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!
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 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:
- Slow Cooker- 6 quart or larger
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.
Has anyone added retried beans to the crock pot???
I always add a can of refried beans because I like the consistency it creates. Plus, no extra pan to clean.
OMG !!!!! THESE WERE BETTER THAN THE ONES I MAKE IN THE OVEN !!! We are right in the middle of a heatwave here in CA and so the slow cooker is the go to right now. I would tell everybody to at least try these they are the best ever. I also put chopped green onions in mine but either way they would have been delicious.
I made it tonight, my husband and I both really liked it. I would add corn next time.
I can’t wait to make this.
I added black beans and home grown corn I cut off the cob and cumin, fresh garlic, lime juice, paprika, smoke flavoring, and made Crock-Pot refried beans and Mexican rice and put it all on homemade tortillas and added chopped avocado and sour cream…. DELICIOUS
I used green onion and garlic turn out good
Fantastic and super easy!!!
Can I cook it on the stove
I’m sure you could.
Just made this delicious recipe , I sautéed 1 large onion with a dollop of butter til onions translucent .
I also added 1 can mild rotel , 1 tsp both chili powder and cumin .
Only used 1cup Mexican cheese mix and 1 small can sliced olives .
This will be a family favorite forever !
Tried this for dinner tonight and my family loved it. Couple changes I made – I used a 10 oz can of red enchilada sauce. a 10 oz can of green sauce, and a large can of diced mild chilis because that’s what I had on hand. Also I toasted the corn tortilla strips in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them a bit before tossing in with the shredded chicken. I used a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar cheese.
When did you add the green chili’s ?
I am sorry but we didn’t really like this recipe. I even used chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and onion powder as others suggested. We really do not like corn tortillas, because it tastes like cardboard to us compared to flour but did use as suggested along with red enchilada sauce instead of green.
I heated up the corn tortillas in oil it helped a lot
Sorry, we didn’t care for this.
This is a wonderful recipe, i do use green sauce because thats what my family loves, i made it with red the first time. This makes for an easy peasy dinner.
The chicken was perfectly cooked but other than that this was very mushy as most of the corn tortillas broke down and I cooked it for only 40 minutes once I added everything. Wont make it again.
Did not have enough zing to it. Next time I will add chili powder, cumin, garlic, paprika and onion, as well as green chili’s.