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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
DAAAYYYUUUMMM!!! This is amazing! Probably the best meal I’ve made in a while. I don’t know what some of the lower ratings were doing, but the meat turned out perfect. I had a 3 pound roast and cooked it in the oven for about 4 hours and it was perfectly tender. And the sauce!!! Chef’s kiss! I will definitely be making this again.
Lol thanks so much Melissa! Love to hear that this dish was a hit:) Happy Sunday! xT
For the crisp tacos in the “notes” section, what is the oven temperature, please? I may have missed it trying to read this on my phone. TIA
Hi Katie,
Sorry about that! You can bake those at 325F as well:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Disappointing. I ignored the MANY comments about the crockpot timing being way off. After 7 hours my 3.69lb chuck roast was still fairly intact. The family was circling and hungry. I ended up cutting the meat into stew sized chunks and placing atop reheated quinoa. I ladled out some of the juices and onions and mixed in about half a can of Herdez salsa verde to pour over the meat and quinoa. In the end we enjoyed a quasi chipotle spiced goulash. I’ll stick with my Mel Joulwan pork carnitas recipe from now on.
Hi Tanja,
I appreciate you trying this dish and sharing your feedback. So very sorry to hear that it did not turn out for you! My only guess for the issues from some readers is the variations in crockpots. After 7 hours, the meat should be fork tender. Again, my apologies! xx
Alright I think we need to remove the fact that this meat can be cooked in the crockpot. My 2 pound chuck roast has been cooking for over 6.5 hours and it still can’t be cut. This meat most def needs to be cooked in a Dutch oven in the actual oven… oh man… maybe I’ll transfer it cause this has been quite the production for tacos!!
After I left my comment I wondered if maybe it had something to do with my crockpot. It’s a very basic mode I inherited from somewhere. I came back to revise my rating, and you already figured that out! I will try this again with a different slow cooker as we all agreed the flavor of the juices and the salsa verde was delicious. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
Thanks again Tanja!!
My boyfriend and I LOVED this. Will definitely be making again. We had no issues cooking on high for 3 hours (1.75lb top round roast because the chuck roast was $$$$) – came out perfectly tender and flavorful. Can’t wait to make this again for Cinco de Mayo.
Thanks so much Jessica!! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you and I appreciate you making it:) xT
Yum!! So good, and so easy. Takes only minutes to put it together, then crockpot takes over. Delicious
Hey Bridget,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe turned out for you, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Friday! xT
I normally love all of the recipes on this site, but I was very sad to have to throw out a $30 roast. I followed the slow cooker directions on low, I set the slow cooker ninja foodie to 6 hours (because that’s the minimum mine will allow me to set) but I checked it at 5 hours….it was dry and hard as a rock, I couldn’t stick a fork in it. And this was a 4lb roast. I know the comments said it was likely to need longer time, so i tried to flip it over and let it sit in there for another hour. Ultimately went in the trash and we ordered out.
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you had issues. Unfortunately, it sounds like it needed to cook longer or something went wrong with your slow cooker. It should be totally fork tender if done correctly. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
I made the beef last night to make mexican inspired beef and rice bowls and it was delicious. However, if you’re making in the crockpot I highly recommend doing 6-8 hours on low. If it’s 4lbs, definitely more towards eight hours. Also, I always sear my roast on the stovetop first. I make chuck roast in the crockpot on a weekly basis and doing these two things one hundred percent lends to having the most flavorful, tender, fall apart meat.
Hi there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! Appreciate the notes as well:) xT
DELICIOUS! My whole family loved this recipe – thanks! The crockpot version was super quick and easy, though I did need extra time (maybe an extra hour in addition to the 3 hours on high). The yogurt sauce was the game changer and took it from good to amazing! This will become a staple in our family.
Hi Katy! Thank you for trying out the recipe! I’m so so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xT
I want to try this again next time but I feel like the hours you provided were not enough. I cooked the roast on high for 3 hours and it was tough to cut. I currently have it on again for another hour. Hopefully it will be good. I didn’t calculate this need for extra time into my cooking time so now I will be eating dinner super late.
So tragic!!!
How would I adjust cook time for 2 lb of chuck roast?
Hi Emily! I would cook for about 1 hour and a half or two hours! But check on it often!
What an insightful piece! I learned so much from this and appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
This is soooooo GOOD!!!
I Made this tonight! I used two different size cuts to get 4 pounds due to grocery pickup and no issues. I will not the bigger cut of meat cooked faster due to it being prime 1 cut. So my advice is get the good cut of meat for this 🙂
But yes my fiancé loved it! I loved it! This is going to be a go to recipe for me. Thank you!
My fiancés quote “that half baked harvest has some bomb recipes”
Haha love to hear this Gabrielle! Thank you so so much! xT
Just made this tonight.
Hot damn was it delicious! Hubs put it in a Dutch oven in the oven and let it gor for a little over 5 hrs and it fell apart as he was removing it from the DO. I may up the orange next time but maaaan. This was so delicious.
I wish I could figure out how to grt my corn shells toasted as nicely as the ones in the post. Would love a demo of how you do it.
Thank you for trying out these tacos Erin! xT
Is it 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon salt?
Ingredients say teaspoon
Instructions say tablespoon
Followed the recipe for crockpot prep. I did high for 3 hours and unfortunately it’s not shredding at all. Hoping 1 more hour will help.
Not our favorite. Started the chuck roast at noon, 3.5 pound, at 7 pm it still wouldn’t shred easily. Was in the crockpot on low and turned it on high for the last 2 hours. The sauce mixed with the salsa verde was bland and I did add salt. Not sure what I’m gonna do with 2 cups of it.
Hi Teresa! Thank you for the feedback on this recipe! xT
@Teresa, we did ours in the oven for 5 hours. It literally fell apart as hubs was removing it from the pan. I bet it was because you cooked it on low in the crackpot. I never ever have good beef cooked on low… it has to be medium at the lowest.
It might be the cut you got! I had a 2.5pound “prime 1 “cut of chuck roast and a not graded cut of chuck roast at 1.5 pounds. After 3 hours in the oven my bigger piece of meat but higher quality meat shed much easier and I had to keep cooking the lower grades one longer for it to get tender.