Chicken carnitas made in the pressure cooker are quick and easy! We crisp them up in the broiler, and they are perfect to meal-prep and enjoy for the week! Serve with tortillas, diced onions, chopped cilantro, sauteed cabbage, lime wedges, and anything else you like!
Ingredients
- ground cumin: 1 Tbsp
- chili powder: 0.5 tsp
- oregano: 0.5 tsp (dried)
- pinch salt and ground black pepper: 1 piece (to taste)
- olive oil: 3 Tbsp (divided)
- skinless, boneless chicken breast halves: 2 pound
- garlic, pressed: 5 clove
- yellow onion, quartered: 1 piece
- lime juice: 0.25 cup
- chicken broth: 0.25 cup
- bunch cilantro: 0.5 piece
- chipotle pepper in adobo sauce: 1 piece (to taste)
- orange, zested and: 1 piece (juiced)
- bay leaf: 1 piece
- mayonnaise: 0.5 cup
- milk: 1 Tbsp
- chipotle pepper in adobo sauce: 1 piece (to taste)
- pinch salt: 1 piece
- pinch garlic powder: 1 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Combine cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle over chicken breasts on both sides.
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Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sear chicken breasts, 1 to 2 minutes per side, working in batches so chicken sears rather than steams. Transfer chicken to a plate.
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Add garlic and onion to the hot cooker; cook and stir until browned evenly on all sides, about 2 minutes. Return chicken to the pressure cooker along with lime juice, chicken broth, cilantro, chipotle pepper with 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, orange zest and juice, and bay leaf. Close and lock the lid. Set timer for 8 to 10 minutes, depending on size of chicken breasts.
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Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, milk, chipotle pepper and 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, salt, and garlic powder to an electric blender. Blend chipotle sauce until smooth.
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Release pressure from the cooker using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
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Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
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Transfer chicken breasts to a clean surface and reserve cooking liquid. Shred chicken meat using 2 forks. Place in a large bowl and drizzle 1/4 cup cooking liquid over chicken; toss to coat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the surface of a baking sheet. Add chicken to the sheet and drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil on top. Stir to coat evenly.
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Broil chicken in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Toss chicken with 1 to 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid and rotate the pan for even broiling. Continue broiling until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve with chipotle sauce.
