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.
Katherine Burlison says
I made this enchilada casserole for dinner tonight. It was so good. I did put more corn tortillas in and it was delicious. Not at all soggy. I will be making this again. Thanks for a wonderful recipe. Katherine
Anonymous says
Can my chicken be frozen?
Sarah Olson says
Some say not to use frozen chicken in the crock pot. But it will work fine with the amount of time that this recipe call for.
Ronald L. says
I used frozen chicken and in 3 hours, it was ready to shred. Actually, 2 hours is long enough to cook chicken in a crock pot for shredding. 4 hours only serves to dry out the chicken in my opinion. Another thing I would like to comment on is the term 3 cups in reference to grated cheese. Many people do not know that 1 cup of shredded cheese is not 8 ounces, but 4 ounces.
Kristi May says
It was amazing … everyone loved it but I think next time I will use less corn tortillas again thank you for the recipe
Kristi May says
Making this as we speak .. but im using green enchilada sauce instead of red and it smells amazing in here. I’m sure it will awesome .. thank you for the recipe!
Sarah Olson says
Sounds really good with the green sauce!
Ashley says
Anyone know the macros for this recipe without the tortillas???!
Merrideth says
Mexican food is my favorite and I’m always looking for easy recipes to add to my arsenal. I can’t wait to try this!! Unfortunately, my S.O. hates black olives. Maybe I can get away with only putting them on top 😉
Paige says
Hi there,
I have the chicken cooking in the enchilada sauce as we speak.
I am just wondering for those who have made this in the past…
I have a bunch of corn tortillas to use (we normally fry them and do tacos) but I want to actually make the casserole part of this. So all you do is cut them up into strips and put them right into the crockpot right? No cooking required of the tortillas?
Thanks
Excited to try this!
Danielle says
Curious, I’m making this at the moment but my family prefers flour tortillas… how should I cook them to go into the crockpot or just leave them as is
Daniel says
Would highly recommend using corn tortillas in the mix, I feel the flour tortillas would result in a weird texture.
Sarah Olson says
Flour tortillas may get soggy. I would serve this in flour tortillas rather than making them into the casserole.
Daniel says
Yes, just cut the tortillas into strips and mix them in as per the instructions. I have made this recipe multiple times and again as we speak, such a tasty meal!
Anonymous says
No cooking necessary as most tortillas are precooked.
Thomas Boehm says
I made this stuff and put in a 8oz can of green chilies and retried beans and holy cow there wasn’t anything left when my family got done with it for dinner.
Pam says
Is everyone cooking this for the prescribed amount of time? Frozen chicken breasts cook in 2 hours in my crock pot on high, so I’m scared it will dry out if I cook it longer. I have this issue all the time! Any advice ladies?
Cheryl says
I use chunky salsa verde each time. It tastes great and I don’t have stomach issues like I do with red sauce.
Jenny ELDREDGE says
Do you think that you could still make this recipe but with green enchilada sauce instead of red and will it taste just as good?
Peg Eder says
Totally confused about Corn Tortillas,do You Just Buy The Bag And Cut Into Strips and Throw In Right?
Sarah Olson says
Yes!