Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
839 Comments Jan 19, 2021
Updated Feb 03, 2025
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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.
Featured Comment
“I can’t tell you how many times i have made this recipe. It is so easy and sooooo good!!! You can’t go wrong. I use Old El Paso red sauce and found it made a big difference in the taste. It is my favorite sauce for red. I add green onions, shredded lettuce, sour cream and avocado on top and it is the most perfect meal”
– Marily
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
How to Video
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 (drained), 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)
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
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes:
Chicken Enchilada Pasta combines tender chicken, pasta, cheese, and enchilada sauce for a bold, comforting twist on Tex-Mex.
Creamy and hearty, Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie has all the classic flavors without the need for a crust.
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas are an easy way to enjoy sizzling flavor with juicy chicken, peppers, and onions—no skillet required.
Olive Garden Chicken Pasta is a rich, creamy dish made with slow-cooked chicken, Italian dressing, and parmesan for restaurant-style flavor at home.
Versatile and simple, Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is perfect for tacos, salads, sandwiches, or casseroles.
Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans cook together with a zesty lemon-garlic dressing for a complete one-pot dinner in the crockpot.
Next time, I’m going to cut the Enchilada sauce in half, and leave the chips out. Then use soft tortilla’s or taco shells after it’s finished cooking. Husband loved it regardless!
There is no chips in this recipe, it’s soft corn tortillas. 🙂
I made this today. It is very good. I will include the additions I made to mine. I added diced white onion and garlic while cooking the chicken in the enchilada sauce. Also, at the end, I added chopped green onion with the tortillas, olives and cheese and also topped. It was very good. Thank you.
Made it just like the recipe called for except I added a small can of diced green chili peppers…outstanding!
I just made this yesterday and it’s delicious. We have left overs for lunch today. I can’t wait to try the next recipe
So great to hear Kelly!
I just made this tonight. I don’t like olives (of any color) but I did add a can of green chile’s. It’s awesome! My husband loved it also. I prefer the Macayo’s enchilada sauce (I live in AZ), and their green chile’s. I do use the Mission brand corn tortillas… I will be making this for my entire family, after tonight. So happy I found this.
I made this and it was amazing!!!! Topped it with sour cream! Thank you for sharing!
I followed the chicken part. Made home made enchilada sauce from another recipe. Then I layer it like a lasagna in a pan utilizing my abundance of zucchini as one of the layers, leftover queso, corn tortillias, chicken and leftover sauce that I removed half from the crock pot. Then a layer of cheddar on top. Turns out really good.
Made 9.5.17 = I used a cup of leftover Italian 5 cheese blend along with the sharp cheddar and was very happy with the result.
Can I use frozen chicken breast?
I think that will work fine!
Can I just use a rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts?
You could, but wouldn’t need to cook it near as long.
no, not really because cooking the chicken in the enchilada sauce is what makes the dish taste so good.
I can’t stand olives so I used corn and onions instead. It should be done in 15 mins. Can’t wait to try it.
Your version sounds great.