As I mentioned, it’s finally fall and with the changing leaves and cozy clothes (already busted out THE black fleece – oh yeah!) comes NFL games on what feels like every day that ends with a -y. That is to say, I feel like football is taking over my life. Ya’ feel me?!
I shouldn’t complain too much. Ben has always been great about sharing the remote so I can shamelessly watch my Housewives, and we’ll compromise when nothing is on by watching Ink Master or Naked and Afraid together (RIP, N&A) but on Sunday and Monday nights when he’s got his fantasy lineup all ready to go, how can I say no?
BTW does anyone else find it weird that in fantasy football you sometimes, nay oftentimes, find yourself rooting against your otherwise favorite team? I’ll never understand.
Anyway, the answer is I can’t, so I go by the motto, what is it, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em? For me, football is much more tolerable when I get to scarf Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce at kickoff.
Corn tortillas are rolled around crock pot pulled pork and shredded cheese, baked until crisp, and then dunked into smoky Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce before devouring. These taquitos are perfect game-day food. Toss a bunch onto a platter then let the gang dive right in!
Even better? This recipe is not only gluten-free but freezer friendly too, so you can make a batch ahead of time then pop ’em into the oven right before game time. Even betterer (more better?!) since these taquitos are baked rather than fried, you can feel free to enjoy a few!
I am pretty much obsessed with the smokey Chipotle-Ranch dipping sauce for the taquitos which takes literally 30 seconds to make, but a nice thwack of guacamole on top of a hot stack of crunchy taquitos is heavenly too. I modified my Lazy Girl’s Guacamole recipe to make it even lazier by simply mashing a ripe avocado with garlic salt and pepper. It was to die for. Think I’ll skip the squeeze of lime juice from here on out!
Ok! Start the taquitos by slow cooking the pulled pork. Pick up a 3-3.5lb boneless pork butt roast then trim off as much fat as you can. Don’t make yourself crazy over it, but if there’s a big thick layer anywhere on the roast – get rid of it!
Cut the roast into 8 big hunks then toss ’em into the bottom of a 5.5 or 6 quart crock pot. Here’s a similar crock pot to the one I have >>
Next add a few seasonings and spices like 1 chopped onion, 6 peeled garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons each cumin and chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 14oz (1 can) chicken broth. Pop a lid on the crock pot then cook on high for 5-6 hours, or low for 10-11 hours, until the roast is easily shredded with two forks. Like buttah! (Get it? BUTTah?! Moving on…)
Place the shredded pork into a bowl then combine with 1/2 cup cooking liquid and discard the rest.
Meanwhile, shred 8oz queso fresco cheese, which I found by the refrigerated tortillas in the grocery store. I am so in love with this cheese – it’s right up there with smoked gruyere, I tell ya’! Queso fresco is light and mild-tasting, kind of like a harder mozzarella, and pairs fantastically with the garlicky pulled pork.
If for some reason you can’t find queso fresco, I’d use shredded mozzarella or monterey jack cheese.
Next, warm 18 corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are notorious for cracking when rolled or bent unless they’re super fresh, which most grocery store tortillas aren’t. An easy way to get them nice and pliable is to wrap 6 at a time in a damp paper towel then microwave for 40 seconds.
To the center of a heated corn tortilla, place 3 Tablespoons pulled pork and top with 1 Tablespoon shredded queso fresco then roll and place seam side down on a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet.
Spray the tops with nonstick spray then bake for 13-15 minutes at 425 degrees, or until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, freeze the taquitos un-baked then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from the freezer at the same time and temp!
While the taquitos are baking make the dipping sauce by combining 1/2 cup Light Ranch Dressing with 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, plus 2 teaspoons of the sauce in a food processor then processing until smooth. Alternatively you could chop the peppers up real fine then stir into the dressing.
You can find Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce in the Mexican-foods aisle of the grocery store. Chipotle peppers are just smoked jalapenos and they add a fantastic, smokey flavor to the dipping sauce. Mmm, mmm, mmm. So yummy. Freeze the leftover chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in a plastic baggie then pop out 1 or 2 when you need them again!
