Description
This Instant Pot Carnitas recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded pork with a crispy finish, perfect for making delicious cheesy carnitas tacos topped with a smoky chipotle sauce and fresh cilantro.
Ingredients
Scale
Instant Pot Carnitas
- 3.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (2-3 oranges)
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (or any broth or water)
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. ground oregano
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Crispy Cheesy Carnitas Tacos
- 18 white corn tortillas
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Chipotle Sauce
- 3/4 cup 0% nonfat Greek yogurt (e.g., Fage)
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (adjust for heat preference)
- 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce (from the can of peppers)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Fresh cracked pepper to taste
Toppings
- Fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mixture: In a small bowl, combine chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Set up the Instant Pot: Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place pork shoulder pieces on top of the onion mixture, then sprinkle the prepared spice mixture evenly over the pork. Pour orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth over the pork.
- Cook the carnitas: Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the pressure release valve to sealing, and select Manual or Pressure Cook mode. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Release pressure and shred the pork: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then turn the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid carefully. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pork to a baking sheet. Shred the pork using two forks.
- Crisp the pork: Preheat your oven to broil. Spread shredded pork on a baking sheet and broil for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Alternatively, crisp the pork in batches in a hot pan with cooking spray over medium-high heat.
- Make the crispy cheesy tacos: Heat a pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Use tongs to briefly dip corn tortillas in the liquid and sauce from the Instant Pot. Place the soaked tortillas on the hot pan, top each with about 2 oz. cooked pork and 14 grams shredded cheddar cheese, fold in half, and cook until both sides are crispy and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Prepare the chipotle sauce: While the meat cooks, combine Greek yogurt, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, minced garlic, ground cumin, salt, and cracked pepper in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
- Assemble and serve: Serve the crispy cheesy carnitas tacos topped with chipotle sauce and fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- All nutrition facts are estimates and may vary depending on ingredient brands.
- Store leftover carnitas with some of the Instant Pot liquid to keep the meat moist in the refrigerator.
- Use leftover cooking liquid as a dipping sauce for tortillas, sandwiches, or as au jus.
- Recipe yields 18 servings of 2 oz. cooked pork each, sufficient for 18 tacos.
- For lower fat, omit the cheese from tacos.
- For lower carbs, use low-carb tortillas or lettuce wraps instead of corn tortillas.
- Crisp pork in a pan if broiler is unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 296 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 226 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
