Slow Cooker Copycat Chipotle Carnitas
Save time, money, and a trip with these Slow Cooker Copycat Chipotle Carnitas. Featuring the same big, bold flavor as the original, this super-tender shredded pork has all the deliciousness of the original without the price tag. It doesn’t get better!
We love eating out, but as cooks, we also know that we can enjoy our favorite flavors right at home. We have an extensive collection of copycat recipes, including Texas Roadhouse’s smothered chicken, Cheddar Bay biscuits, and even those beloved Thin Mint cookies. Hey, if we can cook it, why pay for it, right?
Now, we’ve added this carnitas recipe to our rotation. It’s just as good, if not better, honestly, than the original. It’s more cost-effective and extremely easy.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: This recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients.
- Easy: This is a slow cooker recipe, so the waiting is the hardest part, to quote Tom Petty.
- Classic Flavor: This dish has all the classic flavors of the Chipotle original.
- Versatile: This tender shredded pork is perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or even sandwiches.
- Great for Meal Prep: You can make as much as you like and freeze it for future use.
🛒Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Boneless pork roast
- Chicken stock
- Bay leaves
- Dried thyme
- Rosemary sprigs
- Salt
- Pepper
📝Variations
- Protein: While pork is the classic meat for this recipe, beef also works very well.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes, cayenne, or diced jalapenos for a spicy kick.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Slow cooker
🔪 Instructions
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Add the pork and chicken stock to the slow cooker. Add the spices to the top of the pork.
- Cook until the pork is tender and falling apart. Shred the pork and serve as desired.
💭 Tips
- Choose a roast with plenty of fat and connective tissue. This is what breaks down and makes the meat super tender and juicy.
- For a deeper flavor, sear the roast before slow-cooking it.
- For a more classic texture, broil it for a minute or two after shredding it.
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight, freezer-safe container. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag with as much air removed as possible.
To reheat the carnitas, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then, microwave at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
Serve With
Use this slow cooker copycat Chipotle carnitas as a filling for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or even sandwiches.
Whatever you make with this delicious pork, pair it with tasty Mexican-inspired sides like Mexican or Spanish rice, 7-layer dip cups, or guacamole and chips.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Carnitas are a traditional Mexican pork dish featuring pork roast that’s slow-cooked until it’s falling apart and then fried.
Carnitas are perfect in tacos, enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, and bowls.
Some great toppings that complement the flavor of carnitas well include corn salsa, pico de gallo, salsa, cilantro, and pickled onion.
🍽 More Copycat Recipes
If you love making your favorite restaurant foods at home, then try our copycat Honey Baked ham, Panda Express Beijing beef, and Cracker Barrel pancakes recipes.
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Slow Cooker Copycat Chipotle Carnitas
Equipment
- slow cooker
- meat claw or two forks
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound boneless pork roast
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Into your slow cooker add the pork and chicken stock.
- Place all the spice on top of the pork.
- Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 4 hours.
- Once tender and falling apart, discard any fat and shred the pork.
- Garnish with cilantro if desired.
- Serve!
Notes
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
