I feel a little funny sharing a recipe for chicken carnitas that is made with rotisserie chicken. It was only a year ago that I had my first bite of tender, salty and delicious supermarket chicken. Before then I thought I was too cool for rotisserie chicken. (Hanging head in shame.)
I had this idea in my head that buying a rotisserie chicken was a cop out. My ill-informed mind equated it to packaged or processed food, and I didn't want any of it. Seriously, what was I thinking? Turns out I was the last person on the planet to finally figure out that rotisserie chicken is crazy delicious. Better late than never.
Now I'll stand at my kitchen counter, eating it straight from the plastic container. With my hands. Going straight for the extra salty, crispy skin first. All class over here. ?
But what do you do with the leftover rotisserie chicken sitting in your fridge? Here's what you do … make some chicken carnitas! (aka: crispy chicken tacos)
I know traditional carnitas are made with pork that's slow cooked in a pot of lard until it's falling apart tender. Chicken carnitas might seem like a bit of a stretch, but I assure you that they're crazy delicious. And they're about a bazillion times quicker and easier to make than traditional carnitas.
This is what you're going to do:
- Shred some leftover rotisserie chicken then broil it until it's crispy.
- Make a simple guacamole and a pineapple pomegranate salsa.
- Warm up some tortillas, or make your own.
- Eat!
See how easy that was?
Of course you don't have to wait till tomorrow to use the leftover chicken; you could buy one just for this recipe. I never make it past the eating it from the container part, though.
Seriously, why is it so good?
You might find it hard to believe that it could ever be made better, but I promise you it can. When it turns crispy in your oven and is smothered between a thick layer of guac and some sweet pineapple pieces, it becomes out of this world. ?
If you make these Rotisserie Chicken Carnitas with Fiery Pineapple Salsa make sure you snap a pic and tag @theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create!
- 2 cups diced fresh pineapple
- 2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Juice from ½ a lime
- ½ jalapeño or serrano pepper, finely minced
- 2 large avocados
- Juice from ½ lime
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- Sea salt, to taste
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- ¼ cup finely chopped chicken skin (see notes)
- 12 corn tortillas
- Place the oven rack on the top shelf and preheat your oven to broil at 420 degrees. If you can't control the temperature of your oven, move the rack down one notch. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Note: the parchment paper will prevent the chicken from sticking to the pan, but it will brown, and might smoke, under the broiler.
- Mix all the pineapple salsa ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. In a second medium-sized bowl mix all the guacamole ingredients.
- Mix the shredded rotisserie chicken with the chicken skin together on the prepared baking sheet. Broil in your oven for 10 minutes, or until the chicken is crispy and brown in many spots, mixing halfway through. While the chicken is broiling, warm the tortillas in a frying pan.
- Pile on the guacamole on a warmed tortilla, top with the rotisserie chicken carnitas and the pineapple salsa. Serve immediately.
Kristen Stevens
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Hi, I’m Kristen! 
Mmm! I totally support you on this. A friend bought me a rotisserie chicken cookbook, full of all kinds of delicious things to do with thosestore-bought jems.. I’ll print this out and tuck it into the pages.
A rotisserie chicken cookbook? What a great idea!
I love the crispy chicken tip! That’s fantastic! These look so good Kristen!
I’ve done the same thing with leftover braised beef or pork, too. It’s amazing how much extra flavour it picks up when it’s broiled.
Hahaha! You are too funny, Kristen. And we are totally cut from the same cloth, because I was late to the rotisserie party too and I also eat it from the container standing up in the kitchen. I swear that stuff is culinary crack. 😉 Anyways, LOVING that you turned it into chicken carnitas! SO gosh darn clever! These tacos look amazing, especially with that pineapple jalapeno salsa. TGITT! (<– Thank God It's Taco Tuesday!) You can bet I will be chowin' down on these delicious bad boys later! Pinned! Cheers, my dear! <3
I love that we’re both late to the game. Better late than never, girl! Thank you so much for the pin!