You have been waiting for this Slow Cooker Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork…
And you probably didn’t even know it.
You know how you can be trucking along, comfortable in the status quo and then something changes and you realize what you were missing?  How much better things could have been?!  I have felt like this so many times, mostly health related, like how after my lung transplant at age 16 I exclaimed to my parents, “If I knew I could feel like this, I would have done this a long time ago!”  Or more recently, how I was shuffling along before my kidney transplant, and then after my transplant I didn’t know how I went not being able to walk around the block before.  Speaking of my kidney transplant, I have just updated my “Next Chapters” with my 2013 Flashback: Road To My Kidney  Transplant – Donors.  I am determined to be caught up by my 1 year anniversary in in October!  Now you can read how things were “before” I knew how much better they could be!
So now back to not knowing you were missing this Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork and how much better any taco, burrito, salad, pizza, etc. could be with this pulled pork.
If you have eaten at Cafe Rio, you know there are a million copycat versions out there because their pork is incredible.  Or at least that’s what I remember thinking the last time I devoured it over 8 years ago.  Since I don’t remember exactly the taste of that pork, I can’t say this is Cafe Rio Pork, but I did looked up many of the copycat versions and was so surprised that all of them either added hardly any spice (like 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder) or no spices all together.  This is not allowed in my world.  So I’ve come up with my own chipotle version that is layered with salsa, red enchilada sauce, green chilies and spices, lots of spices!  But don’t be afraid, this pork is not spicy, just exploding with flavorful.  I actually added hot sauce to mine but it was perfect for my parents.
To make this easy pork, first you marinate the pork in coke, soy sauce and spices (you mix all the spices once and then just measure from that). Next, you drain the marinade and cook in remaining coke, brown sugar, spices, salsa and green chilies.
When the pork is tender, you shred it, drain excess liquid then add more spices, green chilies and enchilada sauce.
Let it seep into every crevice..
And you have created tender, melt in your mouth, chipotle pork, with the perfect balance of sweet heat that is SOÂ easy to make for busy nights, make ahead dinners or for a crowd because its always a crowd pleaser! Â In the last month I’ve made this pork into tacos with my 5 Minute Blender Tomatillo Avocado Dressing for company (yes, they were awed and adored and I was still receiving raving texts days later) and made the pork again while I was visiting my mom’s for her company (again, awed and adored).
So while being simple, easy, and flavorful, this pulled pork is also incredibly versatile.  You can make enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, salads, burrito bowls, etc. and they all will taste AMAZING because they include this pork!
I’m so excited for you to make this Chipotle Sweet Pulled Pork and to taste what you’ve been waiting for.
| Cook Time | 480 minutes |
| Servings |
- 1 TBS EACH chili pwdr, garlic pwdr
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp EACH salt, onion pwdr, smoked paprika, cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2.5 lbs pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of all fat
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 3/4 cup Coke (from 12 oz. can)
- 1 tablespoon above Mixed Spices (in directions)
- Remaining Coke from above marinade
- 1/2 cup mild salsa
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
- 2 tablespoons above Mixed Spices (in directions)
- 1/2 cup mild red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 4 oz. can mild diced green chilies
- All remaining Mixed Spices
- salt to taste
- Hot sauce to taste
Ingredients Mixed Spices
Marinade
Slow Cooker Phase 1
Slow Cooker Phase 2
| Rate this recipe! |
- Mix all of the Mixed Spices together in a resealable container. Set aside.
- Add pork to large freezer bag along with marinade ingredients. Marinate 12-24 hours.
- Drain marinade and add pork to slow cooker along with Phase 1 Slow Cooker Ingredients: Cook on low 6-8 hours or until tender enough to shred.
- Shred pork in the slow cooker with 2 forks (it should just fall apart at this point) and then transfer all of the slow cooker contents to a strainer to drain off excess liquid.
- Return pork to slow cooker and add Phase 2 Ingredients. (You can add more enchilada sauce if you want the pork "saucier"). Stir in ingredients and cook another 15-30 minutes or until heated through. Taste and add additional salt (I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon) and hot sauce to taste.
