Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada casserole is loaded with tender chicken, spicy enchilada sauce, cheddar cheese, and savory tortillas, this hearty casserole is perfect for feeding a crowd or simply satisfying your craving for some Mexican-inspired comfort food.
So fire up your slow cooker and get ready to savor the flavors of this delicious dish – it's sure to become a new favorite in your meal rotation! The dish is perfect for those busy weeknights when you do not have a lot of time to prepare an elaborate meal.
The recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, red enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, shredded cheese, and seasonings, which are cooked and mixed together in a slow cooker, creating a flavorful and cheesy crockpot chicken enchilada casserole.
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🗒️ Ingredient notes:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Corn tortillas
- Cheddar cheese, divided
- Black olives, divided
- Sour cream (optional)
- Fresh cilantro (optional)
🔄 Substitutions
- Chicken: You can use bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or chicken thighs instead of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Just be sure to increase the cooking time by about 30 minutes. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Enchilada sauce: You can use any type of enchilada sauce, and I will use green enchilada sauce from time time to time. If you don't have any enchilada sauce on hand, you can make your own homemade enchilada sauce by combining 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce, ½ cup water, ¼ cup chili powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Cheese: You can use any type of cheese you like in this recipe. Some popular choices include cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Mexican cheese.
- Other toppings: In addition to sour cream and cilantro, you can also top these chicken enchiladas with other toppings like chopped onions, diced tomatoes, hot sauce or avocado.
🔪 How to make slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole
- Spray your slow cooker insert with nonstick spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with enchilada sauce.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken in the slow cooker insert once the chicken is fully cooked.
- Cut the corn tortillas into strips and add them to chicken and sauce mixture.
- Stir until well-coated.
- Add ½ cup of cheese and half the olives into the chicken and sauce mixture and stir until well coated.
- Using the back of a spoon flatten the mixture.
- Top with the remaining cheese and the rest of the olives.
- Cook on low for an additional 45 minutes.
- Top with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro before serving (optional)
🥗 What to serve with crock pot chicken enchilada casserole
I like to have a few extra garnishes to serve with this meal. A dollop of sour cream, some fresh cilantro and lime wedges are always popular options. Another idea is to pair the casserole with a simple side salad, dressed with a tangy vinaigrette to balance out the creamy and spicy flavors of the enchilada. Of course, you can always make some extra tortilla chips or guacamole to snack on while you enjoy your meal.
👩🍳 Chef Tips:
To ensure that your Crock-Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole comes out perfectly every time, here are some tips and tricks that you can follow.
- Use fresh, high-quality ingredients within your budget will allow getting the best flavor.
- Mix up the type of cheese used, such as queso fresco or pepper jack, to add some variety.
- Consider adding in some diced jalapenos or using a spicy enchilada sauce.
- If you're short on time, you can pre-cook the chicken or even use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different additions such as black beans or diced bell peppers.
❓ Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
No. You need to use corn tortillas for this recipe due to the sturdy structure of the ingredient. Flour tortillas will become mushy and fall apart in the cooking process.
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Printable Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts uncooked (Weigh your chicken. If you use more than 1.5 lbs casserole will be dry)
- 1 28 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 10 corn tortillas flour tortillas do not work
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 1 4 oz.can Sliced black olives divided
- Sour cream optional
- Fresh cilantro optional
Instructions
- Spray your slow cooker insert with nonstick spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Put the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with enchilada sauce.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken in the slow cooker insert.
- Cut the corn tortillas into strips and add them to chicken and sauce mixture.
- Stir until well coated.
- Add ½ cup of cheese and half the olives into the chicken and sauce mixture and stir until well coated.
- Using the back of a spoon flatten the mixture.
- Top with remaining cheese and the rest of the olives.
- Cook on low for an additional 45 minutes.
- Top with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro before serving (optional)
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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Sarah Mock
She Does It All
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
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