Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole is great for hectic weeknights as it only takes 5 minutes to prep. Your family will devour this warm and comforting crockpot recipe for easy enchiladas.
If you want to add a little more spice into your life, try my sour cream enchiladas or my green chili sauce for enchiladas.
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Why this Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a Keeper
This super easy crock pot chicken enchilada casserole recipe takes 5 minutes of prep time in the morning before you leave for the day. You can have this chicken enchiladas casserole meal ready in under 45 minutes after getting home. It is a busy day favorite.
- Family Friendly: The whole family will love how good this crockpot enchilada chicken casserole is.
- Makes Great Leftovers: Use leftover chicken enchiladas served over nachos!
- Week Day Friendly: This crockpot enchiladas casserole is perfect to assemble quickly in the morning to come home to dinner ready.
Why is my Casserole Soggy?
If you used flour tortillas, your casserole will be soggy. Be sure to use corn tortillas for this recipe as they hold up better than flour tortillas.
Ingredient Notes for Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
To make this easy enchilada casserole recipe, you will need just a few easy ingredients. If you don’t already have these ingredients in your kitchen, they can all easily be found at the store.
- Chicken: You will need 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Enchilada Sauce: For this crock-pot chicken enchiladas recipe, you will need a can of red enchilada sauce or homemade enchilada sauce.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is a must in this chicken enchilada crockpot casserole.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for Crock Pot Enchiladas
Preparing a recipe ahead of time can be the best way to go! Make a recipe in advance to be able to enjoy it whenever you’d like.
- Cooked Chicken: Cook your chicken in advance so you don’t have to wait hours for the slow cooker chicken enchiladas to cook. Be sure to shred chicken ahead.
Special Equipment Needed to Make Chicken Enchiladas
Sometimes you need a specific piece of equipment to make a recipe just right. In this recipe for chicken enchilada casserole in slow cooker, all you need is a crock pot!
- Slow Cooker: This slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole recipe allows all the flavors to come together while it slowly cooks using your slow cooker.
Pro Tip for this Chicken Recipe
Layer for Flavor: Layer the ingredients in the crock pot to ensure even cooking and maximum flavor. Start with a layer of enchilada sauce, then add the chicken, cheese, and tortillas. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used.
How to Make Crock Pot Enchilada Casserole
This crockpot enchilada casserole recipe comes together in 4 quick and easy steps. Chicken enchilada casserole in the crockpot is so good, you will definitely want to add this one to your stash of easy slow cooker recipes!
These are the basic steps for making Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Prep the Slow Cooker
Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray or use a slow cooker liner.
2. Cook the Chicken with Sauce
Add chicken breasts to the bottom of the slow cooker and pour enchilada sauce over the chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
When done, shred the chicken right in the slow cooker, or remove the chicken and shred then add it back into the slow cooker.
3. Add the Mix-In Casserole Ingredients
Cut the corn tortillas into strips, add them to chicken mixture, and stir until well coated. Add ½ cup of cheese and half the olives into the chicken and sauce mixture and stir.
4. Add the Toppings
Use the back of a spoon to flatten the mixture, then top with remaining cheese and the rest of the olives. Cook on low for another 45 minutes. When done, top with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers of this Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Storing: Store leftover chicken enchilada casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Reheat delicious slow cooker leftovers in the crockpot or in the microwave for about 2 minutes, or until hot.
- Using Leftovers: Enjoy leftover enchilada casserole with Loaded Ground Beef Nachos or Mexican Corn Cake.
Variations and Substitutions for Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Chicken enchilada casserole in a crock pot is easy to customize to make it your own! Try taking crock pot chicken enchiladas to the next level by trying different ingredients and flavors.
- Vegetarian: Make chicken enchiladas without meat by using black beans, lentils or tofu.
- Cheese: Instead of just cheddar cheese, try a shredded cheese mix of cheddar, Monterey jack, Cotija and pepper jack to add a salty, tangy flavor.
- Sauce Variation: Use green enchilada sauce for a spicy kick with the cheesy chicken.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole Recipe FAQs
Serve this easy recipe with Mexican Street Corn Dip, Original Margarita or Copycat Disney Churro Bites.
Yes! Try adding in some hot sauce, chili powder or use a hotter enchilada sauce.
Feel free to top the casserole with your favorite enchilada toppings like green onions, White Queso, Chunky Guacamole or more tortilla strips.
Expert Tips for Making This Easy Crockpot Recipe
- Short Cut: For quicker results, cook this chicken enchiladas in crockpot on the high setting.
- Different Protein: You don’t only have to use chicken for this recipe, you use also use cooked ground beef, pork, or turkey.
- Chicken: Instead of tender chicken breasts you can try to use rotisserie chicken, skinless chicken thighs, ground chicken or other pre-cooked chicken.
- Toppings: Here is where you can have fun and customize to you liking. You could add things such as onions, black beans or Baked Healthy Tortilla Chips.
Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Lasagna
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 28 ounces Red Enchilada Sauce, canned
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 10 Corn Tortillas
- 2 cups Grated Cheddar Cheese, divided
- 4 ounces Sliced Black Olives, canned, divided
- Sour Cream, optional
- Fresh Cilantro, optional
Instructions
- Spray your slow cooker insert with nonstick spray or use a slow cooker liner.
- Put the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker and top with enchilada sauce.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
- Shred the chicken in the slow cooker insert.
- Cut the corn tortillas into strips and add them to chicken and sauce mixture.
- Stir until well coated.
- Add ½ cup of cheese and half the olives into the chicken and sauce mixture and stir until well coated.
- Using the back of a spoon flatten the mixture.
- Top with remaining cheese and the rest of the olives.
- Cook on low for an additional 45 minutes.
- Top with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro before serving.
Christina’s Notes
- Short cut tip: Rotisserie chicken works well in this dish. Decrease the cooking time by half.
- Oven Bake: To bake in the oven, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer the chicken mixture to a 9×13 baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the cheese is bubbly.
- Variation tip: Instead of flour tortillas, place Doritos, tortilla chips, or Fritos on the bottom of the crock pot. Spoon the slow cooker enchilada on top. You can also use lasagna noodles instead.
- Alternate ingredient: Experiment with different beans or seasonings, like my Homemade Taco Seasoning.
- Alternate cooking method tip: Cook the chicken for about 8 minutes in the Instant Pot. Shred the chicken, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.
- Fresh Finish: Top chicken crock pot enchiladas with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, fresh parsley, cilantro, or chopped green onions.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
what BRAND of Encalada sauce?
every brand has a different flavor.
Fantastic recipe
In one of the steps it says shred chicken and add tomato sauce but there is no tomato sauce in the recipe is tomato sauce in the recipe?
The recipe steps are correct and should always be what is followed to create the recipe.
I understand but in the ingredients there is no tomato sauce only in step 2 so which was in incorrect?