- Serve in tacos, enchiladas, burrito bowls, etc. with Tomatillo Avocado Ranch Dressing.
*Yes, there are 2 4 oz. cans green chilies total
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5 Minute Blender Tomatillo Avocado Ranch
Easy Slow Cooker Shredded Mexican Chicken
Honey Lime Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls with Chipotle Lime Crema
All Purpose Chili Lime Chicken
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Can I live with you for a month so you can just cook and feed me. I will be trying this very soon
LOL! Sounds like a party 🙂
Crock-pot pulled pork is the best! I’m loving all the spices and chilies you have in there. Looks delicious!
Thanks so much Melanie! Its super flavorful, I think you will love it 🙂
You are like the Mexican food cooking queen. I love Cafe Rio, like so much that I budget for it. At Christmas they offer a free meal card with every $25 gift card purchase. So I buy GC’s for any gift I can get away with, teachers, neighbors, family friends, and then keep the free meal card for myself. It is bad. Addiction level. I have tried a few copy cats, without satisfaction. So I guess I will have to try yours. I am so excited!
LOL! Well, it sounds like a delicious addiction to me 🙂 I don’t know how close mine is, but I know it is super flavorful. Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Wow Jen, this looks amazing! A must try for sure. I agree with Rachael you are the Mexican cooking queen!
Thanks Mary Ellen, I just crave Mexican so I have to cook Mexican – a lot 🙂
Do you know I want to eat everything you make! LOL This looks amazing and I must try it! I was just saying I needed to use my slow cooker more so I just found what I’m going to use in it first!
You are so sweet Shelby, the feeling is mutual! We need to be neighbors 🙂
What a great recipe! I’ve got to give this one a try!
Thanks Renee, it is definitely a keeper!
I know this would be amazing. I can tell from that fabulous list of ingredients! Pinning! Hearing about your health struggles makes me realize how much we all take our health for granted. I’m so happy to know the surgeries have improved how you feel to such a big degree. It’s totally inspirational!
You are so sweet Valerie, thank you so much! I think we all take our health/blessings for granted at times but I believe being grateful definitely is the key to happiness. Thank you for your kind words!
Had this for dinner Sunday night and it was the best shredded pork we’d ever had- we all loved it – so flavorful!
Cafe Rio is a little too sweet for me (gasp!) and I since used root beer instead of coke because it was what I had I decreased the sugar just a tad. I love the smokiness from the chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika. Yum!
I am so flattered this is the best shredded pork you ever had! Thank you for the awesome compliment Kim! So happy everyone loved it and that the Root Beer worked out well. Thanks! Now you need to try the pizza 🙂
The chipolte pork recipe is awesome and amazing! Made it 3 times in 2 weeks and everyone but me has gotten to enjoy it. the next time I am hiding it for me and my husband! Thank you so much. I hope your health is improving daily. Hugs, Kathryn
Hi Kathryn, I love to hear that this chipotle pork is such a hit! 3 times in 2 weeks is quite a compliment 🙂 I hope you are able to successfully hide a healthy portion for you and your husband next time around – or maybe the whole thing! Thanks so much for your kind words regarding my health – I am doing great! just celebrated my 1 year kidney transplant anniversary 🙂 Thanks again and I hope you continue to enjoy more of my recipes!
Your recipe looks great. I am staying away from sodas and wondering what other liquid I could use instead of the Coke?
Hi Jen! Coke has a pretty complex flavor profile, plus the sugar, plus acids (to tenderize) – but I would normally suggest another soda- so I am kind of stumped. My only thought is possibly sweet tea? Good luck!
Oh this was SO yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
YAY! I am so happy you loved it Tam, that makes me so happy! Thanks for your thanks :)!
