnitas refers to the Mexican pulled pork we all know and love, this recipe nails all the rich flavors and tender texture with chicken and cooks in just a fraction of the time!

Chicken thighs soak up a fresh and zippy citrus marinade, then bake on a sheet pan for the perfect fuss-free dinner. Plus, it’s super versatile. You can turn it into chicken carnitas tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, taco salads, nachos…basically anything your carnitas-loving heart desires. I can’t wait for you to try these easy sheet pan carnitas!

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Made this for my family last night and it was a big hit! Soo delicious! And your trick to shred the chicken with the paddle attachment was awesome – worked so well! Served it with your pickled red onions and cashew crema – both amazing and will be staples for all future taco nights in our house! Thank you for the great recipes!!

Camille O.
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Easy Carnitas Start With A Quick and Zippy Citrus Marinade

This easy chicken dinner starts with a quick carnitas marinade. It’s a zippy, citrusy marinade made with just a handful of simple ingredients. It’s so easy to throw together, but it adds so much bright flavor to the chicken.

Chicken thighs and yellow onion marinate in citrus and jalapeno carnitas sauce in a large glass bowl, which sits atop a white surface next to sliced oranges and limes.
This bright and zesty marinade adds classic bold flavor to this easy sheet pan chicken carnitas recipe!

You will need….

  • Chicken – You can use either chicken thighs or chicken breasts for these chicken carnitas. Since they’re baked and broiled for a crispy finish, I prefer using thighs since they’re a little more forgiving and don’t dry out easily. If you choose to use breasts, either pound them out flat or butterfly them by slicing them in half lengthwise. This helps to ensure they cook evenly and quickly, creating juicier chicken carnitas.
  • Citrus – True to pork carnitas, the base of this chicken carnitas marinade is a combination of fresh orange and fresh lime. Use both the zest and juice for maximum flavor.
  • Aromatics – Namely garlic, jalapeno, ground cumin, and dried oregano. Pretty simple!
  • Olive oil – Just the littlest bit brings it all together.

Suggested marinating time ⇢ Due to the amount of citrus in the carnitas marinade, you won’t want to let the chicken marinate for too, too long. Aim for at least 20 minutes and no more than 8 hours.

Meal Prep Tip!

I suggest prepping the marinade ahead of time to make your chicken carnitas dinner even more effortless. Mix up the marinade and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The day you plan to make chicken carnitas, simply give it a shake, pour it over the chicken and let it sit until dinnertime. Seriously easy!

How To Make Sheet Pan Chicken Carnitas

The beautiful thing about this chicken carnitas recipe? It’s some straight-up sheet pan magic. Once the chicken has marinated, a sheet pan does the rest of the work!

Marinated chicken thighs and onion on a small gray baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface.
Step 1: Transfer the marinated chicken to a quarter baking sheet. Be sure to drain and discard any excess marinade so the chicken roasts evenly.
Baked carnitas chicken thighs on a small gray baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface.
Step 2: Pop the pan in the oven and bake until the chicken is just nearly cooked through. It takes about 15-18 minutes depending on the thickness of your chicken.
Shredding chicken carnitas in a KitchenAid stand mixer.
Step 3: Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. My favorite trick for the easiest shredded chicken is a trusty stand mixer. The paddle attachment does all the work and creates perfectly pulled chicken.
Shredded crispy chicken carnitas on a small silvery baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface. A woman's hand reaches into the frame with small tongs, scooping up some of the chicken carnitas.
Step 4: Place the shredded chicken back on the sheet pan and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes, until the edges are browned and crispy. Easiest carnitas ever!

Serving Suggestions

Aside from its ease and flavor, the one thing you’ll love most about this chicken carnitas recipe is its versatility. You can build any of your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes around them – chicken carnitas tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, taco salads, nachos, tostadas…you name it!

Whatever you do, don’t forget the toppings! A few of our favorite toppings include:

  • Winter Citrus Pico de Gallo (above) or salsa
  • Queso fresco or shredded pepper jack cheese
  • Sour cream or cashew crema
  • Fresh veggies, sliced avocado or a big ol’ dollop of guacamole
  • And loads of fresh lime juice and finely chopped cilantro!
Close up angle of chicken carnitas rice bowl, with rice, beans, guacamole, shredded radishes, winter citrus pico de gallo. The bowl sits atop a white surface, next to a pink linen napkin, small bowls of winter citrus pico de gallo & shredded radish, & a glass of sparkling water with lemon & grapefruit wedges in it.
My ideal plate? ⇢ A hybrid chicken carnitas taco salad-meets-burrito bowl situation. Pile your favorite salad greens in a bowl with rice or quinoa, black beans, chicken carnitas, and any toppings you love!

Take It Over The Top With Winter Citrus Pico de Gallo

While developing these chicken carnitas, I played around with the idea of swapping fresh tomatoes with beautiful winter citrus in a quick and fresh pico and it was too good not to share!

Winter Citrus Pico de Gallo ⇢ Peel, segment, and roughly chop 2 Cara Cara oranges and 1 grapefruit. Finely dice 1/2 red onion and 1 medium jalapeño. Add everything to a small bowl with a handful of roughly chopped cilantro. Stir and season with freshly squeezed lime juice, salt and ground black pepper to taste. Prep it while the chicken is in the oven and serve with your chicken carnitas – easy!

