The BEST Crispy Carnitas
If you’ve ever had Chipotle carnitas, then you already know how amazing they are. But they’re even WAY better at home! And as a busy mom of 3, I love that they only require about 10 minutes of prep time, then it’s mostly hands-off cooking in the oven. So easy!
Even my kids love these pork carnitas, which says a lot because they’re a bit picky about meat (especially my toddler). So this recipe has been a winner in our household lately! Whether you’re meal-prepping for the week or making a quick weeknight dinner, these Crispy Carnitas Bowls are such a game-changer.
You’ll Also Love: Copycat Chipotle Chicken Bowls
What Are Carnitas?
Carnitas, which means “little meats” in Spanish, is a traditional Mexican meal made by slow-cooking pork until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender, then crisping up the edges to perfection. They’re flavorful, juicy, and perfect for tacos, burritos, or in this case—a delicious carnitas bowl!
Why You’ll Love This Carnitas Bowl
- Crispy & Flavorful – Slow-cooked for tenderness, then broiled for crispy edges!
- Better Than Takeout – Skip the restaurant and make your own carnitas bowls at home. It’s super easy and tastes so much better!
- Meal Prep-Friendly – Perfect for making ahead and assembling for healthy lunches and dinners throughout the week.
- Customizable – Swap the base, change the toppings, or make it low-carb.
- Gluten-Free – A delicious, wholesome meal for everyone.
Ingredients in Carnitas Bowls
Carnitas Seasoning/Marinade
- Pork Shoulder – The best cut for tender, juicy carnitas. You can also use pork butt, but avoid lean cuts like pork loin since they won’t shred as well!
- Avocado Oil
- Chicken Broth – Keeps the meat juicy while it slow cooks.
- Orange & Lime Juice – These secret ingredients truly take these carnitas to another level! Fresh is best, but bottled works too.
- Spices – Cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Feel free to add about 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a little extra depth!
- Onion – Adds flavor while cooking, then gets removed at the end. If you love onions, you can dice them up and leave them in with the carnitas.
Black Bean & Corn Salsa
- Red Onion & Red Bell Pepper – Swap for white onion or green bell pepper if needed!
- Cilantro – Bright, fresh, and SO good! I always use fresh cilantro for salsa recipes like this one.
- Black Beans & Corn – Canned beans or frozen thawed corn work great!
- Lime Juice & Salt
Avocado Lime Dressing
This recipe is slightly modified from my Creamy Avocado Dressing recipe!
- Greek Yogurt & Avocado – Feel free to use plain dairy-free yogurt or extra avocado instead!
- Lime Juice & Garlic Powder – Fresh lime juice is best. You can also use freshly minced garlic.
- Cilantro
- Water – Adjust to your perfect dressing consistency. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as needed!
How to Make Carnitas
This is my favorite homemade Crispy Carnitas recipe! It’s actually incredibly easy to make and most of the cooking is done in just a Dutch oven. Here’s how to make the best Crispy Carnitas:
- Preheat the oven and cut the pork shoulder into 3-inch pieces.
- Sear and marinate the pork shoulder before placing it in an oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours.
- Prep the black bean and corn salsa and place in the refrigerator to marinate.
- Remove the pork shoulder from the oven, shred in the dutch oven it was cooked in, and return to the oven to broil on high for 5 minutes.
- Make the avocado lime dressing by simply adding all of the ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth.
- Remove the crispy carnitas from the oven and assemble the bowls!
Putting The Bowls Together
Once the pork carnitas are cooked and ready to go, simply combine the ingredients for the bowls. Start with the cooked rice, then add in the crispy carnitas, black bean and corn salsa, and a drizzle of avocado lime dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Tips
- Cut the pork into smaller pieces and bring everything to a rolling boil before putting the Dutch oven into the oven. This helps speed up the cooking process.
- Use fresh orange and lime juice. This is a must, it makes a big difference in the fresh and citrus notes present in the flavor of the final dish!
- Make the black bean and corn salsa right after getting the pork shoulder into the oven. The marination process helps give the salsa so much flavor.
- Do not drain the liquid from the Dutch oven before shredding the pork. That’s where all of the delicious flavors are and it’ll keep the carnitas from becoming dry!
- Save time by using pre-cooked rice! I love these pouches, especially for a busy weeknight.
Variations
Spicy Carnitas – Add diced jalapeños to the salsa or extra chili powder to the pork.
Low-Carb – Swap the rice for cauliflower rice or finely chopped spinach.
Beef Carnitas/Chicken Carnitas – Try chicken thighs or beef chuck roast for a twist.
Extra Crunch – Top with tortilla strips or pepitas for texture.