Made this the other night. Fabulous. So fabulous. I say better than cafe rio. Love how heavy handed you are with the spices. My kinda cookin! 🙂
Wow, Erin, thanks for the amazing compliment! I love me some spices so I am so happy you love it too! Thanks for trying so many of my recipes, that makes me happy you are enjoying them! Remember when we used to talk about cooking forever in our driveways? Good times 🙂
Hello! I’m going to try this recipe for the first time with my dinner group. I’m wondering about portions – I’m cooking for 8 adults and 12 young kids (20 total). Do you think i need to double or triple this recipe? I have a large crockpot but I’m assuming I will need to use at least two crockpots. I’d love to get your thoughts on cooking for this size of a group. (Maybe I shouldn’t be trying something I’ve never done for that many people. ha ha ha.)
Thank you!
Hi Shar! There are a few variables on how many this will feed such as how big of eaters the adults/children are and how many sides there will be, etc. To be safe, I would triple the recipe, assuming the adults are going to want seconds. I always like to be safe than sorry and this meal is wonderful if there are leftovers and great to freeze too – but it probably won’t come to that 🙂 I hope that helps! Good luck, have fun and enjoy!
Jen, I made this recipe for my husband, brother, and sister-in-law. They all loved it! It is really unique served with the Tomatillo Avocado Ranch, and if anyone is looking at these comments and thinking of making this pork – do make the Tomatillo Avocado Ranch as well. I didn’t have a tomatillo on hand, but the dressing was still great without it. Thanks for the excellent recipe!
Hi Anna, I am so happy your family loved this! And thank you so much for commenting/endorsing the Tomatillo Avocado Ranch because I, too, totally believe they belong together! I hope you find more recipes to love here!
Have you ever made it without marinading it?
Hi Amanda, I have never made it without marinating it but I imagine it could be done – would still be good but maybe not the “best” 🙂
I just made this recipe tonight and WOW! It was amazing! Sweet, spicy, smoky, it had it all!! I can easily say this was the best pulled pork I have ever made. Silence at the table as we devoured this only pausing to say how delicious it was. I am a loyal follower of your blog now and have already printed several recipes to try! Thanks for such a great dinner!
Hi Amanda, I am so happy your whole family loved it and I am so honored it is the “best” pulled pork you have ever made = yay!!! I am excited for you to try my other recipes – I hope you love them just as much! Thank you for following my site! Have a great weekend!
I was just wondering how spicy this recipe is? A lot of people in my family have issues with spicy food and I REALLY want to try this, without killing them.lol
LOL! I totally hear ya! My mom is the same way (CANNOT do any spice) and she LOVES this recipe – serves to all her company but she uses 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder then provides hot sauce for everyone. I would recommend using 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder and then stirring in more to taste at the very end of cooking if you want it spicer. Enjoy!
Hey, do you think I can use diet coke?? That’s all I have on hand…. Thank you!!
Hi Lisa! Unfortunately, diet coke will NOT work in this recipe. The artificial sweeteners break down with heat exposure and leave a weird chemically taste and even foam sometimes. Sorry!
I didn’t think so 🙂 Thank you so much for getting back to me!
My pleasure! Good luck!
Hi Jen! Chipotle is one of my favorite spices! This would also be good on a bun (or a fork)! 🙂 I’ve had several surgeries, not nearly as serious as yours, and my thought was the same!
Thanks Dorothy, sound like we are kindred spirits in more ways than one 🙂 If you love chipotle, then I think you will especially love this! Its my mom’s Go-To whenever she has company over! xoxo
I made this tonight, and it was by far, the best pulled pork I ever made. I almost skipped Slow Cooker Phase 2 because it was so good after Phase 1, but I finished it and I’m glad I did. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
You are so welcome Adrianne, thank YOU for taking the time to comment! I am thrilled you loved it so much! I hope you find more recipes to love here!
This looks really, really good! I have a question about the green chiles; do you drain them before adding them to the slow cooker or do you add the liquid as well?
Hi Theresa! You just add the whole can of green chilies. Enjoy!
Thank you, Jen, for making me look like a rockstar, once again!! I made this along with your Tomatillo Avocado Ranch Dressing and your One Pot Cilantro Lime Rice for a get together. Everything turned out so good & I got so many compliments!! I doubled the recipe for a 5.5 lb bone in pork shoulder. It was so tender, flavorful, and delicious!! This will definitely be my new go to pulled pork recipe!! Thanks again!!