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Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce
Description
Gluten-free Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce made in the crock pot are seriously killer - freezer-friendly, too!
Ingredients
- 3 - 3.5lb boneless pork butt
- 14oz can chicken broth
- 1 onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8oz shredded queso fresco (could use Monterey Jack or Mozzarella)
- 18 corn tortillas
- Guacamole and salsa, for serving
- For the Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce:
- 1/2 cup light Ranch dressing
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce + 2 teaspoons sauce
Directions
- Trim fat from pork then cut into 8 hunks and place into the bottom of a 5.5 or 6 quart crock pot. Add chicken broth, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt then stir to combine. Cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 10-11 hours, or until very tender. Remove pork then shred and place into a large bowl with 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard remaining liquid.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees then line a baking sheet with foil and spray well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Wrap 6 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel then microwave for 40 seconds. Place 3 Tablespoons shredded pork into the center of each warm tortilla then top with 1 Tablespoon shredded cheese. Roll then place seam side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients then spray tops of the tortillas with nonstick spray and bake for 13-15 minutes or until tops are brown and crunchy.
- For the Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce:Â Combine ranch dressing, chipotle peppers, and sauce in a food processor then process until smooth. Alternatively, finely chop peppers then stir ingredients together to combine.
- To freeze:Â Freeze taquitos on a baking sheet then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake the same way frozen as fresh (ie do not thaw.)
Notes
Adapted from BHG.com.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Crunchy, cheesey, and mouthwatering, you and your friends and family will devour these taquitos. Enjoy!
Kathy 10.03.2016
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe? I see the info on the BHG link but with your changes I wondered if the calorie count was any better. I’m all about tracking my food on my fitness pal and planning if I decide to have a high calorie/high fat meal. Thank you !
Kristin 10.03.2016
Hi Kathy! I don’t since the overall calorie count can vary widely depending on the brands of products used, but recommend Livestrong’s recipe calculator tool if you need that information! livestrong.com/recipes/create/
eljah*b 09.08.2016
Kristin, thank you so much for this fantastic recipe. My hubby loves carnitas, but I had no idea how to make them fast and easy. My hubby loved this and my picky kiddos loved it, too!! I had to share it on my Etsy fanpage. I invite you to stop by sometime and say hi:) http://www.facebook/eljahb/ or www. eljahb.etsy.com
It’s bloggers like you that help me be a better cook! THANK YOU:)
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[…] with sturdy chips for scooping. Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce Blogger Iowa Girl Eats rolls corn tortillas around slow-cooker pulled pork and shredded cheese, then serves this festive […]
Kimberly 01.09.2016
Although I love so many of your delicious recipes, this is truly my favorite. It’s so easy and so dang yummy! I’ve probably made it at least 15 times.
Kristin 01.10.2016
I’m so glad to hear it, Kimberly! I need to make another batch to have taquitos around for the Super Bowl!
Taquitos Make My Husband Happy | The Dinner's Circle 10.20.2015
[…] Find the recipe here: https://iowagirleats.com/2013/09/25/pulled-pork-taquitos-with-chipotle-ranch-dipping-sauce-crock-pot-… […]
Jerilyn Gandara 01.12.2015
This was SO delicious! I’m so happy I found your website. I’ve made several of your dishes and my husband couldn’t be happier. He really looks forward to any recipe of yours that I make for him. Yay!!!
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[…] cheesy, mouthwatering… just a few words to describe this next crock pot recipe for pulled pork taquitos with chipotle-ranch dipping sauce from Iowa Girl Eats. Crispy corn tortillas wrap around garlicky pork, shredded cheese and spices. […]
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Sarah H 05.13.2014
This recipe was delicious – fresh. It made more than I could fit in a 9×13, so I baked a few and froze the pan. I had to get creative with the sauce. (I used dried chipotle pepper shaken on ranch.) Brown, crispy and yummy. (Burned my mouth because I couldn’t wait!) Out of the freezer they didn’t come out the same. Could you revise the post with directions for out of the freezer? I pulled them out for dinner thinking they’d only take 15 minutes, but they went in for another 10 and they still weren’t quite done. I was hungry, so I ate them like that. I’ll try the leftovers in the toaster oven and see if they’re like I remembered them. Thanks for the recipe!
