Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas Tacos
Aug 03, 2020, Updated Apr 22, 2024
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These chicken carnitas are prepared with crispy chicken marinated in zesty citrus sauce and seasoned with a mix of bold Tex-Mex spices. Cooking carnitas is made super easy in the Instant Pot!
Like chili and chicken nachos, carnitas tacos are serious game day comfort food. While traditional Mexican carnitas recipes typically take their sweet time, slowly cooking the meat until juicy and tender, I’ve found a few tricks to speed up the process. My pork carnitas are quick to make on the stovetop. Likewise, these chicken carnitas are packed with flavor in a fraction of the time, thanks to the Instant Pot.
A Quicker Way to Make Carnitas
- Multicooker magic. The Instant Pot condenses an hours-long cooking process into a short, 20-minute cooking time.
- Authentic taste, with a shortcut. If you take a few minutes to broil the chicken in the oven, you’ll get the most crisp and delicious shredded meat you’ve ever tasted!
- One dish, many ways. You can serve these chicken carnitas over nachos, rice, salads, or make tacos as I do here. Or, any other way you’d like.
What are Carnitas?
In Spanish, “carnitas” means “little meats”. Carnitas are a Mexican dish traditionally made with pork shoulder. The pork is braised until it’s shreddable, then fried over high heat to crisp up the edges. In this recipe, we will use chicken instead of pork.
You’ll Need These Ingredients
I wanted to make these chicken carnitas approachable to most kitchens, so the ingredients are very easy. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs are easiest to shred to fill the tacos. However, you can make this recipe with bone-in chicken and remove the bones afterward. It will take slightly longer to cook, so use a thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ºF.
- Spices – I season these carnitas with a mix of ground cumin, dried oregano, and chili powder in addition to salt and pepper. Substitute fajita seasoning or taco seasoning in place of these individual spices, if you’d like.
- Olive Oil – Used to sauté and brown the chicken and onions. Another cooking oil will also work here, like vegetable oil or avocado oil.
- Onion and Garlic – You can use diced yellow or white onion and fresh or ground garlic. Substitute each garlic clove with ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if needed.
- Chicken Broth – I use low-sodium chicken broth to deglaze the pot and add the necessary liquid for cooking in the Instant Pot. You could also use a light beer, like a lager, for depth of flavor.
- Orange Juice – A key ingredient in carnitas recipes, orange juice infuses the meat with a bright, citrusy flavor. Freshly squeezed is best; otherwise, use orange juice not from concentrate.
- Lime Juice – Adds zest and acidity to balance the rich flavors of the chicken. I highly recommend fresh lime juice here, so it doesn’t taste dull or artificial.
- Flour Tortillas – To wrap around the chicken carnitas filling. I use low-carb flour tortillas, but you can use any kind you’d like, including corn tortillas.
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro – For garnish. If you dislike cilantro, fresh parsley or basil is a good substitute.
Easy Chicken Carnitas Tacos
Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet, a few seconds per side. Then, load them up with the cooked chicken carnitas, topped off with your favorite fixings. I personally love homemade salsa, sweet corn, cilantro coleslaw, avocado, onions, shredded lettuce, and a sprinkle of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
More Ways to Serve Chicken Carnitas
- Quesadillas. Make quesadillas filled with chicken carnitas and cheese.
- As a topping. Serve this shredded chicken over nachos, tostadas, or add it to a Southwestern salad.
- With rice. Serve chicken carnitas over rice or coconut-lime cauliflower rice with a side of beans.
- Bowls. Chicken carnitas make an excellent protein in taco bowls and fajita bowls.
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Chicken Carnitas (Instant Pot)
The Instant Pot is the ultimate shortcut to crispy, delicious chicken carnitas flavored with lime, Tex-Mex spices, citrus, and garlic.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth, or beer
- ¼ cup orange juice, no pulp, freshly squeezed if possible
- ¼ cup lime juice
- low carb flour tortillas, for serving
- fresh chopped cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- Season the chicken. Lightly pat dry the chicken breasts with paper towels. In a small mixing bowl, combine cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken breasts.
- Cook the chicken. Press the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken breasts to the heated olive oil and brown on both sides. You will have to do this in batches; do not try to sear all chicken breasts at once. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Sauté the onions. Add the diced onions to the Instant Pot; if needed, add the rest of the olive oil. Cook the onions for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.
- Deglaze the pot. Stir in the chicken broth and deglaze the bottom of the Pot while stirring. Add in the orange juice and lime juice; bring to a simmer.
- Pressure cook. Return the chicken to the Instant Pot. Cover and set to Pressure Cook on High for 10 minutes (12 minutes for chicken thighs). Then, do a Natural Pressure Release.
- Shred the chicken. Remove the lid and transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Shred the chicken.
- Get ready for the oven. Set your oven to BROIL and line a baking sheet with foil; lightly grease it with cooking spray. Once the chicken is shredded, spread it out on the baking sheet. Remove ¼ cup of the liquid from the Instant Pot and add it to the chicken; stir to combine.
