These braised chipotle beef tacos are made with tender chuck roast slowly cooked in a smoky tomato-chipotle sauce until the beef practically falls apart. The braising liquid reduces into a rich sauce that coats the shredded beef for deeply flavorful tacos with a mostly hands-off braise.
These braised chipotle beef tacos are not a quick weeknight dinner when you make them from start to finish, but they work beautifully for a weeknight when the beef is made ahead. Chuck roast slowly braises until it’s tender enough to fall apart with a fork, then the braising liquid gets reduced into a delicious smoky sauce that coats every strand of shredded beef. Make the beef over the weekend, and taco night later in the week becomes mostly a matter of reheating the filling, warming the tortillas, and adding your favorite toppings.
Reducing the braising liquid is what really makes this recipe special. Instead of ending up with plain shredded beef sitting in a thin cooking liquid, you get juicy, saucy beef with so much more flavor. The chipotle brings plenty of smokiness without making the tacos noticeably spicy. If you enjoy those deeper Southwestern flavors, our hatch chile steak bites or hatch chile corn salad are another favorite.
My reaction to the first bite of these tacos was enthusiastic enough that Preston was still talking about it days later. And because one batch makes plenty of beef, the payoff goes beyond taco night. Use the leftovers for quesadillas, burritos, bowls, or nachos later in the week. That makes this one of those weekend cooking recipes that earns its keep long after dinner is over.
Reasons to Love This Recipe
Ingredients at a Glance
- Beef Chuck Roast. Beef chuck roast becomes tender and easy to shred during the long braise. This is the cut we tested, so I don’t recommend substituting another cut.
- Morton Kosher Salt and Black Pepper. These season the beef before searing and help build flavor from the start.
- Olive Oil. Olive oil is used to brown the beef before braising.
- Yellow Onion. Yellow onion softens into the braising sauce and flavor and sweetness.
- Garlic. Garlic adds another layer of flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. Chipotle peppers add deep smoky flavor with very little noticeable heat. Use one pepper instead of two for an even milder flavor. If you have extra peppers left in the can, our creamy chipotle sauce is an easy way to use them.
- Adobo Sauce. Adobo sauce reinforces the smoky chipotle flavor and adds depth to the braise.
- Tomato Paste. Tomato paste concentrates the tomato flavor and helps give the sauce body.
- Ground Cumin and Dried Oregano. These add flavor that complements the beef and chipotle.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes. Fire-roasted tomatoes give the braising liquid body and reinforce the smoky flavor without making the filling taste like tomato sauce.
- Low-Sodium Beef Broth. Beef broth provides the liquid for braising while allowing you to better control the salt level.
- Fresh Lime Juice. Lime juice is stirred in at the end to brighten the beef and balance the sauce.
- Corn Tortillas. Corn tortillas have enough flavor and structure to stand up to the saucy shredded beef.
- Cotija Cheese. Cotija adds a delicious salty finish.
- Fresh Cilantro. Cilantro adds freshness and color.
- Red Onion or Pickled Onions. Either option adds flavor. Pickled onions are more mild than raw.
- Avocado. Avocado adds cool creaminess that balances the smoky flavors.
- Lime Wedges. Lime wedges add a fresh, bright finish at the table.
How to Make It (Photo Tutorial)
Tips for Success
- Brown the beef in batches. Give the pieces enough room to sear instead of steam. You only need good color on the two broad sides of each piece, so there’s no need to brown every surface.
- Let tenderness, not the clock, tell you when the beef is done. The 2½- to 3-hour braising time is a guide. The beef is ready when a fork inserted into it causes the meat to fall apart easily.
- Don’t skip the sauce reduction. This step concentrates the braising liquid and gives the shredded beef its restaurant-quality flavor.
- Watch the sauce as it thickens. Reduce it until it lightly coats a spoon, but stop before it becomes thick or pasty. You want enough sauce left to keep the shredded beef juicy.
- Finish with the lime juice. Adding it after the beef goes back into the sauce brightens the rich, smoky flavors without making the filling taste noticeably citrusy.
Make Ahead
You can make the braised beef up to 3 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator with the sauce. The flavor holds up very well, and the sauce helps keep the shredded beef moist when reheated.
For an easy weeknight dinner, make the beef over the weekend, then reheat it gently while you warm the tortillas and prep the toppings. This turns a long braise into a very quick taco night later in the week.
Ways to Serve It
These tacos are hearty enough to carry dinner on their own, but a few simple sides and toppings can turn them into a complete taco-night spread.
- Keep it simple. Serve the tacos with avocado, Cotija, cilantro, onion, and plenty of lime wedges. A bowl of tortilla chips and our homemade salsa verde is really all you need alongside them.
- Add a fresh Southwestern side. Our hatch chile corn salad is a great match. The sweet corn, lime, Cotija, and roasted chiles add freshness without competing with the rich beef.
- Build a taco bar. Set out the warm beef with tortillas and bowls of toppings so everyone can assemble their own tacos. Pickled onions, diced red onion, avocado, cilantro, Cotija, salsa, and lime all work well.
- Turn the beef into a different dinner. Use leftovers for quesadillas, burritos, rice bowls, or nachos later in the week. You could also swap this braised beef for the ground beef in our loaded beef nachos for an especially easy leftover makeover.
- Serve it for casual entertaining. The beef makes an especially good nacho topping when you want something easy to share. Add cheese, jalapeños, onions, avocado, and fresh cilantro just before serving.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator. Store the braised beef with its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and within 2 hours of serving.
- Freezer. Freeze the shredded beef together with the sauce in an airtight freezer-safe container. For the best quality, use within about 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating. Reheat only the amount you plan to serve. Warm the beef gently in a covered skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a small splash of beef broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
Warm fresh tortillas separately and add the toppings just before serving.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
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For the Beef
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 3- to 4-inch chunks (Note 1)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce finely chopped (Note 2)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 14.5 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 14.5-ounce can
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For Serving
- 16 small corn tortillas Note 5
- crumbled Cotija cheese for serving
- chopped fresh cilantro for serving
- diced red onion or pickled onions for serving
- sliced avocado for serving
- lime wedges for serving
- Chuck is ideal for this recipe because it becomes tender and shreddable during the long braise while staying juicy.
- Two chipotle peppers give the beef deep smoky flavor with little to no noticeable spicy heat. For an even milder chipotle flavor, use one pepper.
- The beef does not need to be fully submerged. The covered Dutch oven traps moisture and creates the gentle environment needed for braising.
- Don’t skip this step. Reducing the braising liquid concentrates the flavor and gives you saucy shredded beef rather than a watery taco filling.
- For extra flavor, you can skim a small amount of fat from the surface of the braising liquid and lightly brush it onto the tortillas before warming them. If you have a gas stove, you can also warm the tortillas directly over a low flame, using tongs to turn them frequently, until they are warmed through and lightly charred in spots.
Make Ahead
The beef can be prepared up to 3 days ahead. It often tastes even better after resting overnight in the sauce.
Storage
Store leftover beef with its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat the beef gently and warm fresh tortillas just before serving.
Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 398mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3mg
Servings: 16 tacos
Calories: 236kcal
Cost: $2.07 per taco
