Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe
33 Comments Dec 27, 2021
Updated Jun 19, 2025
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Make this Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa recipe right in your crockpot. Near authentic recipe that will feed a crowd.
Recipe Highlights
- Inspired by the popular restaurant favorite— my perfected copycat barbacoa recipe will be a hit at home.
- Tender enough to melt in your mouth
- Great for an economical dinner and plenty of leftovers
- Made right in the crockpot—easy and hands-off
The Ingredients
Beef Chuck Roast – Chuck roast has great marbling and is the perfect cut.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo – This adds smoke flavor and HEAT! Don’t go crazy and add extra unless you can handle spicy foods.
Ground Cloves – This is one flavor I was surprised to find in barbacoa, but it really makes it special, much like the burrito chain.
Other must-have ingredients include sweet onion, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and more.
How to make Chipotle Barbacoa
- Add beef, peppers, and seasonings to your slow cooker.
- Cover and cook low and slow until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the beef, stir it back in, and soak up all that smoky, spicy flavor.
Serving Ideas
When it’s time to serve, just think: how would Chipotle do it?
- Burritos – Find large flour tortillas and make burritos just like the restaurant.
- Tacos – Make hard shell corn tortilla tacos or soft shell tacos.
- Burrito Bowls – Forget the tortilla and pile the flavorful beef on rice and beans.
- Other chipotle recipes to add to this meal are Cilantro Lime Rice, Guacamole, Pico De Gallo and my Spicy Pinto Beans.
- Other toppings are Monterey jack cheese, lettuce and sour cream!
Sarah’s Tips & Variations
Meat Swap: Chicken breasts or thighs can be used instead of a beef chuck roast. You will need to add more salt if you use chicken for it has less flavor than a chuck roast.
Browning: Don’t skip searing—this step adds depth and makes it taste more like the real deal.
Spice Level: Barbacoa gets its bold flavor from spicy peppers—cut the amount in half if you prefer less heat, but skipping them entirely means missing that classic restaurant taste.
Instant Pot Directions: Sear your beef in the Instant Pot, then add the rest of the ingredients (plus an extra 1/2 cup of water). Place the lid on the pot and seal, making sure your vent is in the closed position. Pressure cook on HIGH for 70 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
Featured Comment
“Love this recipe. I am a grandmother and I keep getting requests to make it for parties and family get-togethers.”
– Julie
Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. beef chuck roast
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried leaf oregano, (not ground)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves,
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 chipotle peppers, minced(from a can of chipotle peppers)
- 1 Tbsp. adobo sauce, (this is the sauce from the can of chipotle peppers)
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup water, (or beef broth)
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the oil. Brown the chuck roast on all sides, then add the roast to the slow cooker
- Sprinkle the roast with the salt, oregano, cumin and cloves. Add the bay leaves, minced garlic, onions, minced chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce (that's from the can of peppers) on top the roast. Add the water around the sides of the roast.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- When the roast is done cooking, remove and discard the bay leaves. Shred the meat with 2 forks. If the meat is really fatty, I do the shredding on a plate so I can pick out the fatty pieces and discard them. Add the shredded meat back into the juices in the slow cooker.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Additional Mexican Recipes to Try
Chile Verde and Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas are great for easy weeknight dinners with plenty of flavor.
Slow Cooker Smothered Beef Burritos and Slow Cooker Birria Tacos bring that comforting, slow-cooked goodness everyone loves.
Round it out with Slow Cooker Refried Beans or Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas for a full-on fiesta at home.
Hi Sarah!
I just wanted to leave you a quick note to thank you for sharing your recipe! We love Chipotle and this was just perfectly delicious! I had rave reviews from my husband and my son who is a “picky” eater! This one’s going into rotation and the cookbook! We had it in tortillas with rice, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and jalapeño peppers! Thank you again Sarah!
This was so easy and delicious! THANK you for a great recipe.
When is the onion needed?
Add at the beginning of the cook time.
Sarah, thank you so much for this delicious recipe. We had a hearty dinner. Everybody in our family loves it. We ate it with an 8 inch round flour tortilla, salsa and sour cream. I didn’t have a guacamole but it is still a killer.
Can i cook this with some thick slices of green peppers in the crockpot?
Yes! Will work great!
I have made this recipe probably 50 times, and it is my go to when I am having people over or cooking for a crowd. The Barbacoa also makes great, delicious nacho meat at a Super Bowl party. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Turned out great!!! Yum! And full of flavor.
What do you think of trying this in an electric smoker instead of a crockpot?
Just made your recipe today and it’s so delicious! No changes made and no changes are needed! We let the meat cook for 9 hours and it was flavorful and tender. Great recipe!
Hi Sarah! I am serving this, along with the rice, guac, and Pico tonight!! But what type of cheese is that you have pictured atop the barbacoa? I think it would go well with cheese in a flour tortilla….
Monterey Jack. That is what Chipotle uses.