Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 11/26/21
crock pot chicken enchiladas

The Spruce
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 5 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
614 Calories
33g Fat
40g Carbs
41g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 614
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 12g 59%
Cholesterol 112mg 37%
Sodium 1644mg 71%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 15%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 41g
Vitamin C 31mg 156%
Calcium 412mg 32%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 555mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The word "enchilada" is a Spanish word that means "in chili." The typical enchilada is a corn tortilla stuffed with meat, cheese, and other ingredients, covered with a chili sauce (enchilada sauce) and baked. This crock pot version includes layers of cut-up tortillas, shredded or chopped chicken, cheese, ripe olives, and chopped onions to make a hearty enchilada casserole.

Serve this great tasting chicken dish with a Mexican style rice and a salad.

Ingredients

For the Optional, Quick Enchilada Sauce

  • 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

  • 1 cup chicken stock

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

  • Dash onion powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 3 tablespoons chili powder

For the Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

  • 6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

  • 1 (4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion

  • 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chile peppers

  • 16 to 20 small corn tortillas

  • 2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce

  • 16 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 4 medium green onions, optional

  • 1/2 cup tomato salsa, optional

  • 1/2 cup sour cream, optional

  • 1/2 cup guacamole, optional

Steps to Make It

Quick Enchilada Sauce

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Quick enchilada sauce ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. In a bowl, combine 8 ounces of tomato sauce with 1 cup of chicken stock, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, a dash of onion powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir to blend; set aside.

    Bowl of tomato sauce and seasonings
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  3. Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.

    Vegetable oil in saucepan
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  4. Add 3 tablespoons of flour and 3 tablespoons of chili powder; stir until blended. Continue cooking the roux until light brown, stirring constantly.

    Roux being stirred in saucepan
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  5. Add the tomato mixture to the saucepan and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

    Tomato sauce mixture being stirred in saucepan
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  6. Next, make the casserole.

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Crock pot chicken enchiladas ingredients
    The Spruce

  2. Pat the chicken breasts with paper towels to dry. If they are not uniform in thickness, put them between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them gently with a rolling pin or the smooth side of a meat tenderizer.

    Chicken breasts drying on paper towels
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  3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken breast halves and cook for about 10 minutes on each side, or until they reach a temperature of at least 165 F.

    Cooking chicken breasts in skillet
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  4. Chop or thinly slice the chicken and set aside.

    Sliced chicken on cutting board
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  5. In a bowl, combine the soup, sliced ripe olives, onion, and chile peppers.

    Enchilada filling in bowl
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  6. Cut the corn tortillas into wedges.

    Corn tortillas cut into wedges on cutting board
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  7. Spoon some enchilada sauce into the crock pot.

    Enchilada sauce in crock pot
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  8. Add some tortilla wedges.

    Tortilla wedges in crock pot
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  9. Add some of the soup mixture.

    Enchilada mix in crock pot
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  10. Then add some of the chicken.

    Chicken in crock pot
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  11. Finally, add a layer of the shredded cheese.

    Shredded cheese in crock pot
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  12. Continue layering with the remaining ingredients (sauce, tortilla wedges, soup mix, chicken, cheese).

    Enchilada ingredients in crock pot
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  13. Cover the slow cooker and cook the enchilada casserole on low for 5 to 7 hours, or until hot and bubbly.

    Enchilada casserole cooking in crock pot
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  14. Garnish servings with chopped fresh cilantro or green onions and serve along with tomato salsa, sour cream, and guacamole, if using.

    Crock pot chicken enchiladas
    The Spruce

  15. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Variations

  • Tailor the ingredients to suit your family's tastes. Use part pepper jack cheese with some cheddar, or use a Mexican blend of cheeses in the dish.
  • Taco-seasoned cheese is another excellent choice because it adds extra Tex-Mex flavor.
  • If you have leftover turkey, feel free to replace the chicken with it.
  • If you like more heat in your enchiladas, use a hot enchilada sauce or use chopped jalapeño chile pepper instead of mild chile. 
  • The recipe calls for chicken breast halves, but consider replacing at least half of them with boneless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are more flavorful and fattier, so they tend to be juicier, a bonus for slow-cooked dishes.