Enchilada casserole made in the slow cooker with salsa, chicken and cream cheese!
If you are looking for my standard chicken enchilada recipe you can find it here: Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Or my beef version here: Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Casserole.
I’m back in the kitchen making this fun Chicken, Salsa and Cream Cheese Enchilada Casserole. Enchilada casseroles are very easy to make in the slow cooker. I changed things up this time and did not use enchilada sauce. I used salsa and cream cheese for the sauce. I made this twice in the last few weeks, it was that good! It may not win a beauty contest, though most slow cooker recipes don’t.
First, the chicken cooks all day with the salsa, nothing else gets added. I did not get a photo of that step, too early in the morning and I forgot. Below is after the chicken cooked all day and the cream cheese was added.
Then I add tortilla strips, a little cheese and a half a jar of olives, mixed that together.
Then I added more cheese and the rest of the can of olives.
Cover the slow cooker again, and cook for 45 minutes more to melt the cheese and get the casserole hot and bubbly.
This casserole makes a TON! It will serve about 8 hungry people.
More enchilada style recipes to make in the slow cooker:
- Slow Cooker Classic Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Slow Cooker Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
This Chicken, Salsa and Cream Cheese Enchilada Casserole was a hit at my house, I hope you enjoy it too. Have a great week!
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Chicken, Salsa and Cream Cheese Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
This gets cooked all day
- 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 24 oz. jar pace picante mild salsa this is the huge jar
These things get added after 6-8 hours:
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
- 16 oz. pkg. yellow corn tortillas (cut these into strips) it is 4 cups total after cut if you can't find the one-pound package.
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- 3.8 oz. can black olives drained and divided
Instructions:
- Add the chicken to the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour over the salsa. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
- Plop the cream cheese on top of the chicken. Cover for about 10 minutes to let it get soft. Meanwhile I take this time to shred the cheese and cut up the tortillas.
- Shred the chicken with 2 forks right in the slow cooker. Stir the chicken, salsa and cream cheese together.
- Add the tortilla strips, 1 cup of cheese and 1/2 of the can of olives, stir. Flatten out this mixture. And wipe down the messy sides of the slow cooker with a paper towel. Top with remaining cheese and olives.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 45 more minutes or until the casserole is very hot in the center.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Candace says
Do the tortilla strips get soggy in leftovers?
Sarah Olson says
They are just the same as the day that it is cooked. I think they still have a good consistency.
Debbie says
Ummmmm, this was absolutely ridiculously delicious! And Destiny, FYI, I put frozen chicken in due to our schedules (needed the extra time), and yeah, like I said, I died and went to heaven. I put a lil extra salsa just cuz I love it (that may help anyone who said theirs ended up a lil on the dry side… Reducing tortillas would be another option, but they just melted in so nicely), and my advice? Go heavy on the cheddar cheese and olives if you like them… And add that dollop of sour cream to your serving. Yum-O! One of my new favorite dishes for sure! Thank you soooo much for this!! 🙂 Especially in the fall!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Sarah Olson says
So happy to hear Debbie!
Kayla says
Your 5th step says to add half of the can of olives & only 1 cup of the cheese and then your last step just says “enjoy!” So when do you add the rest of the cheese and olives? Thanks IA!
Sarah Olson says
It’s all in the 4th step?
Ashley says
Hi I was wondering if it had to be yellow corn tortillas or could it be white flour tortillas does it make a difference and also my husband’s not a big cream cheese fan so does it taste cream cheesy?
Sarah Olson says
Yes you could use white, and it doesn’t taste cream cheesy 🙂
Destiny says
Can you use frozen chicken or does it need to be thawed first ?
Sarah Olson says
Hi Destiny! I usually thaw or partial thaw overnight, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work with frozen!
Julianne says
Do you think I could add a can of drained black beans?
Sarah Olson says
I think that would be a great addition!
Susie says
Hi can I use green enchilada sauce
Sarah Olson says
Hi Susie! I think green would do fine!
Susie says
Thank u I’m using 1 12oz can u think that will be fine
Sarah Olson says
It may be. You may not need all the tortilla strips, you’ll know as you stir them in, you don’t want it too dry.
Hodor says
This recipe works GREAT, but it needs a little more seasoning as mine was tasty but a little bland. Any recommendations? I might use Medium picante sauce next time…
Sarah Olson says
Maybe a touch of taco seasoning may spice it up a bit more for you?
Hodor says
I never did try taco seasoning (yet), but I did use Medium picante sauce and it helped a bit. But, I made it a couple more times after that, and my latest attempt had Medium sauce and two fresh chopped jalopenos. That really seemed to make it perfect. The long cooking time mutes the heat from the peppers down to a perfect level and the flavor is great! I’ll continue to tweak it since I make it fairly often. I’m really liking your recipes, I just put the hamburger hash into the cooker a few minutes ago for the first time 🙂
Karen says
Instruction #3 says to stir chicken, salsa, and sour cream together. Do you mean cream cheese?
Sarah Olson says
Yes, thank you! I apologize, fixed it.
Joy K says
This looks uber yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
Grandma Kc says
I have to remember not to visit your blog before breakfast! Now I am really starving. That looks yummy — thanks!
Shirley Prosise says
This sounds really good, but you do not mention what kind of cheese you use in addition to the cream cheese. You just say 3 cups of shredded cheese.
Sarah Olson says
Sharp cheddar. 🙂 You can’t read my mind? I’ll fix that, thank you! 🙂