These slow cooker chipotle carnitas are smoky, juicy, and crisped in the oven until the edges turn golden. Rub the pork with a quick chipotle paste, let the slow cooker do the work, and taco night, burrito bowls, and freezer meals are covered.
Oriana’s Thoughts On The Recipe
Oh my goodness… these Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas are next-level delicious! The pork comes out perfectly seasoned, slow-cooked until it’s fall-apart tender, and then gets crisped up in the oven for that irresistible golden edge. It’s the kind of dish that fills your kitchen with mouthwatering aromas and has everyone sneaking bites straight from the pan (yes, I’m guilty of that!). The best part? It’s all done in the slow cooker with minimal effort—just the way I like it on busy days.
Why You’ll Want to Try My Recipe
- It’s crazy easy to make—just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it do its magic.
- The pork turns out super tender and juicy every single time.
- That final step of crisping it up in the oven? Game-changer! So much flavor and texture.
- The smoky chipotle flavor is bold, warm, and totally crave-worthy.
- It’s perfect for feeding a crowd—hello, taco night!
- Makes amazing leftovers (and it freezes beautifully!).
- It’s versatile—use it in tacos, burritos, bowls, nachos, or even salads.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Amounts are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down). You’ll need:
- Pork shoulder: Although boneless pork shoulder and pork butt pork roast are the best cuts of pork for carnitas, a pork loin roast is also a good choice. Tenderloin is too lean and won’t shred as well.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: These canned peppers are usually found in the international aisle of most grocery stores. You can also order it online. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Cooking With Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce.
- Garlic cloves
- Limes: You can also use lemon if that is what you have handy.
- Orange: The juice adds a hint of sweetness. You can squish a fresh orange or use store-bought orange juice.
- Chicken broth: Store-bought or homemade will work fine.
- Spices: You will need dried oregano, onion powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
- Bay leaves: I used dried bay leaves.
- Oil: Vegetable or canola oil.
- Fresh cilantro to garnish (optional)
Best Cut of Pork to Make Carnitas
The best meat for carnitas is pork shoulder or pork butt. It is important to highlight that pork shoulder and butt are the same thing, a cut of meat from the same section of the pig: the shoulder. These cuts of pork have a high-fat content, making for more delicious-tasting carnitas. Other names you might see this cut of pork labeled as Boston butt, Boston shoulder, Boston butt roast, or shoulder roast.
Food Allergy Swaps
This recipe is naturally egg, dairy, nut, peanut, and sesame free, making it suitable for most dietary needs, but always check labels for hidden allergens.
- Soy-Free: The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and the store-bought chicken broth may contain soy additives, so be extra careful.
- Gluten-Free: The chipotle peppers in adobo sauce may contain gluten; double-check the brand you are using.
Step-by-Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
Detailed instructions are included in the printable recipe below (scroll down).
- Prepare the Sauce
- Prepare the Pork
- Cook the Pork
- Shred the Meat
- Crisp Up the Carnitas
Extra Recipe Notes
Don’t have a slow cooker? Make this chipotle carnitas recipe in an Instant Pot. Simply add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes on high pressure. Natural pressure release for 10 minutes before quick releasing and shredding the pork. Continue to crisp up the carnitas as instructed.
This recipe only calls for 2 to 3 chipotle peppers and 2 tablespoons of the sauce. If you do not have immediate plans to use the rest of the can, you can freeze the leftover peppers and adobo sauce for the next time you plan on making this carnitas recipe.
Be sure not to open your slow cooker while it is cooking. Opening the slow cooker will release the steam that your slow cooker worked long and hard to build up. With the steam released, you’ll have to increase the time spent cooking, as it has to rebuild all that lost steam!
When crisping up the shredded pork in the oven, I suggest getting the meat in a single layer as evenly as possible, so each piece of pork can crisp up evenly. Crisp up the carnitas in two batches if necessary. When ready to crisp up the carnitas, do not forget to add the liquid; this helps prevent the carnitas from drying out.
Meat Minimum Internal Temperatures
Use a food thermometer! Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause illness.
- Beef, pork, veal, and lamb at 145 ºF with a three-minute “rest time” (roasts, steaks, and chops) after removal from the heat source.
- Ground meats 160 ºF.
- Poultry (whole, parts, or ground) 165 ºF.
