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Slow-cooked beef chuck roast seasoned with a smoky chipotle chili spice mix. Then braised with fresh orange juice until caramelized and falling apart. Shred the meat, then stuff it into warm taco shells with a quick red salsa verde sauce, jalapeño yogurt, and crumbled cotija cheese. These tacos are saucy, spicy, cheesy, and so yummy! You’ll love this slow cooker recipe any time of year on a busy day.
Taco Tuesday is more of a thing, but this week we’ve got Wednesday night tacos, and we are here for it. I’ve been so excited to share this easy recipe. These are currently some of our most favorite tacos!
It’s the shredded chipotle beef – SO GOOD.
I know I’ve spoken about my dad’s tacos many times over. But for those of you who may be new, my Dad made tacos at least once a week. They were a staple when my brothers and I were growing up, and my dad had them down to a T.
He’d make his tacos with ground beef and store-bought taco seasoning. Then he’d stuff the meat into flour tortillas with a little cheddar cheese, maybe some lettuce, and nothing else. No beans, no avocado, not even cilantro or fresh lime juice. Very, very basic, but to this day, they were one of our most loved dinners.
Now I’m the one making tacos all the time. My tacos are typically crispy like dads. But today’s tacos are a little switch-up. They’re made in soft shells and we absolutely love them. It’s all about the shredded chipotle beef!
Here are the details
Step 1: the seasoning
My go-to taco seasoning blend is chipotle chili powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican oregano, and salt.
I use this for my weeknight tacos, it’s my favorite blend.
Step 2: slow-cook the meat
You can braise the meat in the oven or use the crock pot. Both methods are almost identical and equally delicious.
Arrange lots of sliced onions in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add orange juice and a small bit of honey, then water. Slow braise the meat for 2-3 hours in the oven or 5 hours in the crockpot. As the meat is slowly cooking, the braising liquid turns into a yummy red sauce. Save this sauce, and we’ll make a dipping sauce with it!
Step 3: shred the meat
When the roast is falling apart, remove it from the pot and shred the meat.
Step 4: the sauce
Now take the red sauce in the pot and mix it with salsa verde. This is your dipping/drizzling sauce for the tacos. It’s spicy and smoky. Make sure to season with salt.
For this jalapeño lime yogurt, simply add everything to a bowl – the yogurt, garlic, pickled jalapeños, lime, and salt. Then mix until creamy. The recipe is in the ingredient notes!
Step 5: assemble
Originally, I was going to make these crispy tacos, which you can still totally do. But I didn’t have the right tortillas. So I used some soft shells tortillas from Caramelo Tortillas that I had on hand. We ended up loving them. Using good tortillas is the key to great soft-shell tacos, and theirs are the best. I like the pork and duck fat options.
Stuff the meat into the charred tortillas. Then take the red verde sauce and spoon it over the meat. Add all of your favorite taco toppings–avocado, cilantro, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese and/or cojita cheese.
FAQ:
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Yes—beef chuck works best, but brisket or boneless short rib will also shred nicely. Aim for good marbling and the same fork-tender cue before shredding.
How do I make these less spicy?
Use regular chili powder only (skip the chipotle), pick a mild salsa verde, and tame the yogurt by reducing jalapeños. You’ll still get smoky depth from paprika and cumin.
Hard vs. soft shells—what’s best here?
Both work. Soft tortillas showcase the saucy beef (less breakage), while the baked crispy option in Notes is great for leftover fillings and melty cheese.
Can I double this for a crowd?
Yes—use two pots or a larger slow cooker and keep the same ratios. Hold shredded beef warm in its liquid and set out tortillas, sauce, and toppings for self-serve.
Looking for more simple weeknight recipes? Here are a few favorites:
Crispy Cider Braised White Chili Chicken Tacos
Crispy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos
Sheet Pan Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
Healthier Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch
Crockpot Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tacos
Lastly, if you make these Crockpot Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Chipotle Honey Pot Roast Tacos
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 203 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
- 1 (4 pound) chuck roast
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 12 hard or soft taco shells, warmed
- cilantro, green onion, avocado, and crumbled cotija cheese, for serving
Instructions
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. 2. Arrange the onions in the bottom of a large, oven-safe Dutch oven. 3. In a bowl, mix the chipotle, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Rub the roast all over with the spice mix, then place on top of the onions. Pour over the orange juice, 3/4 cup water, and the honey. Cover and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender.4. Crank the heat on the oven up to 425° F. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes, until deeply caramelized on top. Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks. 5. Mix the salsa verde with 1 cup of the braising sauce – season with salt.6. Stuff the beef and onions into the warmed taco shells and top with cilantro, avocado, and cheese. Serve with salsa verde. Enjoy!
