I can’t believe we are almost back to school! No matter what the school year will look like for you and your family, starting those busy, busy schedules again will surely be an adjustment. I’ve been working hard all summer to come up with lots of easy, fast recipes like these absolutely delicious Chicken Carnitas Tacos just in time for getting back into a routine.
Read on for the recipe and to hear how Juicy Juice is honoring teachers through an incredible contest!
100% Thankful Teacher Contest
Every back-to-school season I partner with Juicy Juice to celebrate the beginning of another school year with their 100% juice boxes!
I love that they are 100% juice and Hiro and Louisa love all 8 tasty flavors.
However, this back-to-school season looks different for everyone. Every family is adapting to their new normal and it is going to be a bit of a challenge, especially for our nation’s teachers.
I’m feeling overwhelmed even thinking about what they have to accomplish to embrace this new normal. Plus, teachers have to face the challenges of teaching and being a parent.
Yet year after year, teachers go above and beyond for their students and always work hard all summer to get ready for fall.
This is why I’m especially proud to be teaming up with Juicy Juice this year for their 100% Thankful Teacher Contest. The iconic kids’ beverage brand is giving away over $30,000 in prizes to set the winning educators up for the best school year yet. Two grand prize-winning teachers will receive $10,000. All twenty finalists will win a selection of Juicy Juice merchandise and products, as well as Michaels gift cards to help foster creativity in kids.
Here’s how it works:
- Throughout August, nominate your superhero teachers (you can nominate up to 3 teachers) who have made school special for your kids, whether in-person or through virtual learning.
- Twenty finalists will be selected and then the voting begins.
- Go to the site again Juicyjuice.com/Thankful on September 15 to view and vote for your favorite!
- Two grand prize winners will be awarded $10,000 and all finalists will be awarded a gift card to Michaels, along with Juicy Juice merchandise and products.
An Easy Dinner Recipe Is A Win-Win For Everyone During This Back To School Time
I think we sometimes forget that many teachers are parents too!
Last spring when distance learning first started, I got lots of requests from my kids’ teachers for fast, easy, kid-friendly recipes. A simple recipe like these Chicken Carnitas Tacos are especially useful during the busy back to school season. As all families balance the new normal of school, a nutritious dinner recipe that tastes great and everyone loves is more important than ever given this year’s circumstances. An added bonus? This makes plenty so you’ll have the next day’s lunch covered too!
This Chicken Carnitas recipe pairs nicely with Juicy Juice Kiwi Strawberry—one of our favorite flavors in this house, and is so easy even my kids can make it! Which totally counts as a science/math lesson in my book.
It only takes a few ingredients:
- Chicken (of course). I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts but the same amount of boneless, skinless chicken thighs would work too.
- A quick chili powder spice rub
- Fresh peaches
- Red Onion
- Coconut Oil or vegetable oil
How To Make Chicken Carnitas
Have you tried my Instant Pot Pork Carnitas recipe?
These chicken carnitas are just as good but a bit healthier, faster, and with a fruity twist.
What I love about this recipe? The sweet addition of fresh peaches.
It doesn’t shout fruit, but the peaches give the carnitas a perfectly tangy touch. Especially when mixed with the caramelized red onions and mild chili spice rub.
The Fresh Peach and Ginger salsa is totally optional, but I’d go out on that limb if I were you. It’s got punch and pizzazz. It’s totally weird and fabulous at the same time.
Let’s Talk Equipment
To make this recipe in under 30 minutes, you’ll need an Instant Pot or other multi-function cooker.
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can easily make this in a crock pot or on the stove. Scroll down for those instructions.
This is another recipe made for an Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer, which is what I have. It comes with two different lids, one for the pressure cooker settings and one for the air fryer settings.
With a standard Instant Pot you have to transfer the meat to a baking pan and crisp under the broiler. With the Duo Crip you can do it all in the Instant Pot using the different settings.
To make pressure cooked chicken carnitas all you’ll need to do is:
- Sprinkle spice rub all over chicken.
- Sauté onion on the sauté function of your Instant Pot.
- Add chicken and peaches and cook on the pressure cooker setting for 8 minutes. You don’t need to add chicken broth, the peaches add plenty of juice.
- Slow release for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the chicken, onions, and peaches through a strainer. Save the broth.
- Remove the chicken and shred.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pressure cooker insert. Use the Air Fryer lid and fry until the edges are crispy.
