Chipotle

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants when I need a quick fix has got to be Chipotle. You can get quality flavor packed food in a jiffy. My go to is their carnitas and my husband can’t resist their barbacoa. It is kind of funny, Chipotle’s barabcoa meat literally makes him sweat when he eats it. But he still loves it! I can’t help but laugh as soon as the sweat starts to bead up on his forehead. Does anyone else do this when they eat something with a little kick? I swear it reminds me of something from a cartoon. I love that guy.

I made this recipe and it is without a doubt a near perfect match of Chipotle’s barbacoa meat. It is a tender, juicy, flavor packed meat perfect for burritos, tacos, or even nachos. I personally love it with a side of my Cilantro Lime Rice. Muy bien!

Note: This meat definitely has a bit of heat in it from the chiles in adobo sauce so if you have a member of your household that doesn’t like heat I would either cut back the chiles or leave them out completely.

INGREDIENTS
3–4 lb beef chuck roast
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 yellow onion
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp, garlic, minced
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2–3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
3/4 c beef stock

SOME FABULOUS GARNISHES
 cotija cheese , crumbled
chopped green lettuce
diced tomatoes
diced onion
guacamole or sliced avocado
sour cream
pico de gallo
chopped cilantro
lime wedges

STEPS

Trim excess fat off of the roast.
Spray your crock-pot with cooking spray (this helps a good deal with cleanup).
Place roast in crock-pot.
Place all of the ingredients, except for the chuck roast, in the blender and puree.
Pour the pureed sauce over the roast.
Cook on low for 8–10 hours, or high heat for 5–7.
When the roast is done cooking, transfer it to a large cutting board.
Using a large fork shred the meat and place it back in the crock-pot to soak up some of the tasty sauce.
Serve in a warm tortilla with your favorite taco toppings.

Recipe adapted from Unsophpisticook.

Being frequent consumers of Mexican food we eat lots of rice. Rarely do we consume “plain” white rice. My go to recipes are my Mexican red rice (arroz rojo) or this cilantro lime rice. It just depends on what I’m pairing it with. This rice is very light and refreshing, a perfect complement to any spicy meat. If you have been to Chipotle before, you will recognize the flavors instantly as it is very similar to their recipe. Next time you are looking for a way to make your ordinary rice extraordinary, spend a couple extra minutes and give this flavorful rice recipe a try.

INGREDIENTS
1 c basmati rice
1 1/2 c water
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/2–1 tsp kosher salt
1 lime
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

STEPS

In a 2 quart saucepan combine the rice, water, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat.
Cover and reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 16–18 minutes.
Remove from heat and let rice sit covered for 8–10 minutes.
Fluff rice with a fork.
Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and add the juice from the lime and the chopped cilantro.
Stir to combine and add additional salt to taste.

Looking for more rice recipes? Maybe you will love these!