Instant Pot Crispy Chicken Carnitas

Ridiculously easy to prep, this Instant Pot Crispy Chicken Carnitas recipe features juicy, fall-apart tender chicken with a golden crispy exterior. Instructions for stovetop and slow cooker are also included in the recipe. 

If you love pork carnitas, you will fall in love with this lighter, more weeknight-friendly chicken version. Fresh tangerine (or orange) juice, lime juice, onion, crushed garlic, and warming spices build a delicious broth that flavours and gently braises the meat until it pulls apart in tender forkfuls. Once shredded, pop the chicken under the broiler to get those golden, crispy tips everyone craves in traditional carnitas. 

With an Instant Pot, there’s very little hands-on work involved but the chicken carnitas can just as easily be made in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. No matter what method you use, these crispy, tangy, juicy, melt-in-your mouth carnitas will immediately become one of your favourite dishes to make. 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• You do NOT have to brown the chicken: That’s right. No matter what cooking method you choose to make this chicken carnitas recipe, you do not have to brown the chicken. I have tested the recipe both ways and I do not find it makes any difference whatsoever. Yay!
• Ultimate crowd pleaser: The citrusy, tangy flavours combined with the addictive crispy bits make these carnitas one of the most crowd pleasing dishes you’ll ever make. Both kids and adults always love them. 
• Meal prep: I always make a fairly big batch and use the crispy carnitas throughout the week to tuck into warm tortillas, burrito bowls, quesadillas, etc. 
• Quick and effortless: This recipe for chicken carnitas is perfect for busy weeknights. Here, we basically dump everything into the Instant Pot and let it do its magic. In under 30 minutes the chicken is done and all that is left to do is shred it and place it under the broiler to crisp up. That’s it! 

What are Carnitas?

In Spanish, carnitas means “little meats”. A classic Mexican dish, carnitas are typically made with pork shoulder. The meat is braised low and slow for hours with spices and citrus juice until tender, crispy and shreddable. Surprisingly, chicken works as a fabulous substitute for the fattier pork. It also cooks a lot faster and involves very little prep. 

I like to serve the delicious chicken carnitas in the same traditional style as pork carnitas – topped simply with cilantro, diced onion, and something pickled like this curtido, or these pickled red onions. But carnitas are also fabulous in a cheesy quesadilla, a bean burrito, or topped on chopped salads or grain bowls. 

The best part is that carnitas are a great dish to make ahead. Simply store the meat in the liquid for up to days until ready to serve. Then, reheat the before shredding and finish under the broiler for the crispy bits. 

Ingredient Notes And Substitutions

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this delicious Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas recipe:

• Chicken – For best results, you want to use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts will work but might not be as juicy and tender. This recipe calls for 3 pounds of chicken thighs but you can easily halve it if you wish. 
• Onion – You can use yellow, white or red onion to make the carnitas. No need to dice them too small—the Instant Pot does a good job of reducing their size so I just roughly slice them. 
• Garlic – For the best flavour, I highly recommend you use freshly minced garlic 
• Seasoning – For this chicken carnitas recipe we keep the spices pretty simple, but flavourful. You will need ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and ground coriander (optional). 
• Tangerine or orange juice – To make pork carnitas, the pork is typically braised in a mixture of freshly squeezed orange and lime juice. The citrus juice helps to both tenderize the meat as well as cut through the rich fatty flavours. Though chicken thighs are much leaner, the citrus flavours work deliciously well here too. I love (love!) to use tangerine juice here. Orange juice will work of course, but tangerine juice is just a bit sweeter and has more complex flavour. 
• Lime juice – The combination of the sweet tangerine juice with the tangy lime juice infuses the chicken with wonderful citrus flavours. 
• Additional liquid: You will need just 1/4 cup liquid to deglaze the pan. If you have chicken broth on hand, go ahead and use that. Otherwise, water or beer will work fine.
• Bay leaf – Again, this is an ingredient typically found in most pork carnitas recipes, the floral aroma of a bay leaf helps cut through the intense flavour of the pork. Since we are using chicken here, it not as essential but I still like it so I leave it in. 

