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Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas

January 2, 2021
by
Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas
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Very juicy, a little spicy, and extremely flavorful: these Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas are PERFECTION!

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Tacos are my all time favorite food!! There, I said it… I mean, what’s not to love?! Especially if they’re these Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas. Perfectly seasoned chicken is cooked low and slow in broth and beer to make absolutely heavenly carnitas just waiting to be dressed up with all the good toppings. So good.

that juicy chicken…

As noted, tacos are one of my all times favs. But, that means that I’m just a tad picky when it comes to what constitutes as a good taco. To me, tacos need to be first and foremost super juicy… nobody wants a dry taco! In these Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas, the chicken is cooked low and slow in tons of liquid to ensure that it stays super tender. After a quick sear with tons of spices, beer, chicken broth, and salsa verde are poured over the chicken breasts. Chicken breasts can notoriously be super dry and bland, but, with the addition of these liquids, the chicken is able to absorb all the moisture — making super juicy, tender chicken that practically falls apart when you shred it up.

so much flavor!

Even with all that juice, it’s essential that the carnitas have good flavor!! This recipe starts off with a sweet bite from the onion, but is really shorted with flavor via all the spices. Garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper are the players here. By rubbing this unique blend of smoky spices into your chicken just before a quick sear in a really hot pot, you’re able to knock in all those flavors so they stay with the chicken once the liquid is added. This is crucial to a successful, flavorful chicken carnita!

On top of that, tons of flavor is brought in via the cooking liquids themselves. Beer brings in an earthy tone that is really unmatched, so I definitely recommend you use it if you can. Don’t worry about the alcohol if you’re serving this to kids… it will cook out! Mexican beers work best flavor wise, but any beer that is not too fruity will be fine. Plus, that salsa verde adds a perfect tartness to the chicken that truly does make all the difference. Salsa verde is not typically spicy, which is perfect in this dish considering spices are added elsewhere. But, it does have a good bit of acidity that shoots so much flavor into the chicken — think of it as adding a minuscule amount of a ton of other ingredients that make up salsa, just a whole lot easier!

Whatever method you use to cook up your chicken, I’m sure it will be delicious. If you don’t have an instant pot, it make seem like a lot of time to cook something that can typically be cooked relatively fast. But, trust me on this one, your chicken will be a thousand times more tender if you allow it to cook slow. Trust the process! After that, shredding will be a breeze. One of my favorite ways to shred meat typically is in the bowl of my stand mixer. Fitted with a paddle attachment and on a low setting, the stand mixer shreds chicken beautifully. That being said, this chicken is so tender that you may not even need to use this method – as shredding with a fork will be so easy!

the toppings…

Once you have your chicken all good to go, it’s time to talk topping! When it comes to toppings, here’s a pro tip: Don’t skimp on the corn. My Super Simple Mexican Corn Dip is perfect in this recipe, but roasted corn is also very good. To make charred corn, add some fresh or frozen corn to a lightly greased very hot skillet and let it char for a few minutes. Do not mix it for the first few minutes! After one side has charred a bit, then mix it up and char the other side as best as possible. Add a little salt and voila!

In addition to roasted corn, I like to top my carnitas with all the toppings. While these are not all necessary, toasty pumpkin seeds, tangy pickled onion, fresh herbs, creamy cheese, and charred corn is truly a game-changing combination. Also, I always serve these with my Mexican Corn and Pepita Salad, which has many of the same ingredients and makes the perfect accompaniment!

With all these toppings and super flavorful, juicy chicken, all there’s left to do is wrap them up in a good corn tortilla. Yes, you could use a flour tortilla, but I personally like to go with corn tortillas for tacos and leave flour tortillas for fajitas and quesadillas. But, hey! You do you! That being said, not all corn tortillas are made equally. These Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas are definitely hefty, so I recommend using a thicker style tortilla. A good way to double check the thickness of the tortilla you are buying is by looking at the quantity of which they are sold. If they come in a pack of 20+ tortillas, they are probably too thin. If they come in a package of 6-10 tortillas, they’re usually thicker… and tastier, if I do say so myself. Here are the ones that I love. Still, if you can’t get your hands on these, you could totally double up on a thinner tortilla!

Regardless of what tortilla you use, charring it is a must! I simply add my tortilla to an open flame and flip it once with some tongs. This brings in a delicious authentic char taste, but also heats up the tortillas nicely! So easy… don’t skip this step!

when to serve these up!

These Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas are perfect for pretty much any occasion. Easy and customizable enough for a weeknight dinner, yet fancy and extravagant enough to impress your friends, you really can’t go wrong! The best part? You can set up a taco station so everyone can pick and choose their favorite toppings. This way, everyone loves what they’re eating… which is always difficult in my house!! These Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas also make for amazing meal prep. Simple prep your chicken with your toppings ahead of time, then roll they up in a tortilla when your ready to eat! So easy, yet so good!

Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas
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Healthy Salsa Verde Chicken Carnitas

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: All Recipes, Main Courses
Servings

6

servings
Prep time (stovetop option)

10

minutes
Cook time (stovetop option)

1-2

hours

Very juicy, a little spicy, and extremely flavorful: these Saucy Chicken Carnitas are PERFECTION!

Ingredients

  • Chicken

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 sweet onion, diced

  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast*

  • 2 tsp garlic powder

  • ½ – 1 tbsp chili powder

  • 2 tsp dried oregano

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • ⅓ cup beer of choice*

  • ½ cup salsa verde

  • 1 ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth

  • 2 tbsp honey

  • 2 tbsp lime juice

  • Assembly

  • 8-10 corn tortillas, charred

  • charred corn*

  • cotija or feta cheese

  • fresh herbs, such as cilantro or chives

  • pickled onion

  • toasted pumpkin seeds

  • Salsa verde

Instructions

  • Stovetop Instructions:
  • In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Generously rub the seasoning into both sides of the chicken breasts.
  • Heat the olive oil in heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. One hot, toss in the onion and sauce for about 3 minutes, or until the onion just begins to get translucent.
  • Push the onions to the side to make room for the chicken. Add the seasoned chicken breasts to the dutch oven and sear for about 1 minute on each side. Then, pour in the salsa verde, beer, and broth, and bring the liquids to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the dutch oven with a lid, and let the chicken simmer for 1-2 hours. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the pot and shred with two forks. Discard half of the liquid. Place the chicken back in the pot.
  • Squeeze in the honey and lime juice and stir to combine.
  • Char your corn tortillas over an open flame. Assemble with a scoop of the juicy chicken, some charred corn, cotija or feta cheese, fresh herbs, pickled onions, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Finish with more salsa verde, if desired. Enjoy!
  • Instant Pot Instructions:
  • Preheat the broiler to high.
  • In the saute pan or skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Transfer onions to an instant pot.
  • In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Generously rub the seasoning into both sides of the chicken breasts. Add the seasoned chicken, the beer, and the broth to the instant pot.
  • Cover and cook on high/manual pressure for 7-10 minutes. Use the quick/natural release to release the steam.
  • Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Place shredded chicken on a baking sheet and place in broiler for 3 minutes, until the chicken is slightly crispy.
  • Discard half of the liquid from the instant pot. Toss the broiled chicken back with remaining liquid.
  • Add honey and lime juice and stir to combine.
  • Char your corn tortillas over an open flame. Assemble with a scoop of the juicy chicken, some charred corn, cotija or feta cheese, fresh herbs, pickled onions, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Finish with more salsa verde, if desired. Enjoy!
  • Slow Cooker Instructions:
  • Preheat the broiler to high.
  • In the saute pan or skillet, saute the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Transfer onions to an instant pot.
  • In a small bowl, mix the garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Generously rub the seasoning into both sides of the chicken breasts. Add the seasoned chicken, the beer, and the broth to the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
  • Remove the chicken and shred with two forks. Place shredded chicken on a baking sheet and place in broiler for 3 minutes, until the chicken is slightly crispy.
  • Discard half of the liquid from the instant pot. Toss the broiled chicken back with remaining liquid.
  • Add honey and lime juice and stir to combine.
  • Char your corn tortillas over an open flame. Assemble with a scoop of the juicy chicken, some charred corn, cotija or feta cheese, fresh herbs, pickled onions, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Finish with more salsa verde, if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

  • My Super Simple Mexican Corn Dip recipe is an amazing substitute to charred corn!
  • To roast the corn add some frozen corn to a hot skillet and let it char for a few minutes. Do not mix! After one side has charred a bit, mix and char the other side as best as possible. Add a sprinkle of salt.
  • You can easily substitute the chicken breasts for chicken thighs. Go with what you love!
  • Any beer works, so just use what you have. That being said, a Mexican beer would be preferable.

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