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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: 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.
I was a little weary of this recipe after reading some of the comments about having issues with the meat being tough, mostly because I don’t have much experience with chuck roasts quite yet. But I used some of the suggestions made by previous comments and had no issues shredding it! I used a 2.5 lb chuck roast, cut into four cubes and seasoned on all sides, baked in a dutch oven at 325 F x 2.5 hours (checked at 2 hours due to it being a smaller cut, but it was not shreddable quite yet), then shredded with my kitchen aid mixer using the paddle attachment. It was very yummy! I also found that I had a surplus of seasoning, but next time I think I would just throw it all in for extra flavor. I would also try searing the sides of the meat for extra crisp. Overall, very easy recipe!
Hi Heather,
I appreciate you trying this recipe and all of your detailed notes on what worked well for you! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
This was absolutely delicious. For those saying, it was tough to shred, for me it was absolutely perfect. I went the Dutch oven route for three hours and it just fell completely apart. I removed any large tough fat from the meat prior and cut it into about 4 large chunks rather than leave it as one.
Hey Erin,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear this dish turned out well for you, thanks a lot for trying it out! Xx
I’m making tonight!!!!!! Already smells amazing! Thanks so much! I love all your recipes ♥️
Yay! Love to hear this Katie! I hope the tacos are a hit! xT
As a previous user mentioned, I too couldn’t shred the meat. Pretty disappointing given the butchers price. I ended up slicing thin. This was just OK. Maybe would’ve been better with pork.
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for trying this recipe and your feedback, so sorry you had some issues! I think your meat just needed to cook longer. Which cooking method did you use? Please let me know how I can help! xT
I followed this recipe EXACTLY and the meat didn’t fall apart. It was so chewy we had to cut it with a knife. We ended up putting it back in the crockpot after reading about the amount of time this should be cooked for. Looks like 5 hours on low really isn’t enough time for this kind of meat/amount… tastes great but disappointed in the time listed since it’s not accurate.
Hi Julia,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you had some issues with the meat. The instructions listed are exactly how I cooked my meat without any issues, but there can be differences in brands of slow cookers that might be causing some readers to need to cook the meat longer. So sorry!! xx
Another slam dunk! What a rich and oh so flavorful filling. Brilliant idea to combine roast drippings with salsa verde. More flavorful than recipes I’ve tried that were more complicated with more ingredients. I topped with lettuce, red salsa, and a cilantro aoili. Addictive! As usual, Thanks a million!
Thanks so much Cheryl:) So glad to hear these tacos turned out well for you! Have a great weekend! xT
SO yummy!! And easy to make. Jalapeño Lime Sauce takes it to another level. Putting this in the regular rotation. Hungry teenage boys came back for third helping!! 😳
Lol love this!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe Debra:) Hope you have a great weekend! xT
Tieghan, you’ve done it again, these tacos and so so delicious! Every detail, the tender and crispy beef, the sauce, the jalapeño cream…all are insanely good! Thank you for this recipe.
Thanks so much Tracey!! Love to hear that these tacos were enjoyed, thanks for making them! xx
10/10!!! Made these in the crockpot, used all of the seasoning. So much flavor! Another amazing recipe, thank you!!!
Hi Jaimie,
Happy Friday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
These tacos are delicious and easy, thanks for another great recipe. Followed the recipe to the letter other than 25 min less braising time as my roast was a bit smaller. The beef was tender and shredded easily, braising liquid mixed with salsa verde, genius and gave the tacos a good kick. Jalapeno Lime Yogurt is going to be a staple no matter what kind of taco we make. Looking forward to making these for family and friends. Another great recipe from Half-Baked Harvest!!!
Hi Micheline,
Wonderful!! I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it! xx
Looks fabulous! Looking forward to trying. Could you substitute the beef for pork?
Thanks so much Karen!! Sure, I don’t see why not! Let me know if you give this recipe a try:) xx
Looks wonderful! One question, in the ingredients you mention 1 teaspoon of salt, but in the directions you mention 1 Tablespoon. I’m confused.
Hi Susie,
Sorry for the confusion, you can use 1 tablespoon of salt for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
If I don’t have Chipotle Chile Powder, should I just add more regular Chile powder? Thanks!
I have same question. Can’t seem to find chipotle chili powder in stores near me. What to use in place of that ingredient? Thanks!
Hi Kim,
Smoked paprika will also work well for you here! I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hi Daniela,
You could use smoked paprika in place of the chipotle Chile powder:) Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xT
Outstanding recipe! It was a huge hit. The sauce mixed with the salsa verde is perfection. The yogurt jalapeño drizzle adds the perfect amount of spice. We charred our tortillas and topped everything with homemade pico, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Hi Amber,
Thanks so much for making this dish and sharing your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
If you are using pre cubed meat how would you adjust cooking times?
Hi Tracey,
I think it really depends on how large the cubes of meat are. I would keep the recipe as is, once the meat is fork tender you can pull it:) I hope you love the recipe! xT