Quick Ground Pork Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onion and Chipotle Crema

Craving the deep, savory flavor of carnitas but short on time? These ground pork tacos are your answer. We season the meat with chili powder, garlic and cumin (thanks to a Southwest spice blend), plus tomato paste for umami and poblano pepper for a subtle smoky kick. The result is a quick-cooking filling that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.

Pile the seasoned pork onto warm flour tortillas, then load them up with Monterey Jack cheese, fresh tomato, cilantro and quick-pickled onions. A drizzle of chipotle-lime crema ties everything together with a creamy, spicy finish. It’s everything you love about taco night-without the long wait.

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Ingredients

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

5 teaspoon White Wine VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground PorkView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chipotle PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve and peel the onion; very thinly slice one half and finely chop the remaining half. Core, deseed and dice the poblano into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop the cilantro. Halve the lime; cut one half into wedges and juice the other half.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onion, vinegar, 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water. Stir until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved. Set aside, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and set aside.
4. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the poblano and chopped onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Return the pork to the pan along with the Southwest spice blend, chicken stock concentrate, half the tomato paste (use all for 4 servings) and ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4). Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture is thickened and saucy, 1-2 minutes more.
5. While the filling cooks, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, juice from the lime half to taste and a pinch of chipotle powder (add more to taste if you like it spicy). Stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, about 30 seconds.
6. Divide the tortillas between plates; fill with the pork filling, diced tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, cilantro, pickled onion (drained) and chipotle crema. (Alternatively, you can put everything in individual serving bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.) Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground turkey or chicken instead of pork?

Yes, ground turkey or chicken work well as substitutes. Just be sure to cook them thoroughly and adjust seasoning as needed.

How do I make the crema less spicy?

Use just a pinch of chipotle powder or omit it entirely. You can also add more sour cream to mellow the heat.

Can I make these tacos ahead of time?

The pork filling and pickled onion can be made a day in advance and reheated. Assemble the tacos just before serving to keep the tortillas from getting soggy.