These Crispy Chipotle Beef Birria Tacos are a bold, smoky, and incredibly satisfying twist on a traditional favorite. By slow-cooking tender chuck roast with chipotle peppers in adobo and green chiles, you create a deeply flavorful shredded beef and a rich consommé that is perfect for dipping.
Each taco is pan-fried to golden perfection with melted Chihuahua cheese, resulting in a crunchy shell and a succulent, spicy interior that will have everyone coming back for more.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Intense smoky heat from the chipotles balanced by savory beef broth and aromatic spices like cumin and garlic.
- Textures: A perfect contrast between the ultra-crispy fried corn tortillas, gooey melted cheese, and tender, melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef.
- Total Time: 7 to 8 hours (slow cooking) plus approximately 20 minutes for searing and assembly.
- Difficulty Level: Easy; most of the work happens hands-off in the slow cooker, followed by a simple pan-fry for the finished tacos.
What You’ll Need
To make these tacos, you will need a hearty chuck roast as your protein and a variety of dried spices and canned peppers for the cooking liquid. The dish is brought together with white corn tortillas, authentic Chihuahua cheese for that perfect melt, and oil for achieving a crispy, fried finish in the skillet.
Ingredient Notes
- Chuck Roast – This cut is ideal for slow cooking because its marbled fat breaks down over time, resulting in beef that is incredibly easy to shred and remains very juicy.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – These provide the signature smoky flavor and a significant kick of heat. Blending them into the sauce at the end ensures a smooth, consistent dipping consommé.
- Chihuahua Cheese – A Mexican semi-soft cows’ milk cheese that is famous for its excellent melting properties. It provides a mild, buttery flavor that complements the spicy beef.
- Green Chiles – These add a subtle tang and an extra layer of mild heat to the slow cooker liquid.
- White Corn Tortillas – These hold up better than flour tortillas when frying and offer a classic, nutty corn flavor that is essential for birria-style tacos.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Toppings – Freshly diced white onion and chopped cilantro are classic additions that provide a bright, crisp contrast to the rich beef.
- Acidity – Serve with fresh lime wedges; a squeeze of lime juice right before dipping into the sauce helps cut through the richness of the fried tortillas.
- Heat Level – If you prefer a milder taco, you can reduce the amount of chipotle peppers used, though the smoky flavor will be less pronounced.
How to Make Crispy Chipotle Beef Birria Tacos
1. Sear the Beef Begin by seasoning the chuck roast on all sides with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the 2 tbsp of butter. Once the butter is melted and bubbling, place the roast in the skillet and sear on all sides until a deep, golden-brown crust has formed.
2. Slow Cook the Roast Transfer the seared chuck roast into your slow cooker. Season the meat with the salt, pepper, cumin, dried cilantro, chili powder, and cayenne. Add the chopped onion, beef broth, minced garlic, green chiles, and the entire 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Stir everything together to ensure the roast is surrounded by the aromatics.
3. Shred and Prep the Sauce Cover and cook on low for 7 or 8 hours. Once the meat is completely tender, remove it from the crockpot and place it on a tray. Shred the beef with two forks, discarding any extra pieces of fat. Carefully pour the cooking juices and the chipotle peppers from the crockpot into a blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth, then set aside in a bowl for dipping.
4. Fry the Tacos Heat the skillet over medium heat and add some oil to coat the bottom. Lay out a few of the white corn tortillas and top each with a generous amount of shredded Chihuahua cheese and a spoonful of the shredded beef. Fold the tortillas over to create a taco shape. Cook on both sides until the tortillas are golden-brown and very crispy.
5. Drain and Serve Lay the finished tacos out on paper towels to absorb any extra grease. Serve the hot, crispy tacos with your favorite toppings and a small bowl of the blended chipotle sauce on the side for dipping.
Pro Tip: For an even more authentic flavor, dip each tortilla into the top layer of the blended sauce (the “consommé”) before placing it in the skillet to fry. This stains the tortilla with the spices and helps it achieve a beautiful deep red color and extra crunch.
Recipe Tips
- Blending Safety – When blending the hot liquid from the slow cooker, make sure to vent the blender lid or hold it down with a kitchen towel to prevent pressure from building up.
- Cheese Placement – Spread the cheese all the way to the edges of the tortilla so that as it melts, it helps “glue” the taco shut during the frying process.
- Don’t Overcrowd – Fry the tacos in batches. If you put too many in the pan at once, the temperature of the oil will drop, and the tortillas will absorb oil rather than becoming crispy.
FAQs
Can I use a different type of cheese? Yes, if you cannot find Chihuahua cheese, Monterey Jack or a mild Muenster are good substitutes as they both melt very well and have a mild flavor profile.
How spicy is this recipe? The 7 oz of chipotle peppers makes this a medium-spicy dish. If you are sensitive to spice, you can remove the seeds from the chipotles before adding them to the slow cooker.
How do I store the leftovers? Store the shredded meat in a separate container from the sauce. The meat and sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the meat in a pan to keep it from getting soggy.
Serving Suggestions
- Dipping – The blended sauce is the star here; make sure everyone has their own individual bowl for dipping their tacos.
- Freshness – A side of pickled red onions or a simple cabbage slaw provides a refreshing crunch that balances the heavy, savory flavors of the beef.
- Sides – These pair excellently with Mexican street corn or a simple side of seasoned black beans.
Make This Recipe in Advance
The beef can be slow-cooked and shredded a day in advance. In fact, letting the shredded meat sit in a bit of the blended sauce overnight in the fridge allows it to absorb even more flavor. When you are ready to eat, simply fry the tacos fresh so the tortillas are as crispy as possible.
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Crispy Chipotle Beef Birria Tacos
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 12–15 Tacos 1x
Description
These Crispy Chipotle Beef Birria Tacos are a bold, smoky twist on a traditional favorite. Slow-cooked chuck roast with chipotle peppers in adobo and green chiles creates deeply flavorful shredded beef and a rich consommé perfect for dipping. Pan-fried with melted Chihuahua cheese, these tacos deliver a crunch and a succulent, spicy interior.
Ingredients
The Beef & Slow Cooker Base
- 2–3 lb chuck roast
- 2 cups beef broth
- 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo
- 4 oz canned green chiles
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Spice Blend: 1 tsp cumin/dried cilantro, 2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 0.5 tsp salt/pepper
The Taco Assembly
- White corn tortillas
- Chihuahua cheese, shredded
- Oil (for frying)
Instructions
Sear the Beef: Season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Sear in butter over medium-high heat until a crust forms. Transfer to slow cooker.
Slow Cook: Add onion, broth, garlic, chiles, chipotle peppers, and spices. Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours until fork-tender.
Prep Consommé: Shred the beef. Blend the cooking liquid and peppers until smooth to create the dipping sauce.
Fry: Heat oil in a skillet. Dip tortillas into the consommé, then place in the pan. Fill with cheese and beef, fold, and fry until crispy.
Serve: Serve hot with bowls of warm consommé for dipping.
Notes
Tortilla Dip: Dipping the tortilla into the sauce before frying is the secret to that iconic deep red color.
Blending Safety: Vent the blender lid when processing hot liquids to prevent steam pressure buildup.
Cheese Choice: Chihuahua cheese is ideal, but Monterey Jack or Muenster are good substitutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker / Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 Tacos
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 44g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: chipotle beef birria, crispy shredded beef tacos, slow cooker birria, chipotle consommé, mexican street tacos, chihuahua cheese tacos, smoky beef tacos
