The holy grail of a weeknight recipe is something healthy, easy, and delicious to both kids and adults. These Chicken Carnitas Bowls from Whole30 co-founder and CEO Melissa Urban’s new book nails all three. “These are as flexible as they are easy to prepare. Let the slow cooker or Instant Pot do all the work while you prepare a buffet of toppings the whole family will love,” says Melissa.

She suggests variations like making them into corn tortilla tacos, adding cheese or sour cream, adding a side of refried beans or serving with rice instead of cauliflower rice, as well as topping with pico de gallo, guacamole, hot sauce, or a fresh pineapple salsa. For more simple, quick and family-friendly recipes, pre-order the Whole30 Fast & Easy Cookbook, out August 4th, 2026.

 

Chicken Carnitas Bowls

Prep: 15 minutes
Slow Cook: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
Total: 6 hours 15 minutes
Serves 4

 

FOR THE CHICKEN

Avocado oil cooking spray
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 red or orange bell pepper, cut into wedges

 

FOR THE LIME CREAM

1 can (6 ounces) coconut cream
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small clove garlic, minced
Salt
1 bag (10 to 12 ounces) frozen cauliflower rice
1/2 bunch curly kale, stemmed and finely chopped (4 cups)
1 container (10 ounces) pico de Gallo

 

Make the Chicken:

1. Lightly coat a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker.
3. In a glass measuring cup, stir together the orange juice, lime juice, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and oregano. Pour over the chicken.
4. Place the bell pepper on the chicken.
5. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a large rimmed baking sheet. Reserve the liquid in the cooker. Use two forks to shred the chicken. For authentic carnitas-style chicken, adjust the oven rack to 4 inches from the heating element.
7. Preheat the oven to broil. Broil the chicken for 5 minutes or until the chicken tips are lightly browned and crisp.
8. Drizzle the chicken with about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, using tongs to toss to coat.
9. Slice the bell pepper.

 

Make the Lime Cream

1. In a small bowl, stir together the coconut cream, lime zest and juice, garlic, and a hearty pinch of salt.
2. Cover and chill until serving.

Prepare the cauliflower according to package directions.

To serve, layer the cauliflower rice, bell pepper, kale, and carnitas in shallow bowls. Top with pico de gallo and lime cream and serve.

Instant Pot Variation: Follow the directions in the first step, using a 6-quart Instant Pot. Lock the lid in place. Select Manual and cook at high pressure for 25 minutes. Use natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release. Follow the remaining directions.

 

 

Excerpted from the book THE WHOLE30 FAST & EASY COOKBOOK, REVISED EDITION by Melissa Urban. Copyright © 2026. From Harvest Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Photographs by Ghazelle Badiozamani. Reprinted by permission.