Description
This Instant Pot Carnitas recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded pork shoulder cooked with a blend of spices, citrus juices, and broth, then crisped to perfection. Served in crispy cheesy tacos with a smoky chipotle sauce and fresh cilantro, this dish is perfect for a crowd-pleasing dinner with a Mexican flair.
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, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Set up the Instant Pot: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place pork shoulder pieces on top of the onion mixture, then sprinkle the 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 and use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pork to a baking sheet. Shred the pork using two forks.
- Crisp the pork: Turn 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.
- Make the crispy cheesy tacos: Heat a pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Use tongs to dip corn tortillas briefly in the sauce from the Instant Pot. Place soaked tortillas on the hot pan, top with 2 oz. of cooked pork and 14 grams of shredded cheddar cheese, and fold in half. Cook until both sides are crispy and cheese is melted. Repeat for remaining tortillas.
- Prepare the chipotle sauce: While the meat is cooking, combine all chipotle sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
- Assemble and serve: Serve the crispy tacos with chipotle sauce and fresh chopped cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- All nutrition facts are estimates.
- To store leftover carnitas, add some liquid from the Instant Pot to keep the meat moist in the refrigerator.
- You can use the leftover liquid for tortillas, sandwiches, or as an au jus sauce.
- The recipe yields 18 servings of 2 oz. cooked pork.
- To make this recipe lower in fat, omit the cheese.
- For lower carbs, use low-carb tortillas or lettuce wraps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 296 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 226 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
