These Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas are a fun twist on the classic dish. Layers of tortillas, a creamy chicken filling, melted cheese, and zesty enchilada sauce cook together to create this stacked enchilada casserole.
Love enchiladas? You’ll want to try my Shredded Beef Enchiladas and Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas too!
You might not immediately think of reaching for your slow cooker when you want enchiladas on the menu. But, with this recipe, you can get that classic enchilada flavor with simple ingredients and a just little bit of prep.
Chicken enchiladas have always been a family favorite so I was determined to find a way to make them in my slow cooker. I combined the ease of rotisserie chicken with a semi-homemade enchilada sauce to create seriously yummy casserole-style enchiladas that are slow cooked to tender, cheesy perfection.
This is one of the recipes from my cookbook, The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker, that has remained one of my favorites.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken filling: Shredded rotisserie chicken breast, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, a can of diced green chiles, salt, and pepper.
- Enchilada sauce: This sauce recipe turns a can of red enchilada sauce into a sauce that tastes homemade. My favorite store-bought sauce is Hatch Mild Red Enchilada Sauce. You’ll also need a little oil, all-purpose flour, low-sodium beef broth, and ground cumin.
- Tortillas: After a ton of testing, I found the very best tortillas to use for slow cooker enchiladas are the 50/50 blend tortillas made with both corn and flour or wheat. They are more sturdy than flour tortillas but don’t break down as much in the slow cooker as corn tortillas would. The best of both worlds!
- For the layers: The enchiladas are layered with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and thinly sliced green onion.
For The Easy Enchilada Sauce
- Make the roux. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat,whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or two until the mixture is just beginning to turn golden brown.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Whisk in the broth, enchilada sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, whisking now and then, until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Reserve and set aside 1 cup of the sauce and keep the remaining sauce in the pan.
How to Make the Chicken Filling
- Add the chicken, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese and diced green chiles to a large bowl. Season the mixture with the salt and pepper.
- Stir until well combined.
How to Asssemble the Chicken Enchiladas
- The tortilla layer. Place two tortillas side by side on the bottom of a greased slow cooker. Slice another tortilla in half and place the halves over the two tortillas to cover the empty spaces.
- The chicken filling layer. Spread one-third of the chicken mixture evenly over the top and sprinkle with one-quarter of the green onions, ½ cup of shredded cheese and one-third of the sauce remaining in the saucepan (save the reserved 1 cup for later).
- Finish layering. Repeat this process in the same order to create two more layers. Then, top the enchiladas with the three remaining tortillas (in same manner as above). Pour the reserved enchilada sauce over the top and smooth it out with the back of a spoon to cover the tortillas.
- Sprinkle with cheese and cook. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions and let the casserole rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving
Storage Tips
Package the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, this recipe can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months. Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas reheat very well in the microwave. Great for an easy lunch the next day!
Serving Suggestions
You can slice the enchiladas neatly with a knife or just scoop out individual servings with a large spoon. Complete your meal with any of these Mexican-inspired recipes.
Sign up for my free newsletter for all the latest recipes and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more cooking inspiration!
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
These Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas are a fun twist on the classic dish. Layers of tortillas, a creamy chicken filling, melted cheese, and zesty enchilada sauce cook together to create this stacked enchilada casserole.
Instructions
Make the Easy Enchilada Sauce
-
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over LOW heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or two until the mixture is just beginning to turn golden brown. Whisk in the broth, enchilada sauce, cumin, salt and pepper. Increase the heat to MEDIUM-HIGH and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat enough to keep the mixture at a low simmer, and whisk lightly until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Reserve and set aside 1 cup of the sauce and keep the remaining sauce in the pan.
Make the Filling
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese and diced green chiles. Season the mixture with the salt and pepper and set aside.
Assemble the Enchiladas
-
Coat the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
-
Place two tortillas side by side on the bottom of the slow cooker. Slice another tortilla in half and place the halves over the two tortillas to cover the empty spaces. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the top and sprinkle with one-quarter of the green onions, ½ cup of shredded cheese and one-third of the sauce remaining in the saucepan (save the reserved 1 cup for later). Repeat this process in the same order to create two more layers. Finish by topping the enchiladas with the three remaining tortillas (in same manner as above). Pour the reserved 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top and smooth it out with the back of a spoon to cover the tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
-
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Turn the slow cooker off, remove the cover and sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Let the casserole rest for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
-
Slice or scoop individual servings and garnish them with your toppings of choice.
Notes
Storage: Package the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer storage, this recipe can be frozen for up to 2 to 3 months. Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas reheat very well in the microwave. Great for an easy lunch the next day!
Nutrition
Calories: 441 kcal · Carbohydrates: 27 g · Protein: 38 g · Fat: 20 g · Saturated Fat: 10 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g · Cholesterol: 112 mg · Sodium: 1172 mg · Potassium: 425 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 5 g · Vitamin A: 960 IU · Vitamin C: 8 mg · Calcium: 360 mg · Iron: 2 mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
