Description
These Crockpot Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos combine tender, slow-cooked chuck roast infused with smoky chipotle and chili spices, sweet orange juice, and honey, served in warm taco shells with fresh toppings like cilantro, avocado, and cotija cheese for a flavorful, easy-to-make Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices and Meat
- 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 tablespoon salt (additional for seasoning)
- 1 (4 pound) chuck roast
Produce
- 2 yellow onions, sliced
- Cilantro, for serving
- Green onion, for serving
- Avocado, for serving
Liquids and Sauces
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup salsa verde
- 3/4 cup water
Other
- 12 hard or soft taco shells, warmed
- Crumbled cotija cheese, for serving
Optional Jalapeño Lime Yogurt
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325° F to prepare for slow roasting the pot roast.
- Arrange Onions: Place the sliced onions evenly at the bottom of a large oven-safe Dutch oven or crockpot bowl.
- Prepare Spice Rub and Season Roast: In a bowl, combine chipotle chile powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Rub this spice mixture all over the chuck roast thoroughly to ensure even seasoning.
- Combine Liquids and Set Roast: Place the seasoned roast on top of the onion bed. Pour fresh orange juice, 3/4 cup water, and honey over the roast and onions to create a flavorful braising liquid.
- Cook the Roast: For oven method: cover the Dutch oven and roast in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat is very tender. Then remove the cover and increase oven temperature to 425° F; roast uncovered for 10 minutes to caramelize the top. For crockpot method: cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours until tender.
- Shred the Meat: Remove the roast from the cooking vessel and use two forks to shred the meat finely.
- Prepare Salsa Verde Mixture: Mix salsa verde with 1 cup of the reserved braising sauce from the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.
- Assemble Tacos: Stuff the shredded beef and cooked onions into warmed taco shells. Top each taco with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, green onions if desired, and crumbled cotija cheese.
- Serve: Serve the tacos with salsa verde on the side. Enjoy your delicious, smoky chipotle pot roast tacos!
Notes
- Jalapeño Lime Yogurt Sauce: Combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 clove grated garlic, 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños, and 2 tablespoons lime juice in a bowl. Mix until creamy and season with salt to taste. This adds a tangy, spicy topping option.
- Easy Homemade Hard Taco Shells: Warm 8-12 corn tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until pliable. Rub each with olive oil on a baking sheet. Layer each tortilla flat with cheese and beef, fold over, then bake at 375°F for 5-8 minutes until crisp and cheese is melted, flipping halfway through.
- Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best bright, sweet flavor.
- Adjust spice levels by varying the amount of chipotle chile powder depending on heat preference.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated and make great fillings for burritos or enchiladas.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
