INSTANT POT CARNITAS-STYLE CHICKEN

WHAT WE THINK

Yeah, carnitas are usually made with pork, but this crispy, spicy shredded chicken version is equally delicious. And, preparing it in the Instant Pot makes it a quick and easy meal option in a pinch.

WHAT YOU NEED (SERVES 4-6, DO MATH IF YOU NEED MORE OR LESS)

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs (you could use breasts too, but we are 100% #TeamThighs)

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder

1 tablespoon oregano 

1 tablespoon piquin chili powder OR cayenne chili powder

1/4 cup OJ

1/4 cup chicken broth 

1 lime (zest AND juice)

1 lemon (zest AND juice)

5 cloves of garlic

1 medium red onion roughly chopped

7.5oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo

1 bay leaf

splash of worcestershire sauce

handful of cilantro leaves (stems are cool)

olive oil

salt

pepper

WHAT TO DO

PREP YOUR BIRD

Salt and pepper chicken on both sides. Combine the cumin, chili powders and oregano and coat the chicken with that combo all over.

WHY SO SEAR-IOUS

Heat your Instant Pot on the Sautee setting. Add around a tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add 3-4 pieces of chicken depending on their size (you don’t want to overcrowd the pot because they’ll steam instead of sear). Working in batches, sear all thighs on both sides and transfer to a bowl.

ADD YOUR ACCOUTREMENTS (THIS IS A FANCY WORD FOR ‘OTHER THINGS’)

Drizzle a bit more olive oil into the Instant Pot while still on Sautee mode. Once hot, add the onion and cook for a minute or so. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Deglaze the pot with a splash of  Worcestershire and scrape all of the bits from the pan.

Add the zest and juice from the lemon and lime, then the chicken stock  and OJ.

Stir and salt to taste.

Layer the cilantro over the mixture, then add the chicken (and any drippings from the bowl they’ve been chillin in) back to the Instant pot.

Add the can of chipotles and adobo sauce. If you don’t like heat, add ONLY the adobo sauce. Then bring us the chipotle peppers, we’ll put them to good use.

COOK IT

Put the lid on your Instant Pot and set it to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

While it cooks, preheat the oven to a high broil.

When your 10 minutes is up, let the Instant pot naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release.

SHRED AND CRISP

Pull the chicken out of the instant pot and transfer to a roasting pan or casserole dish. Shred that shit up then add half of the sauce from the Instant Pot to the shredded chicken. Continue shredding and incorporating the sauce into the chicken.

Throw all of it in the oven to crisp up; keep an eye on it though! Crisp good. Burnt bad. Once you start to get beautifully crisp edges, pull it out of the oven, add the other half of the sauce from the Instant pot, then throw it back in the oven for one final crisping.

SERVE IT

The options are endless here. Put it in tacos, over chips for some badass nachos, on a tostada, over rice for some burrito bowl action. It’s spicy shredded chicken, you can figure this out!

WHAT TO DRINK WITH IT

You need a paloma. That is all. Salud!