The BEST Chipotle Carnitas Copycat Recipe (5 Minutes To Prep)

This slow cooker copycat Chipotle carnitas recipe is absolutely loaded with flavor! It combines the perfect balance of herbs with pork that gets slow-cooked until it's incredibly tender, juicy, and savory. Plus, in addition to tasting delicious, these pork carnitas are also so, so easy to make. In fact, just 5 minutes of prep time and a handful of basic ingredients are all that you'll need to whip up 'em up!

The Best Chipotle Carnitas

If you've been looking for an easy copycat Chipotle carnitas recipe, you won't find a better one than this! 

In fact, this may just be my favorite Chipotle copycat recipe I've made yet. I mean, these tender pork carnitas are so flavorful and juicy and go terrific in a tortilla shell to make a burrito or tossed in a bowl with some rice and veggies to make a burrito bowl.

Anyway, this recipe is not only delicious, but it's super simple to make too. Nearly all of the work gets done in the slow cooker, which means you can set it and forget it. That also means that cleanup is a breeze too. And you know I'm a fan of that!

Honestly, it's a really great recipe for busy weekdays when you don't want to have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen! 

By the way, since most of the cooking for this carnitas recipe is super passive, you'll have plenty of time to make some tasty sides to go with it. A couple of my favorites to make with it are these air fryer tortilla chips and this Chipotle guac.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this Chipotle carnitas recipe is super short. In fact, just one quick trip to any grocery store will get you everything you need to make this recipe! 

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make these pork carnitas:

• 2 lb. pork shoulder, fat trimmed (or pork butt)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup water
• 1-2 small bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp whole juniper berries

And here are some ideas for sides to serve with your carnitas:

• Rice
• Lime
• Sliced chilies

Super simple stuff, right?

By the way, I know juniper berries are a bit of a niche ingredient to have on hand. But luckily, I've got another delicious recipe that will help you use them up. This lamb breast recipe is just as tender and flavorful as these carnitas, so definitely give it a try next!

Oh, and if you want to give another copycat Chipotle Mexican Grill recipe a shot, you have to make this copycat Chipotle chicken. It's so, so good, and my family devours it every time I make it.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

While I recommend making this copycat Chipotle carnitas recipe with the ingredients listed above, there are some ways you can put your own spin on it and possibly save yourself a trip to the store as well.

With that said, I'll go over some of my favorite ideas to try below.

Use Other Cuts of Pork

If you can't find pork shoulder, then you can easily swap the shoulder for pork butt or even pork roast meat. In fact, if you're in a pinch, you could even use a beef chuck roast to make this recipe. I did that one time, and it turned out super delicious.

Swap Water For Broth

If you want to add a little extra flavor to your pork roast as it's cooking, I recommend swapping the water for an equal amount of chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.

Just keep in mind that if there's salt in the broth, then you'll want to reduce the salt you add to the pork shoulder - or pork butt - before cooking it.

How To Make Chipotle Carnitas

Now it's time for the fun part - it's time to make some carnitas!

Again, I know I've said this a few times already but making this Chipotle carnitas recipe is about as easy as it gets. You basically just add everything to your slow cooker, let it do its thing, then shred the pork and serve. It's that simple!

So, with that said, let's not waste any more time and get cooking!

Step 1: Cook The Pork

First things first, you'll want to season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. Then, after you've done that, you can transfer the seasoned pork shoulder to your slow cooker. After you've got the meat in the crockpot, you can add the water (or broth), bay leaves, dried thyme, and juniper berries to it as well.

Now, after you've added all of those ingredients into the pot, you can put the lid on the slow cooker and cook the pork on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

Step 2: Shred The Pork

Once the pork has fully cooked, you can open up the slow cooker and discard the juniper berries and bay leaves. Then, after you've got those discarded, you can shred the pork in the slow cooker with two forks.

Step 3: Crisp The Carnitas

Now, this step is optional, but if you want those classic crispy carnitas edges like Chipotle, you'll want to cook the shredded pork in a skillet with some oil. Just cook your slow cooker carnitas over medium-high heat for a few minutes, moving it around the pan while cooking.

However, if you want to omit this step, you can serve the shredded pork straight from the slow cooker.

Step 4: Serve The Carnitas

Now, before serving your carnitas, you'll want to gently toss the meat in the cooking juices leftover in the crockpot. Then, after you've done that, you can serve the pork carnitas as you'd like - in burrito bowls, tacos, or whatever you're in the mood for! Enjoy.

How To Store Chipotle Carnitas

This recipe for Chipotle's carnitas makes about 8 large servings, so it'll make the perfect amount for a big family dinner! And, odds are you'll even end up with some leftovers, so it makes a great meal prep recipe too.

Speaking of leftovers, the best way to store them is in the fridge in an airtight container. Stored this way, your carnitas should stay good for about 3-4 days.

Alternatively, if you want to store your pork carnitas for even longer, you can freeze them. Just let the carnitas cool completely, then transfer 'em to an airtight container - or freezer bag - and it should last for up to 3 months.

How To Reheat Chipotle Carnitas

When you're ready to enjoy your Chipotle carnitas again, you can either eat the carnitas cold, or you can reheat them. They are best enjoyed warm though.

So, to reheat the carnitas, I recommend transferring the leftovers to a baking dish and reheating them at 350°F for about 12-15 minutes - or until they're fully warmed.

Alternatively, you can add the carnitas to a skillet with a little broth and warm 'em up over medium heat for a few minutes. This will also give your carnitas those crispy edges if you didn't pan-fry them after slow cooking 'em.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make Chipotle's carnitas at home.

Honestly, I know I'm a bit biased, but I really think this slow cooker carnitas recipe is just as good - dare I say even better - than what you'd get at the restaurant. From the simple blend of spices to the tender meat with crispy edges, carnitas don't get much more delicious than this!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this carnitas recipe as much as I/we do.

As always, if you end up making it, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it went!

More Pork Recipes

If you enjoyed this Chipotle carnitas recipe, we have a ton of other pork recipes that you can make next!

Here are some reader favorites:

• Fried pork chops
• Pulled pork casserole
• Pork chop casserole
• Moo shu pork

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok! We post new recipes on them every day.

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