Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada - A ridiculously easy chicken enchilada with slow-cooked chicken along with the red enchilada sauce, vegetables and loaded with plenty of cheese.

Full of flavor and delicious. Serve with tortilla chips, rice, quinoa, or your favorite side dish.

Feel free to add some tortillas similar to my chicken tortilla soup.

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Video

Ingredients

• Enchilada sauce - For this recipe, I've used my 15 minute Red Enchilada Sauce which is super easy to make. It's not required though, you can also use your favorite store-bought enchilada sauce. This chicken dish is mildly spicy but you can add chili powder later after you've shredded the chicken and returned to the crockpot. Just taste and season with salt and pepper as you go. 

• Chicken - I've used chicken breasts but feel free to use chicken thighs, just make sure to remove the bones. For a very quick and easy solution - use rotisserie chicken.

• Onion - onion, and garlic are the most essential 2 ingredients in most of my recipes. Brown/yellow onion cooked either together with chicken or cooked separately until translucent and added later to simmer with the vegetables. For me personally, I always like to cook the onion separately for more flavor.

• Cheddar cheese - what is an enchilada without cheese? Use sharp cheddar or a mix of grated cheddar and mozzarella. (Monterey jack cheese will also work great here).

• Salt and pepper - depending on which sauce you'll be using, make sure to taste salt and pepper during cooking.

How To Make Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Grease the crockpot with a cooking spray.

Prepare the chicken (rinse, pat and dry) and place it into the crockpot along with the enchilada sauce.

Add chili powder and gently stir to combine. Place the lid on the slow cooker and slow cook for 3-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, until fork tender.

• Shred the chicken (either with a fork or a hand mixer) or you can also dice the chicken, then return to crockpot.

• Add bell peppers, onion, olives (reserve some for garnish on top), salt, and pepper to taste, corn, cilantro, stir. Stir in half of the cheese. Cover and continue to cook on low for one hour, or ½ hour on high.

Finally, open the lid, stir to combine, and even out the top. Add the remaining cheese evenly and arrange olives on top of the cheese.

Close the lid and continue to cook until cheese is almost melted. Alternatively, you can skip this step and add all the cheese and olives along with other veggies (this last step makes a beautiful presentation!).

Serve with your choice of garnishes, sides such as rice, pico de gallo, quinoa or  tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Like any other Mexican style dish is NOT complete without TOPPINGS.

Let's see what are the best options for this:

• Diced avocados
• Pico de gallo (authentic Mexican salsa)
• Chile con Queso - a cheesy dip that consists of melted cheese and chili peppers.
• Avocado crema - mix of avocado, sour cream and lime/lemon juice.
• Guacamole
• Hot sauce
• Jalapenos (fresh or marinated/pickled)
• Diced tomatoes
• Cilantro/Coriander chopped or whole leaves
• Lime wedges
• Cherry tomatoes cut in half
• Black olives (pitted & sliced)
• Corn (canned or fresh)
• Cotija cheese or feta cheese
• Sour cream or plain greek yogurt (also coconut yogurt will taste delish!)
• Pickled cabbage

Want to make it a full meal? Start your dinner with a little aperitive like this mouthwatering Skinny Watermelon Margarita or serve Spicy Watermelon Basil Margaritas (Frozen) for dessert!

Mexican/Tex-Mex style recipes

• Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe
• Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Baked Chicken Taquitos
• Creamy Chicken Tacos
• Easy Vegan Chili Recipe

Recipe Card

Julia

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada

4.82 from 16 votes

A ridiculously easy chicken enchilada that is slow-cooked along with the red enchilada sauce, with vegetables and loaded with plenty of cheese. Full of flavor and delicious. Serve with tortilla chips, rice, quinoa, or your favorite side dish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 1 ½ - 2 pounds chicken skinless boneless washed and dried with a towel
• 2 ½ cup red enchilada sauce see notes
• 1 ½ cups cheddar grated
• 1 small onion chopped and lightly cooked on a pan until translucent
• 1 cup corn frozen or canned
• 2 teaspoon chili powder optional
• 1 half red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1 half orange bell pepper sliced thin
• 10-12 olives pitted and cut in half or your choice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
• Garnish: lime wedges fresh cilantro leaves, sliced avocado, sour cream, fresh sliced jalapeno

Method

 

1. Grease the crockpot with a cooking spray.
2. Prepare the chicken (rinse and pat dry) and place the chicken into the crockpot along with the enchilada sauce. Add chili powder and gently stir to combine. Place the lid on the slow cooker and slow cook for 3-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low, until fork tender.
3. Shred the chicken (either with a fork or a hand mixer) or you can also dice the chicken, then return to crockpot.
4. Add bell peppers, onion, olives (reserve some for garnish on top), salt, and pepper to taste, corn, cilantro, stir. Stir in half of the cheese. Cover and continue to cook on low for one hour, or ½ hour on high.
5. Finally, open the lid, stir to combine, and even out the top. Add the remaining cheese evenly and arrange olives on top of the cheese. Close the lid and continue to cook until cheese is almost melted. Alternatively, you can skip this step and add all the cheese and olives along with other veggies (this last step makes a beautiful presentation!).
6. Serve with your choice of garnishes, sides such as rice, pico de gallo, quinoa or tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

15 minute Enchilada Sauce

Multicooker settings: choose slow cooker setting and set a timer for 3 ½ hours. Proceed as per instructions, shredding the chicken after 3 hours mark, adding veggies and cooking for 30 minutes more with cheese. 

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Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.

Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.

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