Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Print)
Tender chicken, enchilada sauce, and cheese layered with corn tortillas in a slow cooker for easy Tex-Mex comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper diced
04 - 1 cup frozen corn kernels
05 - 1 can 15 oz black beans drained and rinsed
→ Sauces & Liquids
06 - 2 cups enchilada sauce red or green as preferred
→ Cheeses
07 - 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or cheddar Monterey Jack
→ Tortillas
08 - 10 small corn tortillas cut into quarters
→ Seasonings
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - Salt and pepper to taste
→ Garnish optional
13 - Chopped fresh cilantro
14 - Sliced green onions
15 - Sour cream
# How To Make It:
01 - Lightly grease the inside of a 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or oil
02 - Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper on both sides
03 - Layer diced onion, red bell pepper, frozen corn, and drained black beans over the seasoned chicken
04 - Pour 1 cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the vegetable and bean mixture
05 - Arrange half of the tortilla pieces over the sauce mixture. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheese
06 - Repeat layers with remaining enchilada sauce, tortilla pieces, and remaining shredded cheese
07 - Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours until chicken is cooked through and tender
08 - About 20 minutes before serving, shred chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients and cover to let flavors meld
09 - Serve hot bowls garnished with fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, and a dollop of sour cream if desired
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The tortillas soften into this perfect dumpling-like texture that soaks up all the enchilada sauce
- It feeds a crowd with almost zero active cooking time
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have really married
02 -
- The texture of the tortillas changes from soft to almost dumpling-like which is exactly what you want
- Don't lift the lid too often during cooking or you'll lose heat and extend the cooking time
03 -
- Cutting the tortillas into strips instead of leaving them whole helps them distribute more evenly throughout
- Spray your spoon with cooking spray before serving to prevent the cheese from sticking