Description
Deliciously tender and flavorful Instant Pot Carnitas made with juicy pork shoulder, zesty citrus juices, and a bold spice blend, crisped under the broiler and served as cheesy carnitas tacos with homemade chipotle sauce. Perfect for weeknight dinners or feeding a crowd, these carnitas are easy, quick, and incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Units
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 (from 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 (such as Fage)
- 1–2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (start with 1 and 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 Blend: In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Layer the Instant Pot: Place the chopped onion and minced garlic in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Add the pork shoulder pieces on top, 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 lid, set the pressure release valve to “sealing”, and cook on “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Release Pressure and Shred: Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a baking sheet. Shred the pork using two forks.
- Crisp the Pork: Turn oven to broil. Place shredded pork in a single layer on the baking sheet and broil for 5–7 minutes until crispy. Alternatively, crisp in a hot pan in batches. Remove and set aside.
- Make the Chipotle Sauce: While the meat cooks, mix all chipotle sauce ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or adobo if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld and thicken the sauce.
- Prepare the Cheesy Carnitas Tacos: Heat a pan over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Dip tortillas for a few seconds in the leftover cooking sauce (do not over-soak). Place on hot pan, top with 2 oz. crispy carnitas and 14g cheddar cheese. Fold in half and cook like a quesadilla until browned and cheese is melted; repeat for all tortillas.
- Serve: Serve tacos with chipotle sauce and fresh chopped cilantro, or use carnitas in burritos, salads, or bowls as desired.
Notes
- Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary.
- Store leftovers with a bit of the Instant Pot liquid to prevent meat from drying out and for reheating tortillas.
- Meat yields 18, 2 oz. cooked servings.
- For lower fat, omit the cheese; for lower carbs, use low-carb tortillas or lettuce wraps.
- Pork shoulder is high in fat, so enjoy this meal indulgently.
- For easier nutrition tracking, search “ohsnapmacros Instant Pot Carnitas” in fitness apps.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco (2 oz. meat, 14 g cheddar cheese, 1 white corn tortilla, 12 g chipotle sauce)
- Calories: 296
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 226 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 109 mg
