Quick Ground Pork Carnitas Tacos with Pickled Onion and Chipotle Crema

These ground pork carnitas tacos are a weeknight-friendly twist on the classic slow-cooked dish. By using ground pork and a bold spice blend, you get all the deep, savory flavor in a fraction of the time. The meat becomes rich and saucy, perfect for piling into warm tortillas.

What makes these tacos truly special are the toppings: tangy quick-pickled red onions, fresh diced tomato, creamy Monterey Jack cheese and a smoky chipotle crema. Set everything out in bowls and let everyone build their own-it’s a fun, interactive meal that comes together in about 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

1 unit Red 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 Fajita Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView 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

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve and peel the onion. Finely chop one half; very thinly slice the other half from pole to pole. Core, seed and dice the poblano into ½-inch squares. Roughly chop the cilantro. Core and dice the tomato. Halve the lime; cut one half into wedges for serving.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced onion, white wine vinegar, sugar, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp water. Toss until the sugar and salt are mostly dissolved. Set aside, tossing occasionally.
3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, breaking it up into pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and poblano. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until softened, 3-4 minutes. Return the pork to the pan along with 2 tbsp water, fajita spice blend, tomato paste and chicken stock concentrate. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and saucy, 2-3 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of chipotle powder (use more or less to taste). Stir in enough water to give the mixture a drizzly consistency, about 1-2 tsp. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high until warm, about 30 seconds.
6. Divide the filling among the tortillas. Top with diced tomato, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, chopped cilantro, pickled onion and a drizzle of chipotle crema. Serve with lime wedges on the side. (Tip: Place all toppings in individual bowls and let everyone assemble their own tacos.)

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground beef or chicken instead of pork?

Yes, ground beef or chicken can be substituted. Adjust cooking time as needed until fully cooked.

How do I make the pickled onions ahead of time?

Prepare the pickled onions as directed and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I use store-bought taco seasoning instead of fajita spice?

Yes, you can substitute an equal amount of taco seasoning for the fajita spice blend.