Taco Bar Ingredients Suggestions
These carnitas are absolutely perfect for when we want to have a taco night. It’s no secret that tacos are one of our favorite foods. They are not only delicious, but they are adaptable to the tastes of all family members, including my picky eaters. So, when it’s taco bar night, I make sure to have everyone’s fave. Here are my taco bar ingredient suggestions:
- Flour tortillas and/or corn tortillas
- Sliced avocado
- Finely sliced red onions
- Sliced jalapeño
- Diced pineapple
- Diced tomatoes
- Charred corn
- Crumbed queso fresco
- Sour cream
- Salsa verde
- Lime wedges
What to Serve With Chipotle Carnitas
Round out taco night with a big pot of Easy Mexican Rice and a bowl of Easy Mango Guacamole. And if you have leftovers, roll them into my Easy Carnitas Taquitos. They’re one of my favorite ways to use up the last of the pork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly, and that’s on purpose. The chipotle in this recipe is the smoky chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, not the restaurant. If you’re craving burrito-bowl carnitas at home, this is a great homemade version: tender pork with crispy edges and a smoky chipotle flavor all its own.
They have a warm, smoky kick. For a milder flavor, use 2 chipotle peppers. If you like more heat, use 3 peppers and add an extra spoonful of the adobo sauce to the paste.
It needs more time. Pork shoulder is safe to eat at 145 °F, but it only becomes fall-apart tender at about 195–205 °F, once the fat and connective tissue melt. Put the lid back on and keep cooking, checking every 30 to 60 minutes, and try not to lift the lid in between.
More Meat Recipes for Tacos That You’ll Love!
- Slow Cooker Spicy Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Crispy Pork Carnitas
- Easy Ground Beef for Tacos Recipe
- Easy Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Skewers
- Instant Pot Mojo Chicken
- Easy Sheet Pan Beef Fajitas
- Easy Honey Chipotle Grilled Shrimp
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Chipotle Carnitas
Important
• For best results, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients.
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 – 3 individual chipotle peppers from a can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 3 – 4 lbs ( 1.3 – 1.8 kg) skinless boneless pork shoulder (excess fat trimmed)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh cilantro, chopped to garnish
Instructions
Chipotle Carnitas:
- Place garlic, lime juice, oil, salt, black pepper, oregano, onion powder, cumin, peppers, and adobo sauce in a small food processor. Pulse until well combined and a paste is formed.
- Rub the pork shoulder with the chipotle paste, rubbing it thoroughly on all sides. If time allows, let the pork marinate for 30 minutes to overnight. If not, go to the next step.
- Place orange juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and seasoned pork shoulder into a slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, until a food thermometer reads at least 145 °F (safe). Keep cooking until it reaches about 195–205 °F and falls apart easily.
- Remove pork from the slow cooker and shred the meat using two forks, removing excess fat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Heat oven to broil. Line one baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking oil.
- Place carnitas onto a baking sheet with 1/4–1/2 cup of the juices and broil until most of the pork looks golden, crisp, and crusted, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Garnish carnitas with chopped cilantro, if desired.
- Don’t have a slow cooker? Make this chipotle carnitas recipe in an Instant Pot. Simply add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes on high pressure. Natural pressure release for 10 minutes before quick releasing and shredding the pork. Continue to crisp up the carnitas as instructed.
- This recipe only calls for 2 to 3 chipotle peppers and 2 tablespoons of the sauce. If you do not have immediate plans to use the rest of the can, it is freezer-friendly! Freeze the leftover peppers and adobo sauce for the next time you plan on making this carnitas recipe.
- Be sure not to open your slow cooker while it is cooking. Opening the slow cooker will release the steam that your slow cooker worked long and hard to build up. With the steam released, you’ll have to increase the time spent cooking, as it has to rebuild all that lost steam!
- When crisping up the shredded pork in the oven, I suggest trying to get the meat in a single layer as evenly as possible, so each piece of pork can crisp up evenly. Crisp up the carnitas in two batches if necessary. When ready to crisp up the carnitas, do not forget to add the liquid; this helps prevent the carnitas from drying out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
This recipe was sponsored by Partnership for Food Safety Education (PFSE).
Originally posted in September 2019, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in May 2022.
So delicious!
Love it, Mark! Carnitas that earn a “so delicious” are doing their job — thanks so much for coming back to say so.
Used the slow cooker ! Absolutely delicious! Will make it again
This was absolutely AMAZING! It’s going on regular rotation in our house. Thank you so much for sharing! ☺️
Hi Lisa! Yay! 🎉 I’m so happy to hear that you loved it and that it’s going on your regular rotation—that’s the best compliment! 😊 Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for your kind words. Happy cooking! ❤️✨🍽️
This recipe is perfection! I made it last week and my family couldn’t get enough. I always make a recipe exactly as written the first time, then adjust where necessary. There will be no need to adjust this time, just prepare as written and enjoy! You won’t be disappointed, that is, unless you don’t go in for seconds, or thirds. Thank you Oriana.
Can I substitute chicken stock for chicken broth when I don’t have chicken broth in hand?
Hello Alex! Sure you can. Thanks for your interest in my recipe. Please come back and let me know how you like it =)