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.
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
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
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 with three different brands of red sauce, added chili’s, red wine, garlic and white onions. I also added pepper and oregano. Yum!!!
Hi. If I make this without meat, how long do you recommend putting it in the slow cooker for? Thank you
Maybe 1.5 hours on high? Then add the tortillas.
I would mix all ingredients together at first along with some poblano peppers, cooked beans, and onion and cook for like 2 hours. Maybe some rice too. Then top with some avocado?
You could also make it without the tortillas and turn it into a dip!
If I wanted to add onion for the flavor not necessarily texture, would I do that in the begining with the sauce or later when i add other ingredients?
I forgot to add I’ve made this before and my family loves it! Such an easy and delicious recipe ❤️
I would do it in the beginning to grab flavor, if not you could also sauté them and then put them in. I just did that and it was yummy
Made this more than a few times, always amazing. I tried adding green chiles, not a good idea. I top with sour cream ,add Spanish rice to make an excellent meal.
I take a recipe base and twist, add different things . Always experimenting. Example, I added pinto beans, ranch beans, jarred green chili.. costco.. half can roasted tomatoes, green salsa in lieu of enchilada sauce..what I had on hand. Left over bbq meat, quesadilla cheese, cheddar cheese jarred slice jalapeños , few sprinkles of cumin
and the tortillas . Cooked about 3 to 4 hrs on low setting and done. Yummy. Kinds like a enchilada burrito casserole. Yummy. The trick is to get creative. Add green onions, sour cream , rice, cut up tomatoes, avocado slices. All good.
Not very good alone. But fan of chicken enchiladas but this is really missing something. Will use what wasn’t eaten for chicken pulled sandwiches. Very disappointed
This was not very good,and I did exactly according to directions.
Delicious and easy! Instead of olives – we added green chilis and it was lovely!
This was so easy and delish. We had the green enchilada sauce on hand and did not think it came out runny.
I had the smaller size corn tortillas and still used 10. Even added some green chili, sour cream and tomotoes for topping.
Will definately make this again!
Great, thank you for sharing your outcome with green enchilada sauce.
This was disgusting but then again maybe its a cultural difference.
I did however love how the chicken came out. I guess its just the mushy tortilla shells that i didn’t like…
I think you did it wrong then.
Have you ever doubled the recipe?
I have not, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
We tried this last night, it was really good and super easy which is what I like. Only thing I might do different next time is maybe add some beans to make it a little more filling. Will definitely fix it again!
When you say flatten out into a casserole, you take it out of slow cooker and transfer to a casserole and now bake in oven 30 to 40 more minutes?
No, flatten it out in the slow cooker so it’s not mounded in any areas.
If you watch the video, everything goes in the crock pot…no casserole dish needed.
I MADE IT , IT WAS SO DELISHOUS, LOVE IT
Question: can you omit the corn tortillas and use the mix as filling in flour tortilla enchiladas?
Yes, that will work great.
Great thx!
Love how easy and fast it is to make these. I work alot and have little time to make dinner. My kids can make these also to help mom.
Just made this and it’s delicious! Next time will use a few more tortillas!
Perfect! Thank you.