Description
Hearty Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole brings Mexican comfort straight to dinner tables with layers of spicy, cheesy goodness. Creamy sauce, tender chicken, and corn tortillas combine for a soul-warming meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (0.5–0.75 kg)
Starches and Tortillas:
- 10 corn tortillas, sliced
Sauce and Cheese:
- 1 (28 ounces / 794 grams) can enchilada sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Optional Toppings:
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- Sour cream for serving
Instructions
- Nestle chicken breasts into the slow cooker and generously coat with zesty enchilada sauce, ensuring complete coverage.
- Allow chicken to simmer and tenderize on LOW heat for 8 hours or HIGH heat for 4 hours until meat pulls apart effortlessly.
- Using two forks, meticulously shred the cooked chicken directly within the slow cooker, creating tender, succulent strands.
- Layer sliced corn tortillas throughout the shredded chicken, distributing evenly to create a rustic, layered texture.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheese and scatter chopped olives across the mixture, gently folding to integrate all ingredients.
- Continue cooking on LOW setting for an additional 40-60 minutes, allowing flavors to harmonize and cheese to melt into a creamy consistency.
- Transfer the aromatic casserole to serving dishes, garnishing with a dollop of cool sour cream, extra cheese sprinkles, and freshly chopped cilantro for a vibrant finish.
Notes
- Prevent Dryness by selecting boneless, skinless chicken breasts with some fat content to maintain moisture during slow cooking.
- Customize Spice Levels by choosing mild, medium, or hot enchilada sauce depending on personal heat preference or dietary needs.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation works perfectly by using corn tortillas and ensuring enchilada sauce is gluten-free certified.
- Vegetarian Transformation is possible by substituting chicken with black beans, firm tofu, or plant-based chicken alternatives for protein-rich meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg