Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole is the easiest one-pot recipe you will find for enchiladas.
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.
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.
How to make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
You will need these ingredients:
- Enchilada sauce
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Corn tortillas cut into strips
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Black olives
Directions:
- Place chicken breasts and a large can of enchilada sauce into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.
- After the chicken and sauce have cooked, shred the chicken and 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!
What to serve with Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
I serve this chicken enchilada casserole with sour cream on top, refried beans, and Spanish rice. If you don’t have a great recipe for Spanish rice, check this tutorial for Spanish rice from Lil’ Luna, it’s the recipe I use and it’s amazing.
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 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 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless raw chicken breasts
- 28 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce I use El Pato Brand
Add these items at the end:
- 10 corn tortillas I used an entire 11.7 ounce bag (soft tortillas NOT chips)
- 3 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 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 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)
Can you use flour tortillas in place of the corn tortillas? I like the idea of adding corn and black beans. Plan to make this next week.
Definitely don’t need it to be on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Just chicken breast and sauce. Should only need a couple hours on low to cook the chicken
The chicken only gets more tender with time in the slow cooker 🙂
Thanks love enchiladas
Used chopped rotisserie chicken and mixed with 1/2 can enchilada sauce plus 2 tablespoons sour cream. Mixed in bowl then stirred in chopped onions & shredded cheese and sliced olives,. Spread chicken mixture over tortilla chips & baked at 350 for 40 minutes. Served with guacamole & more sour cream. It was awesome. Thanks for great recipe. We are in isolation so good to be able to make something so tasty out of what I had in freezer & pantry.
Totally love El Pato. I also add green onions. Delicious! Thanks!
Thanks for the recipe
Added black beans and corn. It was so good!!!
I made this for our family and it was a HUGE hit!!!
Super easy, and a lot less mess…even when I let kids help me
The first time I made the recipe, I made it as shown. It was delicious! The second time I made it, I found that I didn’t have enough shredded cheddar cheese but had quite a bit of shredded Jack cheese. So I mixed together one cup of shredded cheddar cheese and two copies of the shredded jack cheese. Very tasty! I’m getting ready to make this again and I will do the same with the cheeses but I think I’ll add chopped white onion when I add the tortilla strips. I think it will add a little crunch.
Great idea!
I made this a couple nights ago and I have to say I was sceptical,I changed a few thing I boiled three small chicken breast and then shredded them then put them in a glass baking dish, I added one can of enchilada sauce mixed it up in the chicken I did spoon out a little bit of the sauce because it’s looked to be more than I would like. I put shredded Mexican cheese on top and the black olives and I baked it at 350 for about thirty minutes until it was brown every oven is different. I served it with sour cream and a couple banana peppers. It was so good . There’s just me and my boyfriend here and we ate it all.
Wondering if this could be made in the oven if so how long?
I mistakenly thought the recipe called for tortilla chips and I must say it turned out delicious I used white corn tortilla chips that were in thick strips in place of the tortillas. I also serve with rice, black beans, corn and sliced tomatoes since my kiddos don’t like onion or I would use pico.
Loved it! But will add more veggies next time (diced Bell pepper, black beans and corn). Was extremely easy to shop for and make! Will definitely be a go-to recipe for me.
This is a great easy recipe BUT black olives are not the best choice…sliced jalapeños (as hot or mild as you prefer) is the BEST choice. Very tasty with modification of ingredients.
I love Sarah’s recipes. I wish she was my cook.
This is my Sunday go-to slow cooker recipe. I use homemade enchilada sauce and frozen chicken breasts. I also add frozen corn when I add the tortillas and olives. My family absolutely loves it.
Yay! So great to hear. I have a friend who makes with homemade enchilada sauce too!
It’s ok. Not the best. Maybe it would be better with half the tortillas and some veggies?
I added 1 can of black beans and 1 can of corn. I cut the amount of tortillas and cheese. I put in 5 tortillas and 1 1/2 cups cheese. It is good and easy!
if you are trying to cut carbs leave out the tortilla an serve this over a healthy rice. I made something similar and bake it in the oven over a bed of rice. will be making this soon in the instant pot. Probably take 15 minutes
Very good & soooo easy. Also added green onions to main dish when the sour cream & cheese was added plus to top for added color.