Crispy Baked Carnitas Tacos

These Crispy Baked Carnitas Tacos are sure to be your new favorite weeknight dinner. They come together with my Instant Pot Perfect Carnitas (which come together in less than an hour) that are coated in salsa and cheese and sandwiched between warm corn tortillas. Then, the tortillas are baked to perfection, for the classic crispy taco recipe… but made better. Plus, this recipe comes together in less than an hour, which makes it the perfect easy dinner recipe!

When I shared my Perfect Pork Carnitas on Instagram the other day, I was blown away with the amount of messages that I received asking for easy recipes and ways to use these pork carnitas. Carnitas have always been one of my favorite meats, and as I found out very quickly, it’s one of your favorites, too! I can’t say that I blame you – carnitas are tender, juicy, melt-in-your-mouth, and have the perfect balance of flavors. They’re a little salty, a little juicy, and you may not know this, but they also happen to be one of the easiest meats to prepare.

Why are they so easy to prepare? Well, that has to do with my Instant Pot method for making the Perfect Pork Carnitas. With this recipe, the carnitas come together in less than an hour (with only 10 minutes of prep), which truly could not be easier. Plus, you need only 15 minutes to assemble the tacos themselves, which means that if you prepare the carnitas meat ahead of time, you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes flat. I mean truly, is there anything better than that?

Plus, I love serving these tacos alongside my 3 Ingredient High-Protein Queso or my Easy Copycat Chipotle Corn Salsa (with a side of chips, of course) for the best restaurant-quality meal, made at home!

What You Need to Make This Simple & Easy Weeknight Dinner

• Boneless Pork Shoulder: Of course, this wouldn’t be a carnitas recipe without the pork. You’ll need boneless pork shoulder in order to make this recipe. I recommend trimming off the excess fat too, so that the pork shoulder is nice and lean.
• Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is a better-for-you oil that is full of healthy fats and is perfect for preparing this carnitas recipe. Olive oil also works well here, too!
• Chicken Broth: I like using chicken broth to add moisture and juciness to these carnitas, but you can use any broth that you’d like. As always, I will recommend using what you have!
• Orange Juice: Don’t knock it until you try it – orange juice adds juiciness to these carnitas that gives them the best flavor.
• Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed lime juice adds acidity and tang to these carnitas. Don’t skip it!
• Garlic: I will always recommend using fresh garlic, in my recipes. It adds the beast flavor that garlic powder just can’t replicate, and is especially delicious in this carnitas recipe!
• Seasonings: A blend of oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper adds the perfect balance of flavors to these carnitas, giving them the absolute best flavor.
• Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are essential for any taco recipe. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free, which makes them perfect for this recipe!
• Jack Cheese: Shredded jack cheese adds the best, mild, cheesy flavor to these tacos. Don’t skip it!
• Salsa Verde: Salsa verde adds a delicious flavor to these tacos without making them too spicy. I like using the jarred, shelf-stable salsa verde from Trader Joe’s!

How to Make This Recipe: the Carnitas and the Tacos

This recipe comes together in two steps: first, with the carnitas, and second, with the actual tacos. Be sure to leave time to prepare the carnitas first, so that you can have the tacos assembled and ready in a pinch!

How to Make the Perfect Pork Carnitas

To make these Perfect Pork Carnitas, start by turning the Instant Pot on to the sauté setting. Add the avocado oil to the Instant Pot and allow it to heat. While the pot is heating, prepare the pork shoulder by trimming away the fat and cutting it into cubes, approximately 3-inches in size (tip: you can also ask your buter to do this for you and skip this step!) Once the pot is hot, add the pork shoulder to it and allow it to cook evenly, for 5-6 minutes. You may need to work in batches to ensure that the pork cooks evenly.

Once the meat has browned, add in the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, dried oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Stir until the meat is fully coated in the seasonings. Then, place the cover on the Instant Pot. Turn the settings on to “Manual Pressure,” set to “high,” and cook for 30 minutes with quick release.

Once the pork has finished cooking, remove it from the Instant Pot and transfer it to a baking sheet. Shred the meat with two forks. Then, turn your oven on to broil high and transfer the meat to the oven.

Once they’re done, remove them from the oven and prepare the tacos. Allow the carnitas to broil for approximately 3 minutes, until the edges are browned and crispy. Then, add them to the tacos!

How to Make the Crispy Baked Carnitas Tacos

To make the Crispy Baked Tacos, start by preparing the tortillas. Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds, until they’re nice and pliable.

Once the tortillas have softened, add a scoop of the shredded jack cheese to one side of the tortilla, followed by a scoop of the carnitas. Then, add the salsa verde on top, followed by more cheese, and fold the tortilla close. Repeat until all of the tortillas have been used.

Once the tacos have been prepared, line them up on a baking sheet. Take a second baking sheet and place it on top of the baking sheet with the tacos. Then, transfer the tray(s) into the oven and allow the tacos to bake for 18 minutes.

Around the 15 minute mark, open the oven and remove the top tray. Then, turn on the broiler and allow the tacos to broil for the last 2-3 minutes. This will make the tacos nice and crispy! Once the tacos are done, remove them from the oven, serve, and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim