Chicken Carnitas

From The Cookful (https://thecookful.com/slow-cooker-chicken-carnitas/)

• 1 and 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs or a mixture of both
• 1/2 onion, diced  
• 1 cup chicken broth  
• 2 limes, juiced  
• 1/4 cup orange juice 
• 1 and 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin 
• 1 tsp. garlic powder 
• 1 tsp. oregano 
• 2 bay leaves   
• 1 tsp. salt 
• 1 tsp. pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.
2. With 30 minutes left, remove the chicken and shred with forks. Remove the bay leaves. Place chicken back in the slow cooker for the remaining 30 minutes. 
3. Move an oven rack to 6 inches below the broiler. Set broiler to high. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and place it on a cookie sheet.  
4. Place chicken under broiler for 5 minutes. Remove from under broiler, spoon 1/4 cup of broth from slow cooker onto chicken and toss. Place back under broiler for 2 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons of broth onto the chicken and toss. Place back under broiler for 2 minutes. Spoon 2 tablespoons of broth onto the chicken and toss. Repeat until chicken has a nice crunch in many places. If it burns in small spots, break off the burnt bits and discard.

Grilled Chicken and Red Onion Quesadillas

This is an old favorite that I have dug back out lately. I love the versatility of it! Patrick and I eat the onions and chicken on a salad with lime vinegarette. The oldest three do chicken quesadillas and the younger two just do cheese quesadillas with the chicken on the side. Everyone wins!

Marinade:
2 large garlic cloves
1 jalepeno (I haven't had these on hand during the quarantine so I leave this out and it is still great!)
1 cup tightly packed cilantro
3 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T Sherry vinegar (I've used red wine vinegar)
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

Other ingredients:
3-4 boneless chicken breasts
1 Large red onion, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
Extra virgin olive oil
2 c. grated Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese
4 flour tortillas
Optional serving items: salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.

Process the garlic and jalepeno in a food processor. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and process until a paste. Add the paste to the chicken breasts to cover them (I put them in a large ziplock bag and shake it around until the chicken is coated. Refrigerate 3-4 hours.

Lightly brush the onion slices with oil and grill them. I've been using a cast iron skillet on my stove. You can also cook them in the oven at 450 until browned.

Grill chicken until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Assemble quesadillas with chicken, cheese and onions, then grill or cook on the stove top until cheese is melted.

Again, a delicious option is to skip the quesadilla and serve the chicken and onions over a salad. We've been using a homemade lime vinegarette dressing: 2T Extra virgin olive oil, 2 T lime juice, a little sugar to help it emulsify. I add these into a canning jar with a lid and just shake it up and serve.