Spiced Turkey Carnitas

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Name: Spiced Turkey Carnitas
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 1
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp ground ancho chile; 1/4 tsp ground chipolte chile; 1/4 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/2 lb turkey thigh; 2 tb olive oil; 1 qt low sodium chicken broth; 1 tsp oregano; 1 cinamon stick; 1 zest medium orange

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INGREDIENTS

1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground ancho chile
1/4 tsp ground chipolte chile
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lb turkey thigh
2 tb olive oil
1 qt low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1 cinamon stick
1 zest medium orange

INSTRUCTIONS

1 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground ancho chile

1/4 tsp ground chipotle chile

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 lb turkey thigh

2 TB olive oil

1 qt low sodium chicken broth

1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican

1 cinnamon stick

zest of 1/2 medium orange

In a small bowl mix salt, ancho chile, chipotle chile and cumin. Rub spice mixture onto turkey thigh, refrigerate and let marinate at least six hours to overnight.

The orange zest does not need to be fine. I peeled half an orange, then scraped the white pith from the inside. You’ll have three or four large pieces.

Peeling zest from the orange

When ready to make the carnitas, heat the oil in a large, deep pan. Brown the turkey thigh well, as the carmelization adds to the final flavor of the dish.

Good carmelization on the turkey thigh

Add the chicken broth, oregano, cinnamon stick and orange zest. Bring this to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Turn the meat once or twice while braising for even cooking. The thigh will take about 1 1/2 hours for the meat to become very tender. Remove the meat from the broth and place onto a cutting board. Remove the skin and discard. Using two forks, shred the meat into small pieces.

Shredding cooked turkey carnitas meat

Place the shredded meat back into the broth to keep it moist. Because I am using turkey I decided to eliminate the roasting step to crisp up the meat, because I did not want the meat to dry out.

Toast some corn tortillas on the stove by placing them directly on the open flame of a burner. Using tongs, move the tortilla over the flame, turning often, until softened and slightly charred.

Place a little of the turkey carnitas into your tortilla and top with salsa verde, pica de gallo, or whatever you like on your carnitas. I had some fresh arugula leaves, and put them on my carnitas along with some salsa. Delicious!

NOTES

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Spiced Turkey Carnitas

1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground ancho chile
1/4 tsp ground chipolte chile
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lb turkey thigh
2 tb olive oil
1 qt low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp oregano
1 cinamon stick
1 zest medium orange

1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground ancho chile
1/4 tsp ground chipotle chile
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lb turkey thigh
2 TB olive oil
1 qt low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican
1 cinnamon stick
zest of 1/2 medium orange

In a small bowl mix salt, ancho chile, chipotle chile and cumin. Rub spice mixture onto turkey thigh, refrigerate and let marinate at least six hours to overnight.

The orange zest does not need to be fine. I peeled half an orange, then scraped the white pith from the inside. You’ll have three or four large pieces.

Peeling zest from the orange
When ready to make the carnitas, heat the oil in a large, deep pan. Brown the turkey thigh well, as the carmelization adds to the final flavor of the dish.

Good carmelization on the turkey thigh
Add the chicken broth, oregano, cinnamon stick and orange zest. Bring this to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Turn the meat once or twice while braising for even cooking. The thigh will take about 1 1/2 hours for the meat to become very tender. Remove the meat from the broth and place onto a cutting board. Remove the skin and discard. Using two forks, shred the meat into small pieces.

Shredding cooked turkey carnitas meat
Place the shredded meat back into the broth to keep it moist. Because I am using turkey I decided to eliminate the roasting step to crisp up the meat, because I did not want the meat to dry out.

Toast some corn tortillas on the stove by placing them directly on the open flame of a burner. Using tongs, move the tortilla over the flame, turning often, until softened and slightly charred.

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Nutrition

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Serving Size: 1 Serving (650g)
Recipe Makes: Servings

Calories: 263
Calories from Fat: 123 (47%)

Amt Per Serving		% DV

	Total Fat 13.7g	18 %
	Saturated Fat 2.9g	15 %
	Monounsaturated Fat 8.1g
	Polyunsanturated Fat 2.2g
Cholesterol 6.4mg		2 %
Sodium 5161.1mg		178 %
Potassium 1112.7mg		29 %
Total Carbohydrate 5.6g		2 %
	Dietary Fiber 0.3g	1 %
	Sugars, other 5.3g
Protein 28.5g		41 %
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition.

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Calories per serving: 263

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