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Zesty Chipotle Orange Shredded Beef Tacos – Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

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These zesty chipotle orange shredded beef tacos are a bold, flavorful twist on classic tacos, featuring tender slow-cooked beef infused with smoky chipotle and bright orange. Perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd, they’re easy, customizable, and guaranteed to impress.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 2 large oranges)
  • 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, diced
  • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
  • 1 small red onion, chopped (optional)
  • 8–12 corn or flour tortillas
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
  • Quick-pickled red onions (for serving)
  • Crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese (for serving)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)
  • Sliced avocado or guacamole (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper.
  2. In a small blender or food processor, combine orange juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, minced garlic, tomato paste, honey, cumin, dried oregano, and beef broth. Blend until smooth.
  3. Scatter the chopped red onion on the bottom of your slow cooker. Place the beef roast on top. Pour the blended chipotle orange sauce evenly over the beef, coating both sides.
  4. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easy to shred.
  5. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-size pieces, trimming excess fat if needed.
  6. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. Let it soak for another 10-15 minutes on warm.
  7. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side or wrap in a damp towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds.
  8. Fill tortillas with generous scoops of shredded beef. Top with pickled onions, cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and avocado. Squeeze fresh lime over the top before serving.

Notes

For less heat, use fewer chipotle peppers or more orange juice. Searing the beef before slow cooking adds extra flavor but is optional. For gluten-free tacos, use corn tortillas and check labels on chipotle peppers and broth. Leftover beef is great in quesadillas, burritos, or on baked potatoes. The beef can be made ahead and reheated; flavors deepen overnight.

Nutrition

Keywords: chipotle, orange, shredded beef, tacos, slow cooker, crockpot, Mexican, Tex-Mex, easy dinner, gluten-free, spicy tacos, beef tacos, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://bitematrix.com/zesty-chipotle-orange-shredded-beef-tacos-easy-slow-cooker-recipe/