Variations

• Make it vegan: You can use jackfruit or oyster mushrooms to make vegan carnitas on the stovetop. Simply cook everything on a skillet and use a little less liquid. 
• Make it smoky and spicy: Chipotle peppers are not typically used in a traditional carnitas dish. But if you love the smoky, spicy flavour, go ahead and add two chopped chipotle peppers along with 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce. 
• Use pineapple juice: You can swap the orange juice for some pineapple juice. Just make sure you add a little more lime juice so it isn’t too sweet. 

How To Make Instant Pot Crispy Chicken Carnitas

This recipe calls for 3 pounds of chicken thighs but you can easily halve it if you wish. Note that full instructions and ingredient measurements will be in the recipe card below! 

Season chicken. In a small bowl combine the spices and salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and season with spice mixture on both sides.

Cook onion and garlic. Set Instant Pot to Saute function, and add the oil. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until just starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. 

Deglaze the pan: Add the chicken broth or water to the pot; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits that stuck to the bottom. 

Add the chicken: Add in the chicken give everything a good stir. Pour in the citrus juice mixture. Turn off Saute mode, and cover with lid. Press “Pressure Cook” and set to cook on HIGH for 13 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes then do a quick pressure release. 

Shred the chicken. Use tongs, or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken pieces to a large rimmed baking sheet. (Reserve ALL of the liquid!) Use two forks to shred the chicken then drizzle it with about 1 cup of reserved liquid; toss to combine. 

Make it crispy. Spread the shredded chicken evenly on the sheet pan pour 1 cup cooking liquid all over it. Broil until golden-brown and crisp at the edges.

Stovetop Instructions 

*Note: For the stovetop method, add 1/4 cup more liquid (can use more citrus juice, chicken broth, or beer – not water).

• Season chicken. In a small bowl combine the spices and salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and season with spice mixture on both sides.
• Cook onion. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté the onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• Deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth or water to the pot; use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits that stuck to the bottom. 
• Add chicken and juices. Add in the chicken, give everything a good stir, and pour in the citrus juice mixture.
• Cook chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and continue to simmer until chicken is pull-apart tender or registers 165ºF, about 40-45 minutes.
• Shred the chicken. Use tongs, or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken pieces to a large rimmed baking sheet. (Reserve ALL of the liquid!) Use two forks to shred the chicken then drizzle it with about 1 cup of reserved liquid; toss to combine. 
• Make it crispy. Spread the shredded chicken evenly on the sheet pan and broil until golden-brown and crisp at the edges.

Slow Cooker Instructions

• Season chicken. In a small bowl combine the spices and salt and pepper. Pat the chicken dry and season with spice mixture on both sides.

• Slow cook the chicken. Place chicken in the slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredients on the list. Use tongs to stir everything together well. Place lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Shred the chicken. Use tongs, or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken pieces to a large rimmed baking sheet. (Reserve ALL of the liquid!) Use two forks to shred the chicken then drizzle it with about 1 cup of reserved liquid; toss to combine. 
• Make it crispy. Spread the shredded chicken evenly on the sheet pan and broil until golden-brown and crisp at the edges.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How To Serve

My favourite way to serve carnitas is tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped simply with diced onion, chopped cilantro and something pickled. The next day, I will add the leftovers to a salad or make some cheesy quesadillas for dinner. 

There are so many more delicious options for using the carnitas, such as in these delicious sweet potato nachos, enchiladas, tortilla soup, burrito bowls, or lettuce wraps. 

Some other great sides or toppings for the carnitas would be guacamole, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, sour cream, queso fresco, fresh salsa, and sliced jalapeños and/or radishes. 

Storing And Freezing

Leftover crispy chicken carnitas are great to use throughout the week. The juicy chicken also freezes well so you can go ahead and make a big batch. 

• To store: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. I like to store the carnitas in any leftover liquid so they stay nice and moist. If you have any leftover liquid, make sure to store it in the fridge for later use. 
• To freeze: Transfer cooled carnitas to a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 
• To reheat: Heat the carnitas in a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. If they seem dry, add a splash of reserved cooking liquid, or chicken broth. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. Alternatively, you can just reheat them under the broiler until they are heated through and crispy again. 

If you give this Instant Pot Chicken Crispy Carnitas recipe a try, please feel free to leave a comment and/or a star rating below. We appreciate and welcome all your feedback. Thank you!

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