Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Everyone keeps asking for this recipe, so here goes nothing. Actually, that’s not entirely true—my sister-in-law Amy has been texting me about it for like three weeks straight, and I keep forgetting to send it to her. So Amy, if you’re reading this, you’re welcome.

Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. This crockpot chicken enchilada casserole started as a complete accident. I was trying to make regular enchiladas last winter (this was back when everyone was still obsessing over sourdough starters), and I got so frustrated with rolling those stupid tortillas that I just… threw everything in the crockpot.

Best. Mistake. Ever.

Now here’s the thing—I’ve made this probably fifteen times since then, and I’ve messed it up exactly twice. Once because I forgot to add the enchilada sauce (how do you even forget that?), and another time because my neighbor knocked on the door right when I was supposed to shred the chicken and I completely spaced out for like an hour.

Why This Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole Works

This is basically all the good parts of chicken enchiladas without any of the annoying parts. No rolling. No individual plating. No crying over torn tortillas. Just dump everything in your crockpot and walk away.

My 10-year-old, who normally picks apart anything that looks “mixed together,” devours this stuff. And my husband, who claims he doesn’t like “casserole-y things” (whatever that means), always asks if there are leftovers.

I think… no, I know this works because the corn tortillas get all soft and almost pasta-like, but they don’t turn to mush. The chicken just falls apart on its own, and everything gets coated in this amazing cheesy, saucy goodness that tastes way fancier than it actually is.

The Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

What You’ll Need:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs if you’re fancy)
• 1 can (28 oz) red enchilada sauce (I use whatever’s on sale, honestly)
• 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small onion, diced (or pre-diced from a bag because I’m lazy)
• 8-10 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or make your own if you’re one of those people)

Optional toppings that make everything better:

• Sour cream (or Greek yogurt if you’re trying to be healthy)
• Chopped cilantro
• Diced avocado
• Pickled jalapeños
• More cheese (always more cheese)

How to Make This Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Step 1: Prep (barely any)
Cut your corn tortillas into strips. I use kitchen shears because using a knife feels like too much work. Don’t worry about making them perfect—nobody’s judging your tortilla-cutting skills.

Step 2: The dump
This is the best part. Just throw the chicken breasts, enchilada sauce, green chiles, black beans, onion, and taco seasoning into your crockpot. Stir it around a little. That’s it.

Step 3: Wait (this is the hard part)
Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. I usually do high because I’m impatient, but low works better if you’re actually organized and start this in the morning.

Step 4: Shred and layer
When the chicken is falling-apart tender, use two forks to shred it right in the crockpot. Mix everything together. Now add half your tortilla strips and half your cheese. Stir that around too.

Step 5: The final countdown
Top with remaining tortilla strips and cheese. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 6: Try not to burn your mouth
Let it sit for like 10 minutes before serving. Trust me on this one—learned that the hard way when I was too excited and burned my tongue on molten cheese.

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

Actually, you know what? Let me tell you about my failures first because they might save you some grief.

The Great Enchilada Sauce Incident: I somehow convinced myself I could make this without enchilada sauce and just use salsa instead. Nope. It was… fine? But not the same. Just buy the enchilada sauce. They sell it right next to the salsa anyway.

Cheese Confusion: First time I made this, I used that pre-shredded cheese from a bag. It was fine, but when I switched to shredding my own (my mom was visiting and she’s one of those people who has opinions about pre-shredded cheese), it was noticeably better. The cheese melts more evenly and doesn’t have that weird coating stuff.

Tortilla Texture Drama: I tried using flour tortillas once because that’s what I had. They basically disappeared. Like, completely dissolved into the sauce. Corn tortillas are the way to go—they hold their shape but still get tender.

Ingredient Substitutions That Actually Work

Chicken: I usually use chicken breasts because they’re what I have, but chicken thighs work great too. They’re more forgiving if you accidentally overcook them.

Beans: Pinto beans work if you don’t have black beans. My kids prefer black beans, but my husband likes pinto better. Sometimes I use both because I can’t make everyone happy, but I can at least try.

Enchilada Sauce: Red, green, whatever you prefer. I’ve tried both and they’re both good in different ways. Red is more traditional, green is a little tangier.

Cheese: Mexican blend, cheddar, Monterey Jack—they all work. I’ve even used pepper jack when I was feeling adventurous. That was a hit with the adults, less so with the kids.

Storage and Leftovers

This keeps in the fridge for about 4-5 days, and it actually gets better the next day because all the flavors meld together. I usually portion it out into containers for easy lunches.

To reheat, just microwave individual portions for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. You can also reheat the whole thing in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes if you’re feeding everyone again.

Oh, and it freezes pretty well too. I freeze it in meal-sized portions, and it keeps for about 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Serving Suggestions (From Real Life)

• My kids eat this with a dollop of sour cream and call it “Mexican lasagna”
• I like it with avocado and hot sauce
• My husband piles it on tortilla chips like nachos (honestly not a terrible idea)
• Amy (the sister-in-law I mentioned) serves it over rice, which makes it go further
• One time I was out of sour cream and used Greek yogurt mixed with a little lime juice—actually really good

Why This Beats Regular Enchiladas

Don’t get me wrong, I love traditional enchiladas. But when it’s Tuesday night and I have exactly zero energy to stand at the stove rolling tortillas and hoping they don’t fall apart, this crockpot version saves my sanity.

Plus, this feeds more people with less effort. I can easily double the recipe for parties or meal prep, and nobody has to worry about enchiladas falling apart on their plate.

The Bottom Line

This crockpot chicken enchilada casserole isn’t going to win any beauty contests, but it’s going to fill your belly and make your house smell amazing for hours. It’s comfort food that doesn’t require much comfort-giving from you, if that makes sense.

Is it exactly like restaurant enchiladas? No. Is it delicious and easy and something you’ll actually make on a random weeknight? Yes.

Give it a try and let me know what you think! I’m always curious to hear how other people’s versions turn out, especially if you try any of those substitutions I mentioned.

Happy slow cooking! 🌮