Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Pasta
38 CommentsUpdated Jan 31, 2026
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If you love chicken enchiladas, you’re going to be hooked on this chicken enchilada pasta! It’s loaded with tender chicken, green chiles, pasta, and a creamy, cheesy sauce that brings all the bold flavors together.
Other pasta recipes we love to make are Olive Garden Chicken Pasta or Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta.
This Chicken Enchilada Pasta recipe will give you all of the best flavors without having to slave away at a hot stove!
The recipe is so easy to make and tastes delicious. The sauce is made with a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge or pantry!
Key Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this creamy, flavor-packed chicken enchilada pasta in the slow cooker:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – boneless thighs are fine too!
- Seasonings – chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, salt and pepper
- Red enchilada sauce – this has so much flavor and will be the flavor of the entire dish
- Diced green onions, divided
- Fire roasted green chiles – find these in a can on the Mexican food aisle.
- Dried rotini pasta – cooked according to package directions
- Sharp cheddar cheese – grated, for a melty topping.
- Sour cream – turns the enchilada sauce into a creamy sauce.
How to make Chicken Enchilada Pasta
- Add the chicken, spices, sauce, green chiles, and part of the green onions to the slow cooker and let it cook until tender.
- While that simmers, cook the pasta so it’s ready when the chicken is done.
- Stir everything together with sour cream and cheese, then let it finish cooking until warm and melty.
Cook’s Notes & Variations
You can use green enchilada sauce instead of red if desired. However, be aware that the sauce will be a little runny compared to the red sauce.
Another cheese option is Monterey Jack. It’s a milder cheese but goes great with red sauce.
Boneless skinless chicken breasts are fine to use instead of breasts.
You can use your favorite pasta, but I like to use rotini for this dish. Other options I suggest are penne or bow tie pasta.
This pasta freezes well! Add the cooked pasta to freezer ziplock bags or to containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
My Serving Suggestions:
Though this pasta can be served all by itself in bowls and makes a great meal. Here is what else that goes well with this.
- Green salad with dressing.
- You can serve it with garlic bread, tortillas, or our favorite jalapeno corn biscuits.
- This pasta is great with added toppings! Here is what we love: cilantro, sour cream, green onions, salsa and avocado.
Featured Comment
“This is always delicious. Very easy and makes a lot! Have made a few times and everyone always comments about how good it is.This is always delicious. Very easy and makes a lot! Have made a few times and everyone always comments about how good it is.”
– Terri
Chicken Enchilada Pasta Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 28 oz. can red enchilada sauce
- 4 oz. fire-roasted green chiles
- 1 cup diced green onions, divided
Wait to add until the end:
- 16 oz. dried rotini noodles, cooked according to package directions, do not over cook.
- 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated (this is about 2 cups)
- 1 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Add the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin and oregano.
- Add the green chiles and half of the green onions on top of the chicken. Save the remaining green onions for serving.
- Pour over the enchilda sauce.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
- When the cooking time is near done, cook your rotini noodles on the stovetop according to package directions. Do not overcook.
- When the cooking time is done, shred the chicken with two forks. Stir the sour cream into the sauce.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the pasta. Stir. Sprinkle over the cheese, place the lid back on the slow cooker and let the cheese melt. This will take about 10 minutes.
- Serve each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Enchilada Style recipes:
We love putting a twist on enchiladas, starting with our one pot chicken enchilada casserole.
The sour cream chicken enchilada casserole is another family favorite—rich, cheesy, and full of flavor.
Crockpot enchilada soup is a cozy option when you’re craving something warm and hearty.
And if you haven’t tried enchilada chili or enchilada meatballs yet, they’re a must!
Delicious! I added sliced black olives when I put the cheese in. Garnished with green onions, cilantro and sour cream. Definitely making this again.
Can I do this recipe with cream cheese instead of sour cream?
Yes! My tip is to microwave it for 30 seconds first. That will make it the texture of sour cream and it will melt into the enchilada sauce. (add it at the end).
Thank you for this question I was also wondering!!
Can I use frozen chicken in this recipe? I forgot to thaw them last night.
I used frozen chicken today and it worked great!
That sounds good I’ve got to try that recipe
This looks great and I want to try it, but I wouldn’t have time to cook the noodles. Can’t I add them and cook them in the slow cooker, and if so when do you suggest doing so? Thanks so much!
You could always pre cook for a little less time then microwave them to heat for a few seconds and throw them in.
I made this for supper tonight. It’s easy and tastes great.
Made this tonight. My picky 6 year old even ate it. Delicious!
can i add fire roasted diced tomatows to this
Yes, that will work great.
I’m excited to try this recipe.
Looks so good! How spicy is this?
It has a medium spice to it. The sour cream does help cool it down a bit.