Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas

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Slow cooker chicken enchiladas are a quick and easy dinner option you can throw in the crock pot on your way out the door in the morning. Made with chicken breasts and red enchilada sauce, they're slow-cooked until fall-apart tender and require virtually zero prep time! Plus, this recipe calls for just 4 main ingredients!

Slow cooker chicken enchiladas topped with melted cheese and garnished with chopped green onions, in a casserole dish.

If you're looking for set-it-and-forget-it convenience, this slow cooker chicken enchilada recipe is it! All you have to do to get it going is throw the chicken breast, canned sauce, and spices in your crock pot and let them cook for 4-5 hours.

Then, once the chicken breast is fork-tender and shreddable, simply scoop portions into corn tortillas, sprinkle with cheese, and top with more sauce. After that, you'll pop them in the oven and let them bake for about 15 minutes. Easy peasy!

And better yet, enchiladas are great for meal prep! Just like this sheet pan ground turkey quesadilla or these sheet pan chicken thigh fajitas, you can make a big batch for easy leftovers throughout the week.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients needed
Recipe variations
How to make slow cooker chicken enchiladas
Enchilada baking tip!
What to serve with crock pot chicken enchiladas
Expert tips
How to store, freeze, and reheat
More ways to use shredded enchilada chicken
Frequently asked questions
Other recipes to consider
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
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Why you'll love this recipe

Texture - Compared to using a rotisserie chicken or baked Dutch oven shredded chicken, slow-cooking chicken breast with enchilada sauce allows it to really absorb the moisture from the sauce, resulting in seriously juicy and tender chicken!
Customizable - Feel free to add any of your favorite toppings, from green onions and diced avocado to salsa and sour cream.
Family-friendly - You can easily adjust the heat level by choosing mild, medium, or hot enchilada sauce. And, most kids love anything smothered in cheese!

Ingredients needed

Chicken breast - Use boneless, skinless chicken breast, and make sure you trim off any fatty or undesirable-looking sections.
Enchilada sauce - I used Pace and Old El Paso enchilada sauce when testing this recipe. Both tasted great, but you can choose whatever you prefer, or even make your own using tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chipotle chilis.
Spices - Even though the enchilada sauce provides a tremendous amount of flavor, I found the recipe was much tastier after the addition of kosher salt, ground black pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder.
Corn tortillas - You can substitute with flour tortillas if you'd like; however, I much preferred the texture of the small, taco shell-sized corn tortillas.
Cheddar cheese - You can use cheddar, Colby-jack cheese, or a pre-shredded taco cheese blend.

*See the recipe card below for a detailed list of ingredients and measurements.

Recipe variations

Optional mix-ins include canned corn, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, or diced bell peppers.
Use this recipe as a base and try it out with a different protein, such as pork or beef. Refer to this slow cooker pulled pork recipe for step-by-step instructions on cooking pork shoulder in the crock pot.

How to make slow cooker chicken enchiladas

Recipe rundown

Slow-cook the chicken breast.
Scoop shredded enchilada chicken into corn tortillas.
Roll tightly and repeat.
Top with cheese and enchilada sauce.
Bake, garnish, and enjoy!

Step-by-step instructions

Chicken breast covered in seasonings in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Step 1: Place the chicken breast in the bottom of your slow cooker and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.

Seasoned chicken breasts with enchilada sauce in a slow cooker.

Step 2: Pour 1, 10-ounce can of enchilada sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook for 4-5 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high, or until cooked through and the chicken easily shreds with a fork.

Shredded enchilada chicken in a slow cooker.

Step 3: Once cooked, shred the chicken using two forks and mix it back into the enchilada sauce.

Tortilla shells wrapped in paper towels.

Step 4: Wrap the corn tortillas in damp paper towels and warm them in the microwave for 45 seconds. This will make them more pliable and prevent cracking.

Step 5: Preheat your oven to 350°F and pour half of your second can of enchilada sauce into the bottom of an extra-large casserole dish.

Corn tortillas topped with enchilada chicken and cheese.

Step 6: Scoop about ¼ cup of shredded chicken into the middle of a corn tortilla. Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese and then roll tightly.

Enchilada baking tip!

It might be challenging to find a baking dish large enough to fit all 14-16 assembled enchiladas. In order to bake all of the chicken enchiladas at the same time, you'll need an extra-large roasting pan or two medium-sized casserole dishes. You can divide the can of sauce and 1 cup of cheese between the two dishes.

Assembled slow cooker chicken enchiladas in a casserole dish.

Step 7: Place your assembled chicken enchiladas in your casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat until you've used up all of your chicken and tortillas. This recipe makes about 14-16 enchiladas using small corn tortilla shells.

Slow cooker chicken enchiladas in a casserole dish, topped with enchilada sauce and cheese, ready to be baked.

Step 8: When finished, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the prepared chicken enchiladas, sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese, and bake for 15 minutes, or until melty and bubbly.

Step 9: Top the baked enchiladas with any of your preferred garnishes, serve immediately, and enjoy!

Up close view of slow cooker chicken enchiladas.

What to serve with crock pot chicken enchiladas

I never serve these crock pot chicken enchiladas without a vegetable side dish. I love a fresh garden salad, but any of the options listed below also work.

Expert tips

The extra seasonings added to the chicken breast are a must! My first recipe test didn't include them, and the chicken filling turned out pretty bland.
Don't skip the bottom layer of enchilada sauce. Without it, the tortillas stick to the casserole dish.
Avoid overcooking the chicken breasts. Even though the slow cooker traps juices and moisture, if proteins are cooked too long, they can dry out. Aim for 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low, checking for doneness around these times.
To prevent the tortilla shells from cracking, wrap them in damp paper towels and warm them in the microwave for about 45 seconds.
The enchilada sauce will thin out as the chicken breasts cook. If you like a thicker sauce, you can thicken it back up by mixing in a cornstarch slurry at the end of cooking time. Just remove the chicken breasts before you mix it in.
Don't wrap the chicken enchiladas in advance. The corn tortillas start to crack several minutes after they're exposed to air. It's best to move quickly during this step.

How to store, freeze, and reheat

How to store - Store leftovers in a glass, airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to freeze - I have not tried freezing chicken crock pot enchiladas; however, enchiladas are typically freezer-friendly.
How to reheat - Warm leftover slow cooker chicken enchiladas in the microwave for 1 minute at a time, until heated through.

More ways to use shredded enchilada chicken

I love a trusty slow cooker recipe that can be used in a number of different ways! Here are a few ideas for you:

Add the shredded chicken to quesadillas, burritos, tacos, and nachos.
Make chicken enchilada stuffed peppers.
Use the chicken for burrito bowls or as a topping for baked potatoes (no foil) or sweet potatoes.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to put raw chicken in a crock pot?

Yes, it's perfectly safe to cook raw chicken in a crock pot. Raw chicken breasts usually need 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low to cook through. It's always best to test for doneness using a digital meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked until it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F.

Can you put tortillas in a crock pot?

Some slow cooker enchilada chicken recipes put the tortillas right in the crock pot, however, they aren't added until after the chicken has finished cooking.

Is it better to cook chicken on high or low in the crock pot?

Either high heat or low heat is fine! The chicken will fully cook on both settings. Typically, the longer it cooks, the easier it is to shred.

Other recipes to consider

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