Here’s a dish with all the goodness of enchiladas but much less prep time required! Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a healthy option for a family-friendly meal with lots of added veggies.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole served

Want me to send this recipe right to your inbox?

We'll email this post right to your inbox, so you can easily find it later!

What’s To Love About Chicken Enchilada Casserole

If you love classic enchiladas, this is an excellent (and faster to prep) substitute for a meal that tastes just as amazing.
This is one of those slow cooker recipes that you really can’t mess up! After a few minutes of vegetable chopping, you can add the filling ingredients to the pot and add the tortillas and cheese near the end. It’s a great recipe for aspiring home chefs!
You can enjoy authentic Mexican food flavors at home in a one-dish meal.
By choosing a sauce you love and veggies your family will enjoy, you can easily adjust the spice and control the ingredients.
With a few premade options, including enchilada sauce and canned beans, you can prep this early in the day (or even a few hours before serving) and have a hot, comforting meal ready for dinner. Your future self will thank you!

Ingredients Needed

Boneless skinless chicken breasts – Add whole, thawed chicken breasts to the slow cooker and shred them after cooking. You could also easily use cooked ground beef, cooked chicken, or cooked rotisserie chicken instead. If you use precooked meat, you can reduce the initial slow-cooking time by about half (since you will only need to cook the veggies).
Red enchilada sauce – Premade enchilada sauce makes meal prep simple! Look for one that uses quality, clean ingredients. I love this red enchilada sauce because of its excellent taste and natural ingredients.
Chicken broth – Choose any kind of chicken broth or stock – such as regular, organic, or reduced-sodium.
Canned black beans – You could use leftover beans from a homemade batch, but a quality can of beans, drained and rinsed, also does the trick! Choose from regular, unsalted, or seasoned beans.
Veggies – I love including a nice variety of veggies in my enchilada casserole for both flavor and nutritional value. Chop up one small zucchini and half of a red bell pepper. Dice some red onion, then add frozen corn kernels and a jalapeño pepper, finely diced with the ribs and seeds removed.
Corn tortillas – If you use the classic size, you will need roughly 10 tortillas. Either white or yellow corn tortillas will do.
Shredded cheese – Use your preferred cheese or even a mix of shredded cheeses. Colby or Monterey Jack would be great options, as well as a fiesta blend or cheddar.

ingredients like 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, black beans (drained and rinsed), diced zucchini, frozen corn kernels, diced red pepper, jalapeno pepper (diced and ribs and seeds removed), diced red onion, corn tortillas, shredded cheese laid out on the counter

Note: Feel free to experiment with other combinations of veggies that you know your family will enjoy. Try fresh chopped tomatoes, other squashes, a combination of bell peppers, or a can of green chilies. (I recommend leaving out root vegetables since they will take longer to cook in the slow cooker.)

How To Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole In The Slow Cooker

Add all ingredients, except the tortillas and cheese, to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours until the chicken is cooked through.

Ingredients like, red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, black beans (drained and rinsed), diced zucchini, frozen corn kernels, diced red pepper, jalapeno pepper (diced and ribs and seeds removed), diced red onion in chopped and still raw in slow cooker

Remove and shred the chicken breasts, and return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.

Roughly chop the tortillas and stir them into the slow cooker mixture along with 4 ounces of the shredded cheese.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole in the slow cooker and shredded cheese and tortilla squares laid on top

Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, cover, and let it continue to cook for about 30 minutes on high.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole cooked in the slow cooker

Pro Tips for the Best Enchilada Casserole

For the best results, use a high-quality enchilada sauce – you can really taste the difference! Ideally, look for one that avoids added food starches and seed oils.
Add chicken bone broth instead of stock if you want to increase the protein and nutritional content.
Shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. Freshly shredded cheese will melt better and taste better without added anti-caking ingredients.

What To Serve With Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Serve a big helping of chicken enchilada casserole with any extra toppings that you like! You could top it with fresh chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, black olives, or a spoonful of sour cream. For a little crunch, add a handful of crushed tortilla chips across each serving, or serve with chips and salsa.

For additional sides, serve enchilada casserole with Slow Cooker Spicy Queso and chips for a party spread, or make a fresh green salad with tomatoes and top with Zesty Lime Jalapeno Ranch Dressing.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole in a dish with a spatula serving

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover enchilada casserole servings in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw if needed and reheat in the microwave or in the oven.

When you prep this enchilada casserole, you may be inspired to double the ingredients and make a second portion as a freezer meal!

To prep, simply combine all the filling ingredients in a gallon, freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer. You can also freeze your tortillas and cheese separately. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking and follow the steps as directed.