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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
Do you sear the beef first, if you do, is this before or after the dry rub? Thank you can’t wait to try
Thanks so much, Colleen!! I don’t sear the beef for this recipe:) Please let me know if you give it a try!
Could I use a brisket instead of the chuck roast?
Hey Linda,
Sure, that should work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
5hrs on low.. meat does not shred and is tough. Will not make this again. Easier to do a pork butt.
Hey Brian,
So sorry to hear this. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback!
All crock pots are not the same. Elevation influences cooking time. The size of the roast influences cooking time. Low and Slow cooking is complete when the meat shreds. If the meat doesn’t shred you need to cook it longer.
Try it again, but cook it in a pressure cooker or for longer time. It’s so good!
Mine were totally unshreddable too. Really disappointing.
Can you make this ahead of time? Like the day before? I plan to make it in my dutch oven. Should I wait to shred until I reheat? TY!
Hi Rose! Yes, you can absolutely make this meat ahead of time and serve later! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
These were so easy and my family loved them. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
Hi Erin! So happy to hear these tacos were a hit with the fam! Thanks for trying them out! Have a great week! xT
Would the instructions need to be modified at all to try this with chicken instead?
Hi Rachel! Yes, you could absolutely use chicken breasts to cook this! You’ll just have to cook for a little less time! xT
This was delicious!!! My husband and I both loved it. Don’t sleep on the delicious pickled jalapeño lime yogurt sauce either. I went the oven route and it worked great and made the house smell amazing. I ended up cooking it for closer to 4 hours total. I plan to make this for company next time.
Thank you so much Erin! I am so glad you loved these tacos, I agree the sauce definitely is such a yummy finishing touch! 🙂 xT
This was really good. I made all the elements here just as the recipe says. Cooked it a bit longer, but I never worry about cook times because everyone’s slow cookers are different. I put it in a little earlier than suggested, just in case, and it was perfect by dinner time. I will make it again, probably with a little less honey next time, because it was a little too sweet for us, but we also don’t eat a lot of sweets. I made enchiladas out of the leftovers, and they were also very delicious.
Thank you SO much Kat! I am so so glad you loved this recipe! Thanks for giving it a try! 🙂 xT
SO GOOD! Well done!
I actually cut this recipe in half and cooked a little longer (and cut my roast in 4 pieces) per the reviews.
Hi Katie! Sooo glad you enjoyed this recipe! Have a great weekend! 🙂 xT
The tacos had great flavor but the timing is off. I had to cook an additional hour in my dutch oven to get the meat to shred.
Hi Britni,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So glad to hear you enjoyed the tacos! Sorry to hear you had to add some cook time. Have a great week!
Terrible. 5 hours on low resulted in unshreddable beef. Once I was able to shred it, tasted awful.
Hey Jessi,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear it did not turn out for you! xx
Loved these! As did my family. The spice mix is so nicely balanced. Was planning g on making taquitos with leftovers but there weren’t enough. Such a nice recipe. Thank you 😊
Hey there,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was a hit! xx
Hello! I cannot find Chipolte Chili Powder. Can I just use all Chili Powder?
Hi Caitlin,
Sure, that will be just fine for you to use. I hope you love this recipe! xx
What is the Mix of salsa verde with 1 cup of the braising sauce and salt for?
Hi Silvia,
I use that for serving with the tacos. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Delicious! 4 Stars only because of cook time. I read the comments beforehand and planned to cook my 4lb roast for 8 hours on low after seeing 5 hours was not enough time. I cut my roast into two chunks as well for more even cooking. After 6 hours on low in the crockpot I checked on it and was getting absolutely nowhere so cranked it up to high for an additional 2.5 hours. This worked great, but 8 hours still wouldn’t have been enough time if I hadn’t turned it up. I would please ask you to edit the cooking instructions and then the recipe would truly be 5 stars. I would say a 4 lb roast needs more than 8 hours if cooking on low (and to cut at least in 1/2!). Will be making again.
Hey Alex,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear this recipe was a winner, thanks for making it and your comment! Thanks for sharing your notes regarding the cook time. x
These are Delicious! Made them last night.
Thanks so much!!