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Crockpot Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos with spicy red verde sauce and tangy jalapeño yogurt. Because loaded tacos are just better. Slow-cooked beef 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 these pot roast tacos any time of year.
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 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 tortillas with a little cheddar cheese, maybe some lettuce, and nothing else. No beans, no avocado, not even cilantro or a squeeze of lime. 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 crockpot. Both methods are almost identical and equally delicious.
Arrange lots of sliced onions in the bottom of your pot. 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 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 avocado, cilantro, and lots of sharp cheddar cheese and/or cojita cheese.
The bonus is that these tacos are simple to make, which makes them even better!
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:Â 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.Â
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:Â 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.Â
Pretty good. My husband doesn’t like chuck roast but thought this was a good way to use it up.
Hey Jenny,
Happy Friday! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! xT
I love most her recipes but this had no flavor at all, I will be doubling the spices adding real garlic instead of power next time and the first bite I took I was immediately like oh dear needs way more salt it is 4 pounds of meat. I added more of everything after taking the first bite. The only things that redeemed it were the toppings so definitely not my favorite and a waste of meat because roasts are expensive could have easily gotten the same flavor with any meat. And not adding real whole garlic was my bad I should have known better.
Hi Cait,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear this was not enjoyed! Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xx
These tacos were amazing! They were so flavorful. My family all raved about them. I made the crema using sour cream because I didn’t have plain yogurt and it really took the tacos over the top delicious. As others said, the meat was not falling apart after five hours on low so I cranked it up to high for another hour and that did the trick. Next time I will start my crockpot on high for an hour or two then turn down to low for the last three hours.
Thanks so much Jennifer:) I’m so glad to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe and I appreciate you sharing what worked well for you! xT
I made these in the crockpot and they were so delicious and tender! Ended up cooking on low for 6 hours and keeping warm for 1 since son’s swim practice went late. Love your recipes T!
Hi Kalyn,
Wonderful!! I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out nicely for you! xT
Made these tonight in my instant pot. I seared the meat, then added the onions and sauce for a few minutes and then added the liquid to deglaze the pan. Added the meat and cooked for an hour. I did everything else the same. They were a huge hit!!! Thank you for always having amazing recipes!! My family loves all your recipes!
Hey Cheryl,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Easter! xT
Soooo good! I’ve made them twice in the last 3 weeks. I will definetely keep this on rotation!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
So delicious! My husband devoured them and kept saying “THESE ARE SO GOOD!” as he was eating them. Don’t skip the yogurt sauce!
Lol love to hear this, Stephanie!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe! Have a great Sunday! xT
I made them in the crockpot and they turned out delicious. I substituted the chuck roast for a venison roast because that’s what I had available. I substituted the water for beef broth to make sure it didn’t taste too gamey.
Hi Rebekah,
Love to hear that the venison roast worked out nicely for you, thanks for giving it a try! xT
SO easy and SO delicious!
Thanks so much Elizabeth:) Love to hear that this recipe was a winner! xT
Absolutely delicious. The seasoning was perfect. Would use that combination on vegetables too. Gave it 4 stars because I made mine in the oven and there was no braising liquid left. I will either make it again with 50% more OJ and water or try crockpot and see if the moisture is retained. Can’t wait to make again!
Hi Stacey,
I am so glad to hear that these tacos were enjoyed! Thanks so much for making them and your feedback! xT
So good, couldn’t stop eating them! I didn’t have chipotle chile pepper so I chopped up a chipotle pepper in adobo with the onions. They were a little spicy and so good!
Love to hear this Nora!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! Have a great weekend! xT
Delicious! Sauces and all!
Hi Juliet,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks a lot for making it! xT
The ingredients says 1 teaspoon of salt and then directions say 1 tablespoon of salt 🫣 I’m going to go with my gut here and say 1 teaspoon.
Hi Kait,
You can use 1 tablespoon for the spice rub:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
I’m confused. If you need 1 T. for the spice rub, when do you use the 1 t. of pink salt that’s listed in the ingredients?
Oh no, I used 1 T of salt AND 1 t of salt. In crockpot now. I hope I didn’t ruin the recipe. Prob should use clear language in the instructions.
These tacos are truly one of the best things I have ever made! I made homemade blue corn tortillas which added even more flavor.
Hey Shelley,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Thanks for your comment! xx
Can you cook this in an instant pot pressure cooker?
Also, if I do slow cooker, will it be ok to cook longer than 5 hours? I want to pop it into the slow cooker before work and have it ready for dinner after work.
Hi Yarina,
Sure, you could do this in the instant pot, I would do at least 30 minutes. Totally fine to keep in the slow cooker longer than 5 hours, it will be super tender! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Thank you! Will try it tomorrow! I’m also from Cleveland 🙂