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Updated September 26, 2021
Are you looking for a healthy alternative to take out on the road?
Then you are going to love these stovetop dutch oven chicken carnitas bowls!
You can make the rice and beans ahead of time if you’ll be boondocking.
The chicken carnitas can be made in your dutch oven over a fire, on the grill, or on your propane cooktop.
Delicious Stovetop Dutch Oven Chicken Carnitas Bowls
These Stovetop Dutch Oven Chicken Carnitas Bowls are a wonderful weeknight dinner option!
This recipe offers an incredibly flavorful, filling, and fresh meal that can feed your entire family easily.
There are plenty of variations you can make in this recipe, but the base ingredients work great!
The chicken carnitas are a healthier alternative to traditional pork, but taste just as amazing!
Serve with some warm soft taco shells or tortillas, and you’re all set for a great meal.
INGREDIENTS
We used some boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, serving as a great base for the delicious spice mix.
The spices and cooking liquid are relatively simple to prepare, but provide so much flavor!
If you’re looking for a little added heat you can add a can of diced green chilies to the liquid before cooking.
Some rice, beans of your choosing, salsa, diced tomatoes, cilantro and fresh lime wedges are all amazing sides and toppings to pair along with the chicken carnitas!
You can find the exact measurements and amount of ingredients below!
- 2 large chicken breasts (or 3-4 medium-sized chicken breasts)
- 1 diced onion
- 3 minced garlic cloves or 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- juice of half a lime
- 1 can dice green chilies ( optional)
- Avocado oil or olive oil for sauteing
- Sides and topping for bowls such as prepared rice, black beans, salsa, diced tomatoes, cilantro, and lime wedges.
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat some oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven or large stockpot.
When hot, add the diced onion and saute for 2 minutes, stirring actively.
When they start to become slightly translucent, it’s time to move on to the next step!
Add the garlic and turn down the heat to medium to prevent overcooking the garlic, then saute 3-5 minutes or until golden and tender.
Add the remaining spices and season well with salt and pepper.
Saute the garlic, onions and spices for an additional minute.
When the spices become fragrant, add the broth, lime juice, soy and vinegar.
Next, add the oregano and green chilies (if you’re using them).
Stir well until thoroughly combined and place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture.
Bring the pot to a simmer and cover.
Continue to simmer the chicken on medium to low heat for 35-45 minutes depending on the size of the chicken breasts.
When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re ready to move on.
When the chicken is done, remove and shred the meat with a fork and then return to the pot.
Mix thoroughly with the reduced cooking liquid and onion mixture.
If the liquid isn’t thick enough, simmer for a few minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.
Related: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Serve the chicken carnitas in a warm bowl, you can be fairly generous with the servings since this recipe makes loads of chicken carnitas!
You can add plenty of things into the bowl along with the chicken, such as the cooked rice, beans, and diced tomatoes.
There’s plenty of variety with potential toppings too, such as salsa, sour cream, diced green onion, shredded cheese, cilantro, and some freshly squeezed lime juice or whole wedges.
It is so good with some fresh cherry tomatoes and salsa! You could also easily make a simple pico de gallo to serve with it as well.
Don’t forget some warm tortillas!
Final Thoughts
All in all, this recipe is super simple, requiring relatively little work and ending up with a plentiful, cheap, and delicious meal!
The fresh and healthy flavors combined with the flavorful, slightly spicy, and super tender chicken makes this a guaranteed family-pleasing meal.
We hope you enjoy this incredibly simple and delicious weeknight meal as much as we did.
These Stovetop Dutch Oven Chicken Carnitas Bowls are also a wonderful meal prep or school lunch option!
They keep relatively well in the fridge if properly stored and are great with a tortilla or two.
I’m not a big fan of black beans, so I usually keep some cooked pinto beans on hand that I can warm up and enjoy with my bowl.
This is an awesome meal to make if you are craving chipotle, but are in the middle of nowhere with no Chipotle to be found for hours.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you decide to try out this recipe and enjoy it!