This Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole is the best Mexican-inspired easy dinner recipe with only 5 ingredients. Anyone can make this with ease and it’s layered with flavor too. It’s a recipe that’s on repeat at our house, and I’m sure will be at yours too.
As a busy mom, I am always looking for shortcuts and quicker solutions with similar flavors. These Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole tastes like you spent hours making it from scratch, when it really takes just minutes to prep.
I prep the ingredients in the afternoon then let the slow cooker work it’s magic until dinnertime. It’s also easy to customize too with other proteins besides chicken for variety. If you love a slow cooker meal, try my Crockpot Hamburger Casserole or Slow Cooker Manicotti too!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 5 ingredient dinner recipe. It’s really that easy, no big shopping list and not a lot of time spent in the grocery store. That’s how I like my dinner recipes!
- Minimal prep time and minimal cleaning. Thanks to the slow cooker this enchilada casserole takes no time to prep (10 minutes) and all you need to clean is the bowl!
- A crowd pleasing meal! All ages love this dinner, even my pickiest eater always asks for seconds.
Ashlee’s Tip: For a quick shortcut, you can use rotisserie chicken. Shred it and add to the enchilada sauce in the slow cooker to heat through for 30 minutes to 1 hour on high then add the remaining ingredients.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless raw chicken breasts or chicken thighs: You can choose one or the other. If you use thighs, you will want to check a little bit earlier that they are done since they cook faster than breasts.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Buy your favorite canned version, you can even use green if you want.
- Soft shell flour tortillas: Flour is best for these enchiladas in the slow cooker. Fajita size is best.
- Cheddar cheese: Required in enchiladas for that gooey, cheesy flavor.
- Black beans: Gives nice creaminess an another pop of protein.
- Scallions: A nice pop of fresh color and flavor for garnish.
- Sour cream: Great for a creamy and delicious garnish.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
1. Put the chicken breasts and the enchilada sauce in your slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours.
2. Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker, cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares and add to chicken and sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Add 1/2 cup of cheese and half the black beans into the sauce and chicken mixture. Stir again. Flatten the mixture. Add the rest of the cheese and the beans on top.
4. Cook on low for another 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately and top with sour cream and chopped scallions. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use either chicken breasts or thighs. Make sure your breasts are similar sizes for an even cooking time. With the thighs, they will cook faster than breasts, so just check the slow cooker 30 minutes before the end of the cook time to see if they register 165ºF on a meat thermometer.
- Swap the red enchilada sauce for green. You can also use green sauce here if you desire!
- Try a different bean. I love black beans, but pinto beans, kidney beans, or even chickpeas are also delicious.
- Layer the ingredients correctly in the slow cooker. This is almost like an enchilada lasagna with all of it’s layers. Layering correctly softens the tortillas, melts the cheese, and makes every bite full of delicious flavor.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave for a few minutes until warmed through.
You can freeze the leftovers as well in a container for up to 2 months. Thaw and reheat like above.
This is the perfect way to make enchiladas in advance for a busy weeknight meal or a crowd! No need to spend a lot of time rolling the tortillas with the filling, with this method the prep time is just 10 minutes.
FAQs
Yes, you can also use cooked and cooled ground beef or shredded beef. Shredded pork also is delicious!
Of course, you can layer in roasted or sauteed bell peppers, corn, even soft greens, like spinach, would work well.
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or dash of hot sauce to the enchilada sauce. You can also serve with extra hot sauce too.
More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole (5 Ingredients)
Ingredients
Method
- Put the chicken breasts and the enchilada sauce in your slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours.
- Shred the chicken right in the slow cooker, cut the tortillas into strips and then into squares and add to chicken and sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add 1/2 cup of cheese and half the black beans into the sauce and chicken mixture. Stir again. Flatten the mixture. Add the rest of the cheese and the beans on top.
- Cook on low for another 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is completely melted. Serve immediately and top with sour cream and chopped scallions. Enjoy!