INGREDIENTS:
1.5kg boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 large juicy navel oranges zested and juiced * or 1 ¼ cups fresh squeezed orange juice
4 large juicy limes zested and juiced * or 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ cup of orange liqueur optional
6 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
2 medium jalapeños, deseeded and finely chopped
4 tbsp Extra Virgen olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground marjoram
3 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
Marinate the chicken thighs: Add the orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, orange liqueur, garlic, jalapeno, olive oil, cumin and salt to a large bowl. Combine and add in the chicken thighs and onion. Toss to combine, cover and refrigerate, and marinate for a minimum of 20 minutes to up to 8 hrs.
Preheat the oven to 220 C and arrange the oven racks, one in the centre and the other 10-15cm from the top grill. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil or baker's paper and set aside.
Bake the chicken: Transfer the marinated chicken and onions to the baking sheet, draining and discarding excess marinade liquid. Bake on the centre rack for 15 to 18 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs. The chicken should be nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven to shred and change to preheat oven to broil.
Shred the chicken carnitas: Using 2 forks, shred them into bite-sized pieces. You can also use a wider-sized wand mixer, a hand mixer, or a paddle on a bowl mixer. Just don’t overdo it, as you want to roughly shred the chicken only. Transfer the shredded chicken back to the baking sheet. Using a tbsp of ghee, rub the top layer across the sheet to coat the tips of the carnitas chicken meat.
Grill on the top level where you set the racks. Place the baking sheet under the grill. Grill for 4-5 minutes, turning the pan halfway through until the carnitas are browned and slightly crisp.
Serve: use in Diego’s range of tortillas for tacos, quesadillas or burritos. Finish with your favourite toppings and sides of choice:
Toppings: Sour cream, Mexican crema, Avocado crema, chopped avocado, coriander leaves, crumbled feta, pickled onions and/or pickled carrots
Sides: Mexican Rice and/or Soupy pinto beans