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.
Can you tell me the consistency of the enchilada sauce works best? The thickness of cream, perhaps? I can adjust my homemade sauce recipe and I want to avoid the soggy results you mention with green sauce. Thank you for sharing your recipe and the work involved!
It’s hard to say. Red enchilada sauce is still pretty liquidy but not see-through at all. You should be fine.
Thank you, this was exactly what I was looking for! Everything cooked while I was at soccer games with my kids and we came home to a delicious meal. I followed the recipe, except for adding one can of black beans. It was great, the kids asked for seconds, I will definitely make it again!
I made this two days ago with ground beef and added quite a few things to it…
Used two lbs. of ground beef which I cooked before I added to crockpot. Added 20 ozs. of extra enchilada sauce so two more 10 oz. cans. Wanted it saucy and not dry at all. Added a can of corn and a can of black beans. Added a can of Aldi Fiesta diced tomatoes. Also, added two tbps. of chopped jarred jalapenos hoping that would give it some spice…it did not so may need to add more or think of something else for next time…maybe green chiles. Used hard tostado shells instead of the corn tortillas cut up. Just broke them in quarters and since I had the extra sauce I used about 12-14 of them. Used extra cheese, of course. Then the olives.
Turned out pretty well. First day it was pretty saucy but once refrigerated and cooled not so saucy. Could even be cut up like a casserole. After heating in microwave some of the sauciness came out again and served with three different garnishes…one day was sour cream (not crazy about that one), second day was a heaping spoon of those dice jarred jalapenos again (still nothing spicy and rather bland), and third day topped with jarred salsa. That was the kicker I was looking for so will use that from now on for the spiciness. Also sprinkled a little extra cheese on top after heating. And since I had some of the hard shell tostados left I broke those up and used to scoop and eat the casserole.
All in all, not bad and I will def make again and keep experimenting with it. Def want to get some real spiciness in it cause I love the heat.
Thanks!
P.S. Even the hard tostado shells became a little soft and mushy and I don’t see anyway to get around that. Any type of tortilla or hard shell that cooks in the sauce for 30-40 minutes in the crock pot is going to soften up. So I guess going with as hard a tortilla shell as you can is the way to go.
And I might give the chicken a try next time.
Took the leftovers out of the freezer last night to defrost/thaw in the refrigerator for lunch today. Was still quite frozen even doing that but was able to cut a portion off for my lunch. Needed about 5 minutes in the microwave on high to thoroughly heat up and I ate it with some of the leftover hard tostado shells I made it with. Topped with more of the jarred diced jalapenos and it was pretty tasty. So even a week later and frozen then warmed in microwave it was still good. Got my money’s worth from this and have enough for another lunch tomorrow.
This has been an easy go to meal. I used ground beef and stew meat at first but if I can I prefer chuck roast or all stew meat. And I season it when I remember lol
Amazing! I actually forgot to buy tortillas but it was still soooo good I’m preparing a freezer meal of it! We added a can of drained corn, black beans, ripped up big canned tomatoes, and I think something else I’m forgetting. Love how adjustable this recipe is!
This recipe is so tasty and easy to make. Only problem I had was it did not serve 8 people. 1.5 lbs of chicken was not much for 8 adults. We had small portions and everyone was wanting more.
Very good, very easy to make. I used a Dutch oven and cooked thighs for 2 hours. Then filled directions and heated they another 15 min. Turned out great!
Can I use tostado tortillas instead of the soft corn ones?
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Guerrero-Gluten-Free-Yellow-Tostadas-Caseras-Amarillas-12-8-oz-22-Count/44391250?fulfillmentIntent=Pickup
Seems the comments say those are better than the soft ones.
Thanks,
Jody
I think it would work great.
Great, thank you.
And if I use ground beef is it still 1.5 pounds or can I kick it up to 2 lbs.?
Can this be made the day before taking to a potluck?
I would get up early or set an alarm and make it fresh. It’s great reheated for the family but I wouldn’t reheat it for a potluck.
Can this be frozen?
Yes!
If I’m wanting to bring this casserole somewhere, do you think I could cook the last hour in a 9×13 in the oven instead of the crock? What temp would you recommend??
I’ve made the recipe as is in the crockpot several times and we love it! But not functional to travel with it that way
I would bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins.
Any idea if low carb tortillas will work in this recipe? Trying to reduce my carb intake
I think it would work fine!
I make this all the time because it is delicious and easy to make. My husband loves it!
I made a double recipe and added a chopped white onion to chicken while cooking. I used more shredded fiesta blend cheese than called for (always do!) and used nine pre-made tostada shells from the store instead of corn tortillas. They’re thicker than tortilla chips and added great flavor but disappeared into the recipe. When finished, the recipe was nice and loose without being runny, I was afraid of using a full 10 shells making it too dry. It was delicious just as it was and was even better served with tortilla chips for extra crunch and a dollop of sour cream made it heavenly. Family raved over this and I’ll definitely be making it again!