Easy Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas are loaded with shredded chicken, rolled in tortillas, and topped off with a savory Mexican red sauce and melty cheese! Simply add raw chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, and spices to the slow-cooker and let it do all the work for you -- cooking the chicken and making the sauce simultaneously.
Once the chicken has reached optimal juicy perfection in the slow cooker, shred it, roll in in tortillas and top it with that savory, slow cooker Rojo sauce! Then sprinkle with cheese and bake in casserole form until the sides are hot and bubbly. It's a flavor-packed Mexican dinner casserole perfect for feeding the family any night of the week!
You should also try these Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and our Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas!
CROCK-POT CHICKEN ENCHILADA SAUCE
There's no need to reach for a second-rate, store-bought red sauce when it comes to making Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas. You can make an easy (and seriously delicious) Rojo sauce in a mere matter of minutes. No chopping, no prep work, and no stove-top time required.
All you need is a simple combination of canned crushed tomatoes and spices. The spices needed for your enchilada sauce are as follows:
- Ancho Chile Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Cumin
- Onion Powder
- Salt and Pepper
You might also like a Ranchero-Style Sauce like the one we use for making Crock-Pot Chicken Tacos!
ENCHILADA INGREDIENTS
In addition to the sauce ingredients, you will also need chicken breasts, Monterey Jack cheese, and tortillas.
When it comes to the cheese, freshly grated is best. However, if time does not allow, feel free to sub in pre-shredded cheese. In this case, you could use the easy-to-find Mexican Blend which features a combination of both Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese.
As far as the tortillas go, enchiladas are customarily made with corn tortillas, but if you prefer flour, go ahead and swap them in the place of corn for this recipe.
HOW TO MAKE CROCK-POT CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
- Make the Sauce - Add the crushed tomatoes, water, and spices to the crockpot and stir to combine.
- Slow-Cook and Shred the Chicken - Add the chicken and cook on low for 4 hours. Remove it from the crock-pot and shred once it is cool enough to handle.
- Mix the Chicken Filling - Transfer the shredded chicken, a ¼ cup of the sauce and half of the shredded cheese to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add Sauce and Enchiladas To Casserole Dish - Before you begin rolling your enchiladas, add a thin layer of sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish. Add the filling to warmed tortillas, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the casserole dish. Check out our How to Roll Enchiladas post for some helpful tips and tricks!
- Top With More Sauce, Cheese, and Bake - Top off the dish with the remaining sauce, followed by the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
For another easy Tex-Mex dinner, try our Shrimp Enchiladas!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ENCHILADAS
You have a ton of options when it comes to what to serve alongside your Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas! You can't go wrong with Mexican Rice and Charro Beans, and a basket full of tortilla chips with dips galore is never ever frowned upon.
Velveeta Cheese Dip
Easy Spanish Rice Recipe
Mexican Bean Salad
Canned Black Beans | Mexican Black Beans
Charro Beans
Salsa Fresca and Guacamole will serve double duty at an enchilada dinner, as they make both great dips and are wonderful enchilada toppers!
5 MORE TEX-MEX RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Crock-Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 large (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted, if you can find them)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt + a pinch
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ pound chicken breasts (about 4 chicken breast halves)
- 2 cups freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 12-14 corn tortillas
Instructions
- Add the crushed tomatoes, â…“ cup water, and spices to the crockpot and stir. Add the chicken breasts and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350° and have ready a 9x13" casserole dish.
- Once the chicken is ready, remove it from the crock-pot and allow it to cool slightly. Shred the chicken and transfer to a mixing bowl along with a ¼ cup of the sauce from the crock-pot. Add a generous pinch of salt to the bowl, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, and mix with a fork until combined.
- To warm the tortillas for rolling, stack 6 tortillas in the center of a damp paper towel, and microwave for 45 seconds. Repeat until all of the tortillas are warm and pliable.
- Add a thin layer of the sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish and begin assembling the enchiladas.
- Add about 3 tablespoons worth of filling to each tortilla and roll tightly. Place seam-side down across the casserole dish. Top with the remaining sauce, followed by the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!
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Jennifer says
These enchiladas were delicious and I love that they were made in the slow cooker!!
Renee Goerger says
Yum! I love how this dish starts in the crockpot and is finished in the oven. I like to make the chicken on one day and assemble the casserole on another. Great time-saver and delicious recipe.
Ashley says
Made these for dinner and they were so easy and delicious!
Jessica says
YES! Enchiladas are our favorite and I just loved how I could assemble these ahead of time and then just cook when ready.
Chef Mireille says
I have a crockpot that I rarely use. these look so delicious. I need to pull that pot out of the cabinet and start cooking delicious recipes like this one!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter says
It was a big mistake looking through your blog whilst hungry! These enchiladas look to die for! Such a great meal for the whole family xx
Roxana says
This is so simple and easy. Just few ingredients and the right recipe to make these days.
Emily Liao says
I'v been looking for an enchilada recipe and I'm happy to say I found a delicious one! I love how I can make this in the crock pot too.
Chris Collins says
I love Chicken Enchiladas so much! Never thought of making them in the crock pot before but definitely going to give it a go!!
Janet Bradley says
Can no t wait to make this. But just wanted to ask if you think it would be ok to add a small can of green chili pepper into the mixture and cook as stated above?
Thanks, Janet
Kelly Anthony says
Oh definitely! That won't hurt one bit 😉