- Crockpot
- 1. Arrange the onions in the bottom of the crockpot bowl. 3. In a bowl, mix the chipotle, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Place the roast over the onions, then rub all over with the spice mix. Pour over the orange juice, 3/4 cup water, and the honey. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.4. Remove the meat from the crockpot and shred it using two forks. 5. Mix the salsa verde with 1 cup of the braising sauce – season with salt.6. Stuff the beef and onions into the warmed taco shells and top with cilantro, avocado, and cheese. Serve with salsa verde. Enjoy!
Notes
Jalapeño Lime Yogurt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
2 tablespoons lime juice Combine all in a bowl, mixing until creamy. Season with salt. For Easy Homemade Hard Shells: Warm 8-12 corn tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and beef. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp.
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
2 tablespoons lime juice Combine all in a bowl, mixing until creamy. Season with salt. For Easy Homemade Hard Shells: Warm 8-12 corn tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each flat and then layer evenly with cheese and beef. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 5-8 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp.
This post was originally published on January 24, 2024
I made these last night and was a little nervous when I pulled the roast out and the beef didn’t shred easily. I had to slice it up with a knife. I used the flour tortillas and they didn’t crisp up on bake so I broiled them for a few minutes. After the first bite I was shocked at how delicious it was. My daughter and husband loved them also. I used mexican cheese and sprinkled with avocado but skipped the cilantro and green onion. Another winner Tieghan!
So happy you loved these tacos Becki! Thank you! xT
My family and I LOVED these tacos. The pink Himalayan salt adds such a great note compared to plain table salt. Nice balance of flavors! Cotija isn’t available where I live so all I had was a little Feta, and that worked great here!
Hey there! Thank you so much! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂 xT
In the photos, I notice that each taco has two tortillas. Are they added after the oven crisping or do you use two tortillas and then oven crisp? In my experience, 2 tortillas each are often necessary to keep everything together.
Hi Patricia! It just depends on how much you are filling your tacos, 2 tortillas would definitely be better if you’re wanting to fill your tacos to the brim! xT
I made these tonight and they came out very oily rather than saucy for some reason so I skipped the step where the sauce got added back to the taco meat. Also I also had to cook the roast for much longer than stated to get it to fall apart and shred easily. The honey flavor was a bit strange. Probably won’t make this recipe again but I loved the idea xx
Hey Maria! I’m really sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you! Thank you for letting me know! I appreciate the feedback 🙂 xT
Red salsa verde—as in red green sauce?
Were you inspired by Gaby Dalkin’s recipe? It might be nice to mention that you made a version based off of hers at the top of the page. I’ve seen many other food creators do this. There’s no shame in being inspired by your peers!
The food creator community seems to be very close knit, I hope Tieghan fosters those relationships as well her other lifestyle influencr connections!
I only asked because Gaby just posted something similar a few days ago! I guess it could just be coincidental. Only curious, no hate intended! Bloggers are often inspired by pre existing recipes.
What’s Gaby Cooking just posted a similar recipe the other day who anyone who might be confused by these steps or ingredients! It could be worth checking out!
If it’s the same What’s Gaby Cooking recipe I think you’re talking about, that one is a winner! We make it all the time in my house.
These tacos were amazing Tieghan! Thanks for a great spin on the ordinary.
FYI. the WGC tacos are ok, but relatively basic. Nowhere near these, and not even similar. I’m wondering how “Nora” makes the WGC version “all the time” when they were posted on January 17. Like…how many times have you made the same basic taco recipe within the last 9 days? And why are you randomly here to say that. Oh, yeah, you’re responding to yourself, Michelle.
There’s nothing remotely confusing about these ingredients. What is confusing is why stooges keep coming to this blog to complain, and tout other blogs. Just…got there and shut up already. Ok wait, you don’t even cook or care. You’re just acting out here. Got it.
There aren’t even close. This one is much more flavorful.
Salsa verde + orange juice + honey was too much and gave a slightly off flavor but it tasted fine! But what’s with the pink himalayan salt? That’s a garnish or finishing salt—what a complete waste to actually cook with it!
I don’t see the hard shell photo that is mentioned in the notes? Can this be added?
Do you need to brown the meat before putting in the crockpot?
You can brown it before if you’d like, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary! xT
Could I use a pork shoulder instead of the chuck roast ?
Hi Barb! I haven’t ever tried that before so can’t say for sure! xT
Can a different liquid be used other than orange juice? Husband is on Keto diet.
Hi there! You could use lime juice! xT
Oops – ignore comment below. I hadn’t had time to read the full post text but it was explained there.
Is the salsa verde/braising liquid mixture what goes on top after? Or does that get mixed back in with the beef? Thank you!
Can this be adjusted for the Instant Pot?
Yes I’d like to know that as well
Hi Aaron@ I haven’t ever tried this in the Instant Pot before so I can’t say for sure! So sorry! xT