How to Store Crispy Carnitas
I love keeping these Crispy Carnitas Bowls in meal prep containers for healthy bowls all week long! Here’s how long to store them:
- Refrigerator – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days and keep the lime dressing and black bean corn salsa separate.
- Freezer – Put the black bean and corn salsa in a separate container that can easily be removed before reheating and freeze the crispy carnitas bowls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Note: I recommend making the avocado lime dressing fresh, it does not freeze well!
- Reheating – Add 1-2 teaspoons of water or broth to the bowls before heating it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes from the fridge or 4-5 minutes from the freezer. If reheating frozen black bean and corn salsa, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave for an additional 15 seconds.
Feel free to add freshly chopped cilantro right before enjoying!
More Healthy Mexican-Inspired Dinners
- Rice & Beans
- Baked Chicken Empanadas
- Birria Ramen Bowls
- Baja Shrimp Tacos
- Chili Relleno Casserole Recipe
- Chicken Al Pastor Bowls
Protein Bowl Recipes You’ll Love
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Bowls
- Chimichurri Chicken Bowl
- Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
- Turkey Taco Bowl Recipe
- Honey Sesame Chicken Meal Prep Bowls
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How to Make Carnitas
I have been making this Carnitas recipe on repeat lately and it's always such a hit with my entire family! And after tons of testing, I can honestly say they are PERFECT. These easy pork carnitas are cooked in a single Dutch oven, then added to bowls with rice, black bean and corn salsa, and topped off with creamy avocado lime dressing. They're flavorful, tender, slightly crispy, and so good in these bowls. If you've been searching for the best carnitas, this recipe works perfectly every single time!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 421 kcal
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Carnitas
- 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/8 cup lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 medium yellow onion (quartered)
Black Bean & Corn Salsa Bowls
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup black beans
- 1/4 cup corn
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cooked rice
Avocado Lime Dressing
- 1 Tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 medium avocado
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 cup water (adjust to desired consistency)
- 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cube the pork shoulder into 3-inch pieces and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Add the avocado oil to a dutch oven on medium-high heat.
- Sear the pork shoulder for 4-5 minutes, then flip and sear for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, oregano leaves, and black pepper. Stir together and make sure that the meat is coated in the marinade.
- Add in half of a yellow onion that’s been quartered (do not cut the onion into small pieces, it will be removed after cooking).
- Bring the contents of the Dutch oven to a rolling boil, then place the lid on top and cook in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours.
- Prepare the black bean and corn salsa so it can marinate. Dice the red onion and red bell pepper, and finely chop the cilantro.
- Combine the red onions, bell peppers, cilantro, beans, corn, lime juice, and salt in a medium bowl. Cover the mixture and put it in the refrigerator until it’s time to build the Crispy Carnitas Bowls.
- After 1 1/2 hours have passed, remove the meat from the oven.
- Remove the quartered onion, but do not drain off any liquid that remains in the Dutch oven.
- Using a hand mixer on low speed (or two forks if necessary), shred the meat.
- Evenly spread the shredded meat out and place the Dutch oven back into the oven, close to the broiler and without the lid.
- Broil on high for 5 minutes.
- While the carnitas are crisping up in the oven, add all of the ingredients for the avocado lime dressing to a blender and blend together until smooth.
- Assemble the bowls with rice, black bean and corn salsa, and crispy carnitas. Drizzle with avocado lime dressing and enjoy!
Notes
- Cut the pork into smaller pieces and bring everything to a rolling boil before putting the Dutch oven into the oven. This helps speed up the cooking process.
- Use fresh orange and lime juice. This is a must, it makes a big difference in the fresh and citrus notes present in the flavor of the final dish!
- Make the black bean and corn salsa right after getting the pork shoulder into the oven. The marination process helps give the salsa so much flavor.
- Do not drain the liquid from the Dutch oven before shredding the pork. That’s where all of the delicious flavors are and it’ll keep the carnitas from becoming dry!
- Save time by using pre-cooked rice! I love these pouches, especially for a busy weeknight.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 Bowl | Calories: 421 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 26 g | Fat: 19 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g | Cholesterol: 70 mg | Sodium: 1383 mg | Potassium: 775 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 4 g | Vitamin A: 1049 IU | Vitamin C: 30 mg | Calcium: 85 mg | Iron: 4 mg
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Tele Latino says:
This Crispy Carnitas bowl looks amazing! I can’t wait to try this recipe for my next family dinner. The combination of flavors you’ve included is mouthwatering. Thanks for sharing such an easy and delicious recipe!
Jar Of Lemons replied:
I hope you enjoy it, Tele!
Dawn Kleinsasser says:
Has anyone tried this using an instapot? How long would you suggest to cook it for?