Crock Pot Instructions
Have a slow cooker? No problem, you can easily set it and forget it instead!
- Season chicken with rub.
- Spread coconut oil in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place chicken on top. Add peaches and onion. Cover and cook on high 4 to 5 hours or low 8 to 10 hours.
- Heat broiler. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a shallow baking pan. Using two forks, shred chicken. Spread evenly.
- Broil 4 inches from heat for 4 minutes. Toss with a cup or so of peach sauce from the crock pot.
Stove Top Instructions
Making these Chicken Carnitas on the stove top and then crisping them under the broiler is super easy too! Here’s how:
- Cut chicken into large pieces. Season chicken with rub.
- Melt coconut oil in a large Dutch oven. Add red onion and cook until translucent. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 8 minutes total.
- Add peaches and 1 cup of chicken broth. Cover and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until cooked all the way through.
- Heat broiler. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken to a shallow baking pan. Using two forks, shred chicken. Spread evenly.
- Broil 4 inches from heat for 4 minutes. Toss with a cup or so of peach sauce from the pot.
Chicken Carnitas For Dinner!
These carnitas would make a healthy taco night option but they also make really good burrito bowls too! Whether you make tacos, burritos, or tostadas you can’t forget the toppings! Some of our favorites are:
- Fresh Peach and Ginger Salsa (recipe below)
- Sour Cream
- Lime Wedges (for squeezing over the top)
- avocado slices
- sliced jalapeños or serrano chiles for heat
What To Serve With Your Tacos
On most nights, tacos are a meal all on their own. Add some chips and lots of toppings and we’re good to go. If I’m feeling like I want to make taco night a bit more special I’ll make:
- My favorite easy, oven-baked Mexican Rice recipe
- Cilantro-Lime Coleslaw
- Classic Guacamole
Celebrate the Ones You Love!
Whether it’s teaching your kids how to make this delicious meal all on their own or nominating your favorite teachers to show your appreciation, we are all about meeting this new school year with a spirit of celebration and gratitude. Let me know who you are nominating for Juicy Juice’s 100% Thankful Teacher Contest! Also, if you or your kids give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear about it! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram using @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see. Happy eating!
Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas Tacos with Peach-Ginger Salsa
Fresh peaches simmer with chicken in the Instant Pot in mere minutes for the tastiest chicken carnitas recipe ever! Serve with a peach-ginger salsa!
This recipe requires an Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer. See blog post for Crock Pot and stove top instructions.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Carnitas:
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder (I used guajillo chili powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 pound fresh peaches, pitted and chopped
For the Peach-Ginger Salsa:
- 1 large, ripe peach, pitted and chopped fine
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 large scallion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
To Make Tacos:
- Warm corn tortillas
- shaved red cabbage
- Lime wedges
Instructions
To Make the Carnitas:
Season chicken: Mix the salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, and ginger together in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly all over both sides of chicken. You will use all the spice rub.
Sauté Onions In Instant Pot: Add oil to Instant Pot and turn on the Sauté setting. Once oil is warm, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add chicken and peaches. Press the Cancel button.
Pressure Cook the Chicken: Secure the lid in place. Press the Pressure Cook button. Set the heat to Hi and the timer for 8 minutes.
After the time is up the Instant Pot will automatically switch to the "keep warm" setting. Let it stay on the "keep warm" setting for 10 minutes before releasing the steam valve.
Drain the Chicken, Peaches, and Red Onion: Set a colander over a large heat-proof bowl and drain the chicken, peaches, and red onion into the colander.
Reserve the sauce and transfer to a small sauce pan to keep warm. Rinse out the metal Instant Pot pressure cooker insert.
Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Add back into the metal insert and mix in the reserved peaches and red onion.
Air-Fry the Carnitas: Secure the Air-Fryer lid. Press the Air-Fry button and set the temperature to 400°F. Set timer for 4 minutes.
When timer goes off, remove lid and place on the protective pad–BE CAREFUL the bottom of the lid will be hot. Stir carnitas and if you'd like them more crisp secure lid again and fry for another 4 minutes.
To Serve: Stir 1 cup of the reserved sauce into the carnitas and serve as tacos in the warm tortillas with the peach salsa and cabbage or burritos or burrito bowls with rice. Pass remaining sauce at the table.
To Make The Peach Salsa: Combine all the salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine and taste to see if it needs more lime juice or salt.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month, such as this one here which was sponsored by Juicy Juice. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!
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