This easy crock pot chicken enchilada recipe does double duty. First, it gives you tender chicken simmered in a simple homemade enchilada sauce—perfect as filling for tacos or rolled enchiladas.
Or mix in tortillas and cheese for a full enchilada casserole. No rolling, no layering. Just stir, top, and let the slow cooker take it from there.
Jump To (scroll for more)
- 🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 🐓Ingredients
- 👨🍳Quick Overview: Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- 🐔 What Chicken to Use
- Tips to Make It Right Every Time
- ❓FAQs
- ↕️ Crock Pot Size and Adjusting the Recipe
- 🍽️ How to Serve Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- ❄️ How to Store Leftovers
- 🔗 Related Recipes
- 📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Featured Comment by Anne:
"Thanks for another great recipe… followed your basic recipe and couldn't have been happier with the result. This one's a keeper!"
🧡 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple, budget-friendly sauce with way more flavor than canned
- Cooks in one pot—no oven, no rolling
- Two-in-one: use the chicken as filling for enchiladas or tacos, or go all-in on the casserole
- Great for beginners and slow cooker pros
- Add beans, corn, or spice it up your way
🐓Ingredients
For Shredded Enchilada Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Homemade enchilada sauce (recommended) or use canned
- Tomato sauce
- Pantry spices: chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (optional), salt, and pepper
- Onion and garlic—fresh or powdered
- Optional add-ins: diced green chilis, sliced black olives, black beans, or corn
To Make the Casserole
- Corn tortillas
- Shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
👨🍳Quick Overview: Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Part 1: Making Shredded Enchilada Chicken
Trim the chicken breasts and cut them into three pieces each.
Mix the sauce ingredients and chicken in a crock pot. Cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours, until the internal temperature reaches 165°, so it shreds easily.
Remove the chicken and shred with forks, then return it to the crock pot.
✅ At this point, you can stop and use the chicken as filling for rolled enchiladas or tacos.
Part 2: Finishing the Enchilada Casserole in the Crock Pot
Chop the corn tortillas into bite-size pieces and stir them into the pot. Mix well to coat all the tortilla pieces—this helps keep them from sticking together.
Stir in some shredded cheese, then top with more cheese.
Cook for one additional hour, then serve with your favorite toppings.
👇 Scroll down for the printable recipe card and complete step-by-step photo instructions—or keep reading for tips, veggie options, and serving ideas.
🐔 What Chicken to Use
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the go-to—quick, lean, and reliable.
- Chicken thighs work too. They’ll need 15–30 minutes more cook time and should hit 180°F for easy shredding.
- Precooked or rotisserie chicken? Use about 1½ to 2 cups of shredded chicken per 10–12 oz of raw chicken you're replacing. Cook the sauce alone for 1 hour before adding the chicken and finishing the recipe.
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Tips to Make It Right Every Time
- Use the homemade sauce.
It gives the best flavor, better texture, and is more economical than canned. For minimal extra effort, you get a big upgrade. Canned sauce just doesn’t deliver the same results. - Corn tortillas work best.
They hold up during cooking. Flour tortillas tend to get mushy, especially in leftovers. - Use a cheese that melts well.
Shredded Mexican blend or cheddar gives you the best melt and flavor. - Customize it.
Add black beans, corn, or a little cayenne if you want to change up the flavor.
❓FAQs
It should be, but always check your labels. Some canned enchilada sauces, shredded cheeses (especially taco-seasoned), and even corn tortillas may contain gluten or be processed in shared facilities.
↕️ Crock Pot Size and Adjusting the Recipe
The full recipe makes about 6 cups (4 servings) and fits in a 2-quart mini crock pot—no need to scale down unless you want to.
If you do want a smaller batch, you can easily cut the recipe in half.
To cook properly, your crock pot should be no more than 75% full. If you're adding extras like beans or corn, a 2½-quart or larger size is safer.
Doubling the recipe makes about 12 cups (3 quarts). For that, use a 4-quart crock pot at minimum, though I prefer a 5-quart or larger for easier mixing.
To scale the recipe:
- Use the recipe card to adjust servings
- Follow the ingredient list, not the instructions—they don’t scale
- Cooking time stays the same
🍽️ How to Serve Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Top with your favorites: sour cream, sliced green onion, black beans, fresh cilantro, salsa, pico de gallo, or refried beans. A splash of lime juice adds a fresh kick.
Serve with refried beans, Mexican rice, and tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole.
❄️ How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat after thawing using a covered dish in the oven or an air fryer for better texture. A microwave works, too, but the texture suffers.
🔗 Related Recipes
This recipe is a slow cooker version of my Healthier Chicken Enchilada Casserole in 60 Minutes — a stovetop-to-oven layered recipe that uses fresh chicken and homemade enchilada sauce to braise the chicken before baking.
Looking for more easy Tex-Mex casseroles?
📖The Recipe Card with Step-by-Step Instructions
Easy Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas with Simple Homemade Sauce
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts - 2 breasts
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder - or ½ chopped small onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder - or 2 cloves crushed garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper - (optional)
- small can of diced green chilis
- small can of sliced black olives
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned corn drained
- 2 cups shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese - lower-fat suggested
- 6 corn tortillas - 6-inch
- Toppings of choice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Shredded Enchilada Chicken
- Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs or precooked chicken—see the post).
