Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole is the easiest one-pot recipe you will find for enchiladas. Made with tender chicken and plenty of cheese.
Forget take out and make enchiladas at home, we love to make a big pot of Slow Cooker Refried Beans too! Want an even easier recipe? Try my lazy enchilada recipe that is made with taquitos or try my vegetarian crockpot enchiladas.
This recipe for slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole is a one-pot meal (yay!). To make this recipe, I cook the chicken with a big can of red enchilada sauce, all day in my slow cooker.
Then when I get home, I shred the chicken, stir in corn tortillas strips, add some cheese and olives, stir, add a little more cheese and olives on top, cook for one more hour, and wow! Easy enchiladas and I don’t have the huge mess all over my kitchen from frying tortillas and rolling the enchiladas.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
This recipe has become a viral success on the blog and that is for good reason. So many people have tried this recipe and had great results. I don’t think there is an easier meal for the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- Enchilada sauce
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Corn tortillas cut into strips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Black olives
Step-by-Step Directions
- Add chicken breasts to the slow cooker.
- Pour over a large can of red enchilada sauce. (DO NOT ADD THE REST OF THE INGREDIENTS YET. The first step is only the chicken and sauce).
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Shred the meat with 2 forks.
What kind of tortillas do I use?
- Use corn tortillas for this recipe cut into strips (see photo above). These are not chips, these are tortillas that are soft.
- Flour tortillas will make this dish doughy.
- Though, if you accidently buy tortilla chips, I’ve had many reviews that they work fine. They soften up in the casserole.
How to assemble the casserole:
- Add the corn tortillas (that have been cut into strips), half of the cheese, and half of the olives, stir and flatten out into a casserole.
- Add more cheese on top and olives. Cook on low for 40-60 minutes or until the center is hot.
- Serve and enjoy!
Can I use a different kind of meat?
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – These work great if you love dark meat.
- Ground beef – One of the most popular questions I get asked is if ground beef can be used. The time can be cut in half if cooked ground beef is used.
- Cubed beef stew meat – The is great if you love beef enchiladas and the beef flavors the enchilada sauce very well.
- Pre-cooked chicken or turkey – If you only have cooked chicken or turkey you still can make this recipe. Cut the initial cooking time in half. Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
Can I use green sauce?
- Green enchilada sauce can be substituted.
- Though the consistency of the sauce will be more liquidly and make the enchiladas soggy.
What to serve with Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
- This meal I OFTEN make with NO SIDES! Yes, it’s that good on it’s own. If you are making this for a party or crowd make a side or two.
- Spanish Rice – This is my go to recipe from Lil’ Luna.
- Refried Pinto Beans – You can make these in another slow cooker or in the instant pot.
- Sour cream – A small dollop on top goes a long way.
This is one of my all-time favorite recipes on the site. Easy to throw in the crockpot and has great results.
More of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enhilada Pasta
- Slow Cooker Chicken with Bacon Gravy
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Slow Cooker Olive Garden Chicken Pasta
- Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken
- Slow Cooker Seasoned Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans
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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless raw chicken breasts (don't use any more than 1.5 pounds, the casserole will seem dry if you do).
- 28 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce I use El Pato Brand or Los Palmas
Add these items at the end:
- 10 corn tortillas I use a 10-12 oz. package of soft corn tortillas.
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese divided
- 3.8 oz. can black olives divided
Instructions:
- Put the chicken breasts and the enchilada sauce in your slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the slow cooker.
- Cut the tortillas in to strips, add to chicken and sauce. Stir.
- Add 1/2 cup of cheese and half the olives into the sauce and chicken mixture. Stir again.
- Flatten the mixture.
- Add the rest of the cheese and the olives on top.
- Cook on low for about 40 – 60 minutes longer.
- Top with sour cream (optional)
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – These work great if you love dark meat.
- Ground beef – One of the most popular questions I get asked is if ground beef can be used. The time can be cut in half if cooked ground beef is used.
- Cubed beef stew meat – The is great if you love beef enchiladas and the beef flavors the enchilada sauce very well.
- Pre-cooked chicken or turkey – If you only have cooked chicken or turkey you still can make this recipe. Cut the initial cooking time in half. Rotisserie chicken works great in this recipe.
- This meal I OFTEN make with NO SIDES! Yes, it’s that good on it’s own. If you are making this for a party or crowd make a side or two.
- Spanish Rice
- Refried Pinto Beans
- Sour cream – A small dollop on top goes a long way.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I made this today for dinner. I added chopped onion and used Victoria’s enchilada sauce. Very flavorful and delicious. Hubby liked it Another great cheesy recipe.
Love… Love… this recipe. Made one change. I used 2 12oz bottles of Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce. Man oh man!! Taste like enchiladas from the best restaurant!!!
So excited to share with friends!!
Thank u!!
I followed the directions using the old El Paso red enchilada sauce. Then I started thinking about the flavor and didn’t think it would be enough. Some of the reviews worried me as well so I decided to add some more flavor! I added chili powder, minced garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder and some red pepper flakes. I didn’t have a can of green chilies, but I would have added that if I did. I also added a can of black beans and 1/2 can of corn. Let me tell you, it smelled so good the whole time it was cooking I was dying to try it. I didn’t put as much cheese in it, probably only 1 cup and I watched the tortillas to not put too much in. Then let it cook on low for an hour more. Success! My husband said this is one of the best recipes I’ve made. I’d say spice it up a little bit and it’ll make for a yummy, filling meal.
Oh, and I added cumin!
So glad to hear! I’m always stumped when someone doesn’t like the recipe, and I wonder if they even like enchiladas at all.
The sauce is the key even I. The restaurant. I have my moms because those others have a bitter taste El Paso use to make a good sauce not available any more.
I made this using green sauce and my family loved it and asks me to make all time. Great flavors.
BAAAD! Worst recipe I’ve ever made and I can’t believe it’s from this site since they have other good recipes but I would not feed this to my worst enemy. I used the enchilada sauce that they recommended and did everything step by step and it tasted awful. Please do no make this.
You definitely did something wrong, then
It all depends on the enchilada sauce you use. I used Victoria’s and it was delicious.
I absolutely love this stuff. And it’s so easy to make anyone can make it!
This looks good and really east. I will be making it. Thanks for sharing!
I meant to say really easy
I am cooking it now. Hope my boys like it!
Easy and delicious
Excellent casserole!!! I’ve made it 4 or 5 times in the last couple of years!!!
Can you make this recipe without meat?
I don’t see why not. Here is a vegetarian version if you want to add vegetables. https://www.themagicalslowcooker.com/vegetarian-enchilada-casserole/
My whole family loved this slow cooker enchilada recipe. It was delicious and easy to make. It’s a keeper for us.
This is one of the top 3 worst things I have ever made. My fiancée has a iron stomach and will generally eat whatever you put in front of him. He took a few bites to make me happy but that was it. Sorry but this is a flop
Did you change the recipe at all or follow as is? I’ve made this twice now. The first time was amazing and everyone loved it. It was made again tonight and I couldn’t do it. It was just straight up bad. I don’t know what was done differently this time around though.
I did not change the recipe. 2 things could have happened. You used a different enchilada sauce or you added too much or too little of tortillas.
The chicken came out chewy 🙁 I didn’t get alot of flavor but I don’t have a sense of taste or my smell (not covid related) so I trusted my boyfriends senses in that department. He said it tasted good. Hope he’s not lying to me