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. If you love green sauce, try my sour cream chicken enchilada casserole.
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
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:
Sarah’s 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.
Heather says
I have made this 3 times now. It’s what’s in my crock pot right now, dinner tonight. Always very good! The corn tortillas are perfect for my family! I’m thinking of using different cheese combinations in the future, but I always stick to a new recipe “as written” the first couple times, then I play with it. But this is very good! Add your rice of choice, or beans, or corn bread! YUM!!! My family hasn’t been disappointed by it yet.
Heather says
What if you cook up the chicken, shred it and then throw everything mixed up into a 13×9 pan. How long would you bake it? Easier to serve for me. Just curious. I do like the idea of the tortilla strips…
Sarah Olson says
I would do 30 minutes in the oven to start if it was me.
Susan Rosenberg says
Hi EVERY ONE,
Quick question
Do you drain the olives?
Sarah Olson says
yes, drain them 🙂
Hollie Erickson says
Delicious when you eat it right after it’s finished cooking, but not good at all for leftovers. After cooling and refrigerating the corn tortillas start to give it a really strong overpowering corn flavor.
Sarah Olson says
It could depend on the tortillas you used. I’ve noticed that some corn tortillas have an off smell to them. Maybe white corn from your store would be better?
LaDonna says
Hi Sarah, thanks for the recipe! Tried it and loved it. I have a quick question that I NEED to know lol…where did you purchase the aqua colored utensils? They are sooooo pretty!
Sarah Olson says
That brand is “Cook Works AR+Cook”. I found that spoonula at Tuesday Mornings, but I also saw these at TJMaxx the other day too.
Melissa says
I’m afraid this will be too soggy. I have the chicken in the crock pot. Debating on adding corn chips instead of tortillas and cooking it until they are almost soft. Anyone tried that?
Lina says
Why does it look like the tortilla strips are already crispy? Are they just sliced up corn tortillas?
Sarah Olson says
They aren’t crispy, just sliced up corn tortillas. 🙂
Lisa says
We made this today. Living in Southern Arizona, we get a lot of homemade tortillas so I used some of them. I’m not a fan of olives so I omitted them but I did add a can of chopped Hatch Green Chiles Since I omitted the olives, I topped mine with chopped green onions and 2 chopped tomatoes. My husband loved it, and he’s not a fan of enchiladas.
Lisa Mandarich says
Great recipe! I did add chopped onion, cumen,and salt and pepper on the chicken when I placed it in the crock pot. It came out fantastic! I will definitely make this one again.. so quick and easy yet very yummy! A family favorite.
Janet says
Making this today for the first time but with green encalida sauce. Can’t wait to try it
Kathy Chartier says
What is the actual serving size? Thanks!
Sarah Olson says
Sorry Kathy, I don’t have that info. It’s a pretty big serving.
Gisselle says
Made it for lunch today. I made my own enchilada sauce since I prefer fresh and not canned food and it was delicious. Also added some sauteed onions and garlic since we like strong flavors in our food. Thank you for the recipe.