YAY for rockstar status :)! I love that you also paired it with the Tomatillo Avocado Ranch and Cilantro Lime Rice – SO GOOD! I am drooling just thinking about it 🙂 I am thrilled everything turned out so well and everyone loved it! Thank you for making my day Koree!
This is seriously some of the BEST Mexican pork I’ve had! And it’s made at home BONUS!!! Thank you for the recipe- keep them coming!!!
YAY! Thank you so much Julie for the ultimate compliment! I am thrilled you loved this pork so much! I will definitely keep the recipes coming – I just can’t help myself 🙂 Have a fabulous weekend!
Hi! Just a question, when the recipe says drain the marinade and add the pork to the slow cooker, do you put the marinade in the slow cooker as well? Or do you discard he marinade? Thanks in advance!!
Hi Miranda! You discard the marinade at that point. Good luck and enjoy!
Is there a way to cook this in the oven? Or maybe on the stove in a stock pot? I left my slow cooker at a friends but I really want to make this!
Hi Sarah, my apologies as I thought I answered this comment but apparently not! I have never made this in the oven but I would suggest searing the roast on all sides, adding it to a roasting pan, cover with foil, then bake for 30 minutes at 425 F then turn the oven down to 300 and continue to roast until its fall apart tender, not sure exactly how long that will be as I haven’t done it before but probably 4-6 hours. Best of luck!
Jen, This recipe is a new family favorite. It is DELICIOUS!! I am cooking some right now to freeze for a family gathering next weekend. I have made it several times. I seriously have a notebook filled with your recipes. Every one that I have tried is a keeper. You have a gift to be able to put all these flavors together.
You are too kind Joanne, thank you! I am thrilled this is a family favorite recipe and so flattered you have a notebook of my recipes – seriously made my day hearing that! I hope you have a wonderful family get together full of lots of great food 🙂
Are you tired of my comments? Lol! This pork was seriously amazing!! It was SO incredibly delicious! I also made your Mexican Fries…also awesome! We made California Burritos, and my family is in love. 🙂 I am extremely glad I found your website…I’ve made at least one of your recipes every night, and I’ve been so impressed with every one of them! Thank you, thank you for sharing!
Never! I absolutely love your comments and am grateful you take the time to comment! I LOVE hearing that you have made at least one of my recipes every night – that is amazing! So happy this was another winner and yay for making California burritos out of it -yum!!!! Thanks Kara!
I am looking forward to trying this! We made your shredded Mexican chicken for the smothered burritos and found it to be way too sweet, even after cutting back the sugar. The flavor was SO GOOD, but we had a hard time with the sweetness, so will eliminate sugar next time. This pork recipe makes me nervous. Is it very sweet? Could I leave out a good deal of the sugar and get the same results? Thanks so much for sharing your recipes!
Hi Rachel, this recipe is sweet and spicy so if you don’t like sweet, then you can definitely add the sugar to taste at the end. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
I love Mexican food, New Mexican food in particular. This will help me with my cravings until i can make it to Albuquerque.
Mexican food is the best!!! I crave it constantly as well- I hope you love this recipe!
I’ve made this at least 10 times, and it is not only my favorite crockpot meal, but my favorite meal altogether. I serve with corn torts, shredded cabbage and cilantro, and my sauce (which i’m sure isn’t as good as yours) of sour cream, green sauce and lime juice. This is the BEST. THE. BEST.
That is amazing you have made this recipe at least 10 times – you must be more of an expert at it by now than me! I am thrilled you love it so much! Thank you, thank you!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! Made it, loved it and used it on soft flour tortillas with the tomatillo avocado ranch and lettuce and tomatoes. Served them with Mexican Street Corn on the Cob….yum yum yum. Definitely a keeper recipe that I will make again and again!!
Awesome Marj, I am thrilled this was such a hit and a new keeper! I was salivating as you described your meal – sounds delicious! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and for making my recipes!
I like your recipe, I am Mexican, always trying to plan meals because it makes things easier, but life often gets in the way!Thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome! I’m so happy you are enjoying my recipes, thank you!