- Trim and cut the chicken into 2–3 pieces each. Aim for about 1½ pounds total.
- In a 2 to 4-quart crock pot, add one 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder (or ½ chopped small onion), ½ teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 cloves crushed garlic), ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix well.
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce and coat evenly. Cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken and shred with forks. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot.✅ At this point, you can stop and use the chicken as filling for rolled enchiladas or tacos.
Part 2: Finishing the Enchilada Casserole in the Crock Pot
- Chop the tortillas into bite-sized pieces and stir them into the pot. Mix well to coat everything and break apart any pieces that stick.
- Stir in ½ cup shredded cheese and smooth the top.
- Top with the remaining 1½ cups of cheese.
- Cover and cook on low for 1 more hour. Serve with toppings of choice.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- This recipe fills a 2-quart mini crock pot right to the 75% mark—the max recommended for proper cooking. If you add extras or some of the options, use a larger crock pot or make a half batch.
- A double batch fits well in a 5 to 6-quart crock pot.
- If using precooked chicken, cook the sauce alone on low for 1 hour before adding the chicken and tortillas.
- Homemade sauce gives the best flavor and texture. You may use canned, but it’s not the same.
- The dish isn’t spicy unless you add cayenne.
- Great toppings include sour cream and chopped green onions.
- Chicken thighs should reach at least 180°F to shred well.
- Nutrition is based on chicken breasts and lower-fat cheese.
- Skipping added salt reduces sodium by about 300 mg per serving.
- Good refrigerated for 3–4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Originally Published April 22, 2018. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Cherish says
HELP I DONT have enough tomato sauce any recommendations
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
HI Cherish,
Some tomato product is needed. You can use tomato paste diluted with an equal amount of water. Diced or crushed tomatoes could also be used.
I hope that helps.
Dan
Holly says
Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Holly,
Welcome to the blog.
Yes, but the texture will not be as nice.
Dan
Cathy says
If I use precooked chicken in the crockpot chicken enchiladas
recipe, what is the total cooking time? Is this what you would do: Cook 1 hour on low for sauce, then add chicken, tortillas, 1/2c cheese and cheese topping. Then cook another hour on low? Thanks so much!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Cathy,
Welcome to the blog.
Cook the sauce on low for 1 hour to help the flavors come to gather. Than add the chicken, tortilla and cheese. Mix. Top with cheese then 1 more hour.
Dan
Dennis McMullan says
Dr Dan,
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your site. It has helped me so many many times. I'm retired and have been cooking for my wife and myself. I also cook for a program at my Church called Thursday Meals This is for the sick and shut-in's, most cases I prepare food for 60 to 65 individuals. Before I retired I also fixed meals for my Team at work 25 to 30 individuals Including Managers and Directors, on Thursday. Well to make a long story short They nick named me Chef Bubba. so again Thank you and thank all who make this site so great Thank you, Dennis McMullan (Alias Chef Bubba)
S. Eckels says
Dr.Dan, what temperature do we cook the sauce on in the crock pot before inserting the chicken, high or low for one hour?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
The sauce will cook with the chicken. So, no need to precook the sauce.
Dan
Miranda says
Have you tried using a hand mixer directly in the crock pot to shred chicken? It’s super fast but does produce a finer shred.
DrDan says
Great handy hint. I have not tried it but if it is finer shred, my wife would not be happy. When you look at any of the pictures of shredded meat on the site, it is more of a "chunky" shred which is as far as she will go.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Anne says
Thanks for another great recipe, Dr. Dan! I made this the day after you posted it, using my 2.5-quart Casserole Crock Pot. We loved it. For the two of us, it yielded two dinners and one lunch. I did make a couple of minor changes based on what was in my kitchen (as cooks do), but I followed your basic recipe and couldn't have been happier with the result. This one's a keeper!
DrDan says
Hi Anne,
Sorry for the delayed reply.
This one is just supper easy. I use my 3.5 qt. most of the time anymore but a 2.5 should work most of the time.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
MartinSlult says
Hi All im rookie here. Good art! Thx! Love your stories!
Dutch67 says
Dear Doc,
First, I enjoy your site and weekly emails. Second, I'm with you on the length of time the chicken breast needs to cook. Dried out breasts are awful! Less time, better results.
Third, this recipe is similar to one my wife makes starting on the stove top and finishing in the oven. She calls it "Deconstructed" Cabbage Rolls. All the flavors of the Balkans and Central Europe are there, but it's much less laborious/fussy to execute yet tastes just as good as the official version. I expect your similar style enchiladas will be easier to make yet just as enjoyable.
Finally, keep up the good work, Dr Dan! It's a labor of love--that's obvious.
DrDan says
Sorry for the delayed response.
The overcooked chicken is just careless and 9 in 10 seem to do it. I think they all just copy. Now that cabbage roll thing sounds interesting I may look into it.
Thanks for the compliment and thanks for the note.
Dan