Kristin 05.19.2014
Hey Sarah! I baked my taquitos the same fresh as frozen and got the same result. Oven temperatures may vary so you might try lowering the temperature on your oven and baking them a little longer so they have a chance to heat on the inside without burning on the outside.
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[…] had leftover chipotle chilies in adobo sauce from the Pulled Pork Taquitos I made last week, so it was perfect timing to make this […]
Susan 01.30.2014
This sounds great. I can only find bone in pork. Maybe I can try cutting it in chunks around the bone ? Cooking it whole may not be as good.
Andrea 01.24.2014
These are so amazingly tasty! I did tweak the dipping sauce just a bit and used equal parts of sour cream with ranch and then added Chipotle chili powder to taste. Thank you for another yummy dinner option!!
ginny 10.22.2013
I’ve made these with both pork and chicken and love them! Do you think beef would work? I have stew beef in the fridge but don’t want to make stew…
Iowa Girl Eats 10.23.2013
Sure, I don’t see why not!
Ginny 10.24.2013
They were just as tasty with beef!
Iowa Girl Eats 10.23.2013
Otherwise, this soup recipe using stew beef is one of my favorites! >> https://iowagirleats.com/2012/10/14/weekend-beef-barley-stew/
Nina 10.20.2013
HOLY CANNOLI! Thanks for posting this recipe. I made it for my daughter’s first birthday party among other IGE recipes/posts such as Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites and Friday Favorite link, Pizza Monkey Bread. THEY WERE AWESOME. I actually had a 6.5 lb Pork Butt bone in. I make homemade Sicilian Sausage and work with pork butt often so I wasn’t scared of the bone. I just cut the meat away from the bone and weighed the meat I had which was around 5.5 pounds. So I 1.5 times the recipe you had posted. They were a huge hit and unbelievable easy. The only bummer was that I froze them since I made them the night before and they took much longer to bake than you suggested. I live in Colorado at 6,200 ft., so I’m not sure if it was an altitude thing, but they really didn’t brown. It didn’t matter though, everyone loved them. They were a huge it and will now be a staple.
I might just start a food blog to link to your food blog.
Amy 10.19.2013
I made these and my husband – who rarely raves about anything but will ate almost anything – couldn’t stop talking about them. After the first bite, he proclaimed there was a flavor party going on in his mouth! LOL. We had plenty to freeze for simple meals later. Thanks for this one, two thumbs up from my house!
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[…] Crock Pot Pulled Pork Taquitos with Chipotle-Ranch Dipping Sauce recipe by Kristin @ Iowa Girl Eats […]
Morgan 10.08.2013
I made these last night and they were deeeelicious! I think the roast I used was a little small, but they came out great! I did have any onion, but the meat was great and very flavorful. Thanks for the super recipe!
Berlycsr 10.07.2013
This is my first recipe I’ve made so far from Iowa Girl Treats. They turned out soooo good!!! It was hard to believe how yummy there were because they were just so simple.
Skky 10.05.2013
Made these last night – with chicken – and they were a hit. I used a dutch oven and four breasts were done in about an hour. Which was great, our mouths were watering from the smell of the seasoning. Great recipe, thank you!
Abbey 10.03.2013
I made these last night and they were awesome! I made a bigger roast and got 30 total taquitos out of it — half for dinner and half went in the freezer for another meal. That.Is.Awesome! I also made the Lazy Girl Guac (the new revised one with just pepper and garlic salt) and my husband raved about it. I do not like avocadoes (I know–I’m weird) but my husband loves them. Apparently it was the BEST guac that I had ever made! Thank you for the new recipe that I am sure will get made again and again in our house :)