Crispy Chicken Carnitas

About This Recipe

Boneless skinless chicken thighs braised in a blend of onion and garlic, non-alcoholic beer, orange juice, and a blend of spices before broiling until crispy golden brown.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 2 Tablespoons 32g Olive Oil
• 1/2 100g White Onion, diced
• 4 cloves Garlic (minced or grated on a microplane)
• 12 oz Non-Alcoholic Beer (or your choice of braising liquid)
• Juice of 1 Navel Orange (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• Pinch of Ground Cinnamon and Cloves (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and place smooth-side-down in the skillet.
2. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the chicken easily releases from the pan and is golden brown. Flip and cook for another 30-60 seconds before transferring to a plate or bowl.
3. Add the onion and garlic, stirring in the remaining oil and rendered chicken fat until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute.
4. Add a few tablespoons of the beer to deglaze the skillet and scrape any fond and crispy bits off the bottom of the pan. Once clear, reduce the heat to low and add the remaining beer, orange juice, and dry seasonings. Stir well.
5. Leaving the seared side up, place the chicken back in the skillet in the braising liquid. Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is fall apart tender, about 15-20 minutes. Preheat your broiler in the final 5-10 minutes with a rack in the top half of the oven.
6. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and increase the heat under the pan to reduce the remaining braising liquid while you pull the chicken apart with forks or tongs.
7. Add the chicken back to pan and remove from the heat. Stir everything together before placing under the broiler for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is as crispy as you'd like.