- Crisp up the edges. Broil the chicken for 5 minutes; stir. Continue to broil for 5 more minutes.
- Serve. Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving in tacos, quesadillas, over nachos, etc.
Video
Notes
- Chicken Variety: Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, but you’ll have to cook them a couple of minutes longer.
- Spices: Don’t hesitate to tweak the spice mix to suit your taste. Adding a touch of smoked paprika or chipotle can elevate the flavor.
- Rest: Allow the chicken to rest a bit before shredding; it helps retain the juices.
- Broiling: Don’t skip the broiling step if you like crispy meat.
- Toppings: Offer toppings like sliced avocados, pico de gallo, sour cream, or cheese to customize the tacos.
- Tortillas: Warm the tortillas before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It makes an excellent filling for quesadillas or topping for salads the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 500mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 112IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Make Chicken Carnitas in the Instant Pot
With only a few minutes of prep, this chicken carnitas recipe is very straightforward and the perfect reason to crack out your Instant Pot this week. Here’s how to make it.
- Cook the chicken. First, pat the chicken dry and rub it all over with the spices. Next, set your Instant Pot to Sauté and add a splash of oil. Sear the chicken in batches so it’s browned on both sides. Don’t overcrowd the pot.
- Add onions and garlic. Set the browned chicken aside for now. To the IP, add your diced onion. Sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic.
- Deglaze. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pot. Afterward, stir in the orange and lime juices and bring the pot to a simmer.
- Pressure cook. Return your chicken to the Instant Pot. Seal the pot and set it to pressure cook on High for 10 minutes. Keep in mind that the Instant Pot may need between 10 and 15 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time starts. Afterward, naturally release the pressure.
- Shred the chicken. Preheat your oven’s broiler. Meanwhile, move the chicken from the Instant Pot onto a cutting board to shred. I like to use two forks. Spread the shredded chicken out on a lined baking sheet. Scoop about ¼ cup of the leftover cooking juices from the IP and mix them into the shredded chicken.
- Broil. Place the chicken under the broiler for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through. Once crispy at the edges, let the carnitas rest for a few minutes, and serve.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover carnitas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To store them long-term, freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. I recommend reheating your carnitas on the stove. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat until your carnitas are hot. It should take around 10-15 minutes.
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I have made this recipe many times and it is awesome. I am planning on burrito bowls for my sons open house grad party and he wants chicken. I am debating between this and a honey lime/green salsa recipe that has more sauce. I will need to make a week or more in advance and freeze and reheat as we anticipate 200-300 guests. Do you think I am better off making the chicken with a sauce? I have never tried freezing and reheating this…..
Hi!
Wow, cooking for that many people is quite the endeavor! Kudos to you for taking on the challenge. 🙌
I’ve successfully frozen this recipe for 2 to 3 months without any issues. To add a refreshing zing after reheating, I recommend squeezing plenty of fresh lime juice and a splash of orange juice over the chicken to give it that burst of fresh flavor.
Best of luck with your son’s grad party, and congratulations to him! I’m sure whichever recipe you choose will be a hit!
Can this recipe be adapted for the slow cooker?
Absolutely, this recipe can be adapted for a slow cooker. Just set it to Low and let it cook for about 4 hours, or if you’re short on time, you can cook it on High for approximately 2 to 3 hours. You can sauté the chicken in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker.
I used thighs and am a big fan! Easy and delicious recipe. Thanks
Set broil on high or low? It seems like high would burn the chicken.
If I double the recipe, do I double the liquid?
They were so good!
Hi!
Yes, you can double the liquid, but just make sure you don’t go beyond the fill line (MAX line) with the ingredients. Also, don’t double the cooking time because the IP will just adjust itself and will take a little longer to come to pressure.
Can you add a can of corn in it? I see it in the picture but not in the recipe
I added the corn to the tacos, but I didn’t cook it with the chicken.
Can this be cooked in the crockpot?
These were A.M.A.Z.I.NG.!!! I sautéed the chicken breasts on high for 5 minutes each side. Instead of broiling them, I put the Instant Pot on saute mode and let the juices dry out after I shredded the chicken. Did 12 minutes pressure cook instead of 10. I made keto tortilla wrappers and served this with slices of cucumber, homemade pico de gallo, homemade keto picked red onions, crumbly white cheese, and cilantro. SOOOO GOOD! Did not feel like I was on a diet at all. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
I meant *slices of AVOCADO
Thank you so much! I am very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I do not have an instapot. How else could I cook this? It sounds delish!!!
You can use any pressure cooker. If you don’t have one then when you are done with the sautée then finish this dish in a large pot. You will need to add more liquid and cook longer. A pressure cooker or insta pot just cooks things faster. Cook until tender enough to shred. Watch the liquid though.
The BEST chicken carnitas ever!! So easy to make and so quick too!!! A new regular to our instant pot rotation !!!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