Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe: Crispy, Juicy Mexican Pork

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Slow cooker pork carnitas is the easiest path to the best tacos of your life: a pork shoulder rubbed with cumin and oregano, slow-cooked in orange and lime juice until it falls apart, then crisped in a hot pan until the edges turn golden and crackly. Juicy inside, crispy outside — that contrast is the whole point. The slow cooker does the hard work. Eight hours on low turns a tough shoulder meltingly tender, and the citrus in the cooking liquid keeps the pork bright instead of heavy. The real magic happens at the end: shred the pork, spread it in a screaming-hot skillet with a splash of its own cooking liquid, and let it sit undisturbed until the edges char. Do not skip that step — crisping is what makes carnitas carnitas. Crispy edges, juicy center — carnitas night done right. Recipe Info Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 8 hours (slow cooker, low) Total time: 8 hours 30 minutes Servings: 8 Calories: ~520 kcal per serving Pork, citrus and spice — carnitas starts h...
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Indonesian Fried Chicken (Ayam Goreng Kalasan) Recipe

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Ayam goreng Kalasan is Indonesia's answer to fried chicken — and it is on another level. The chicken is first simmered in coconut water with a golden spice paste until tender and infused with flavor, then deep-fried until the skin crackles into a crisp, amber crust. Shatteringly crunchy outside, juicy inside.

The two-step method is the whole secret. The simmer does the flavoring; the fry is purely about texture. Serve it the Javanese way with steamed rice, fresh lalapan, and sambal. Let's cook.

Golden crispy ayam goreng Kalasan with steamed rice, lalapan vegetables, and sambal on a banana leaf plate

Ayam goreng Kalasan — golden, crisp, and deeply spiced.

Recipe Info

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating)
  • Servings: 4
  • Calories: ~480 kcal per serving (without rice)

Ingredients

  • 800 g / 1¾ lb chicken pieces (drumsticks and thighs, bone-in)
  • 750 ml / 3 cups coconut water
  • 4 salam leaves (or bay leaves)
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
  • 2 cm / ¾-inch piece galangal, bruised
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Vegetable oil, for deep frying
  • For the spice paste (bumbu):
  • 6 candlenuts (kemiri), toasted
  • 6 shallots, roughly chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 cm / 1¼-inch fresh turmeric (or 2 tsp ground turmeric)
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp palm sugar
Raw chicken pieces marinating in yellow Indonesian spice paste with candlenuts, garlic, and coconut water

The spice marinade is the secret — don't rush it.

Instructions

  1. Make the spice paste: Blend the candlenuts, shallots, garlic, turmeric, coriander seeds, salt, and palm sugar with a splash of water into a smooth paste.
  2. Bloom the paste: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the spice paste for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and deep golden, stirring constantly.
  3. Marinate: Add the chicken pieces, salam leaves, lemongrass, and galangal. Toss to coat every piece in the paste. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes (or up to overnight in the fridge).
  4. Simmer: Pour in the coconut water — it should almost cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30–35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick glaze coating the pieces.
  5. Rest and dry: Transfer the chicken to a rack and let it rest 10 minutes. The surface should be dry-ish — this is what makes the crust crisp.
  6. Fry: Heat oil to 175°C / 350°F in a wok or deep pan. Fry the chicken in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crackled. Drain on a rack.
  7. Serve: Plate with steamed rice, fresh lalapan (cucumber, tomato, basil, cabbage), and your favorite sambal.
Chicken pieces being lifted from hot bubbling oil in a wok with a wire skimmer, deep golden and crisp

Fry until deep golden for the signature crackled crust.

Tips & Variations

  • Don't skip the candlenuts. They give the crust its richness and body. Macadamia nuts are the closest substitute if you can't find kemiri.
  • Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil toughens the chicken; a lazy simmer lets the coconut water and spices penetrate slowly. The glaze at the end should coat, not drown, the pieces.
  • Fry in batches. Crowding the oil drops the temperature and steams the crust soggy. Two or three batches for this amount of chicken.
  • Shortcut version: Skip the long simmer by pressure-cooking the marinated chicken for 10 minutes, then proceed to the fry.
  • Storage: The simmered (unfried) chicken keeps 3 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen — fry straight from thawed for a fresh-crusted dinner any night. Fried chicken keeps 2 days refrigerated; re-crisp in a hot oven.
  • Serving idea: Shred leftovers over nasi uduk or into fried rice — the spiced chicken elevates everything it touches.

Nutrition Note

This is an approximate guide only, not dietary advice. One serving (chicken only, without rice) contains roughly 480 kcal, 38 g protein, 30 g fat, and 8 g carbohydrates. Deep-frying adds fat — drain well and balance the plate with plenty of fresh lalapan.

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FAQ

What is the difference between ayam goreng Kalasan and regular fried chicken?

Western fried chicken gets its flavor from a seasoned coating; ayam goreng Kalasan is seasoned from the inside out — simmered in spiced coconut water before a quick fry that is purely about crispness. The result is more aromatic and juicy.

Can I use chicken breast?

You can, but bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicier through the long simmer. If using breast, reduce the simmer to 20 minutes so it doesn't dry out.

What can I use instead of coconut water?

Plain water works, but you'll lose some of the subtle sweetness. A mix of water with 2 tbsp of coconut sugar dissolved in it is a decent stand-in.

How do I get the crust extra crispy?

Two things matter most: let the simmered chicken rest uncovered so the surface dries, and keep the oil at 175°C / 350°F. Dry surface plus hot oil equals crackle.

Crunchy outside, juicy inside, and spiced all the way through — this ayam goreng Kalasan will ruin ordinary fried chicken for you. Have you tried this recipe? Tell us in the comments below, and save this recipe for your next craving!



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