Side angle of winter citrus pico de gallo in a small glass bowl atop a white surface. A gold spoon is nestled in the bowl, and the bowl is surrounded by orange wedges & cilantro leaves.
For added citrusy brightness, top your crispy chicken carnitas with this easy Winter Citrus Pico de Gallo!

I can’t wait for you to try this easy Chicken Carnitas recipe. We’re seriously obsessed, and I know you will be too.

If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! Happy cooking! ♡

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Shredded crispy chicken carnitas on a small silvery baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface. A woman's hand reaches into the frame with small tongs, scooping up some of the chicken carnitas.

Chicken Carnitas (Quick and Easy Sheet Pan Recipe)

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: serves 4
  • Category: Tacos, Burritos & Enchiladas Recipes, Main Dishes
  • Method: Sheet Pan, Baked
  • Cuisine: Mexican & Tex-Mex
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

Looking for a weeknight dinner win? These Sheet Pan Chicken Carnitas are your new go-to! Tender chicken thighs marinate in a zesty, citrus-infused carnitas sauce, then bake up perfectly juicy and crispy in under 30 minutes. Serve them as chicken carnitas tacos, or pile them onto a rice bowl with all your favorite toppings—either way, you’ll love how quick, flavorful, and versatile this recipe is!

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (see Recipe Notes)
  • ½ yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 large, juicy oranges, zested and juiced
  • 2 large, juicy limes, zested and juiced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
  • 1 medium jalapeno, deseeded as desired and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • for serving, as desired: charred white corn tortillas, cilantro lime rice, black beans, sour cream or cashew crema, pickled red onions, freshly chopped cilantro, queso fresco or cheese of choice, salsa of choice, winter citrus pico de gallo (see blog post above), lime wedges, etc.

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: Add the orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, garlic, jalapeno, olive oil, cumin, oregano and kosher salt to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add in the chicken thighs and yellow onion. Toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes or marinate in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 8 hours.Chicken thighs and yellow onion marinating in citrus and jalapeno carnitas sauce in a large glass bowl, which sits atop a white surface.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, arranging the oven racks such that one is in the center of the oven and one is 4-6 inches under the broiler. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy clean up, as desired, and set aside.Marinated chicken thighs and onion on a small gray baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface.
  3. Bake the chicken: Transfer the marinated chicken and onions to the prepared baking sheet, draining and discarding any excess marinade. Bake on the center rack for 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken thighs. The chicken should be nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven to shred, and meanwhile preheat the broiler.Baked carnitas chicken thighs on a small gray baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface.
  4. Shred the chicken carnitas: Carefully shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces – you can do so using 2 forks, or my favorite trick: pop the chicken thighs directly into in a stand mixer and let the paddle attachment do the work for you (I swear this works!). Transfer the shredded chicken back onto the baking sheet.Shredded chicken in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, which sits atop a white surface.
  5. Broil for crispy chicken carnitas: Place the baking sheet under the broiler. Broil 4-5 minutes, turning the pan halfway through, until the chicken carnitas are browned and slightly crisp. Shredded crispy chicken carnitas on a small silvery baking sheet, which sits atop a white surface.
  6. Serve: Place the crispy chicken carnitas in tortillas for tacos or a bowl with rice and beans for burrito bowls, finishing with your favorite taco night toppings of choice: sour cream/Mexican crema, pickled red onions, cilantro, etc. Enjoy!Chicken carnitas rice bowl with beans, guacamole, shredded radishes, winter citrus pico de gallo. The bowl sits atop a white surface, next to a pink linen napkin, small bowls of winter citrus pico de gallo, shredded radish, and a glass of sparkling water with lemon and grapefruit wedges in it.

Notes

  • Can I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead? Yes. I prefer thighs since they’re flavorful and stay really nice and juicy through roasting + broiling, but you can swap them out with breasts if you prefer. Either pound the breasts out flat or cut them in half lengthwise (butterflied) to ensure they roast up evenly. Skip broiling (Step 5), as the breast meat will dry out.
  • Storage and freezing: Leftover chicken carnitas will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. It’s also a wonderful freezer staple since you can easily thaw it out and use it on tacos, nachos, taco salads, burrito bowls, etc. for an easy dinner down the road. To freeze, transfer cooled chicken carnitas to a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost by placing in the refrigerator overnight to thaw, or by submerging the freezer bag/container in room temp water for 20-25 minutes.
  • 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this sheet pan chicken comes from prepping the marinade. Whisk it up in advance to get a head start on your chicken carnitas – it’ll take 10 minutes, tops:
    • Thinly slice ½ yellow onion, storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • Prep the marinade according to Step 1 of Recipe Directions, above. Store in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The day you’d like to make carnitas, all you have to do is toss the chicken into the marinade – so easy! Marinate for at least 20 minutes or marinate in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 8 hours.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 334
  • Sugar: 12.6 g
  • Sodium: 734.9 mg
  • Fat: 13.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 21.4 g
  • Fiber: 1.2 g
  • Protein: 34.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 147.9 mg

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Chicken carnitas rice bowl, with rice, beans, guacamole, shredded radishes, winter citrus pico de gallo. The bowl sits atop a white surface, next to a pink linen napkin, small bowls of winter citrus pico de gallo & shredded radish, & a glass of sparkling water with lemon & grapefruit wedges in it.
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