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Slow Cooker Honey Chipotle Shredded Beef Tacos

Slow cooker honey chipotle shredded beef tacos with tender, glossy shredded beef coated in sweet-and-smoky sauce. Easy low-and-slow cooking makes the beef shred effortlessly and cling to warm corn tortillas for juicy, flavorful tacos.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck roast
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
sauce base
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
tacos
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 0.25 cup diced onion for serving
  • 0.25 cup cilantro for serving
  • 1 lime lime wedges for serving
  • 0.5 cup salsa for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the beef
  1. Add the beef chuck roast to a 6-quart slow cooker. Make sure it sits in an even layer for steady low cooking.
  2. In a bowl, combine chicken broth, honey, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, adobo sauce, garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Pour the mixture over the beef so the top is coated.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily with a fork. During cooking, the sauce should become glossy and dark from the chipotle.
Shred and coat
  1. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and let it rest for 10 minutes. This helps the meat hold together while you shred.
  2. Shred the beef with two forks. Pull until you get a mix of fine and medium strands for best taco texture.
  3. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the sauce. Let it warm through for a few minutes so every strand looks lacquered.
Assemble tacos
  1. Warm the corn tortillas until pliable. Keep them wrapped so they stay soft while you fill.
  2. Fill each tortilla with shredded beef. Spoon on extra sauce so it glistens on top.
  3. Top with diced onion, cilantro, and salsa. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: for cleaner shredding, let the roast rest before shredding, then stir it back into the hot sauce until the strands look glossy and evenly coated. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat in a covered pan or in the slow cooker with a splash of broth. Freezing is yes—freeze shredded beef with sauce for up to 2 months and thaw in the fridge overnight. For a dairy-free swap (already naturally dairy-free), use only corn tortillas and skip any creamy toppings to keep it light and gluten-free-friendly if needed.