This slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole takes leftover chicken and turns it into a bubbling, cheesy dinner the whole family will love. Simply layer everything in your slow cooker, step away for a few hours, and come home to the aroma of melted cheese and savory spices.
My favorite thing about an enchilada casserole is that it’s so much easier to layer all the ingredients than to roll up individual tortillas. You get the same flavor with half the work. The slow cooker blends the sauce with tender chicken and corn tortillas until everything becomes a comfort-food masterpiece.
This casserole feeds a crowd, reheats perfectly for lunch the next day, and works with whatever toppings you have on hand – sour cream, avocado, cilantro, or just some salsa. It’s the kind of meal that makes weeknight dinners feel manageable.
Let me walk you through the simple steps that’ll have dinner waiting for you when you need it most. This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole is about to become your new favorite dinner hack.
Looking for more easy slow cooker dinner ideas? Try my recipes for slow cooker BBQ ribs, slow cooker teriyaki meatballs, or slow cooker jerk chicken.
Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Shredded cooked chicken: I like to use rotisserie chicken to save time, but you can also cook and shred your own chicken breasts.
- Spice blend: The combination of garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, and dried minced onion gives this dish that Mexican restaurant flavor.
- Canned green chiles
- Garlic
- Chicken broth
- Cornstarch
- Milk
- Corn tortillas
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Mix your shredded chicken with all those delicious Mexican spices in a bowl.
- In a saucepan, combine the garlic, green chiles, and chicken broth. While that’s heating up, whisk together your milk and cornstarch in a separate bowl.
- Add the milk mixture to your saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Stir in the sour cream until everything is smooth and creamy.
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray to make cleanup easier.
- Add a thin layer of sauce to the slow cooker. Then add your layers in this order:
- 4 corn tortillas
- ⅓ of the seasoned chicken
- ¼ of the pepper jack cheese
- ⅓ of the sauce
- Repeat these layers two more times.
- Top everything with a final layer of pepper jack cheese.
- Cover and let it cook on low for 4 hours.
Serving Ideas
I love serving this casserole as a complete meal. I usually set up a small toppings bar and let everyone customize their own portion. Here are my family’s favorite toppings:
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Sliced jalapeños (on the side for those who like heat!)
- Diced green onions
- Extra sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Pico de gallo
- Lime wedges for squeezing
How to Store
If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and they will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I like to portion out the leftovers into individual servings in separate containers – it makes grabbing lunch for work the next day so much easier! Simply pop it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, and you’ll have a delicious lunch.
Tips & Tricks
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Don’t forget to spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray! Otherwise, you’ll be scrubbing enchilada remnants off your ceramic insert.
- Start with a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the crockpot to prevent the tortillas from sticking. I like to break some of the tortillas in half to ensure even coverage around the round edges of my slow cooker.
- You can reduce the spice level by mixing in some regular Monterey Jack with the pepper Jack.
- You can prep the ingredients the night before and assemble the casserole in the morning. Shred the chicken and cheese and make the sauce ahead of time. You can store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- You can use flour tortillas, but they don’t hold up as well and are more likely to fall apart when you serve the casserole.
Reader Questions
Absolutely! Using rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite shortcuts when I’m pressed for time. One large rotisserie chicken should provide approximately the right amount of meat.
While you can freeze it, the texture will not be the same after thawing. The tortillas can become a bit soggy, and the sauce might separate. I recommend enjoying it fresh or storing leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Of course! Add extra diced jalapeños, use spicier cheese, or increase the chili powder.
After 4 hours on low, the cheese should melt and the edges should be slightly bubbly. If you’re using a newer slow cooker that runs hot, check it at 3.5 hours.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion dried minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounce green chilis can
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese shredded and divided
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix the shredded chicken with the garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, and minced onion. Set it aside for later.3 cups cooked chicken, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon onion
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add your garlic, green chiles, and chicken broth. Bring it up to just a bubble.2 cloves garlic, 4 ounce green chilis, ½ cup chicken broth
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and cornstarch until smooth. Whisk the milk mixture into the broth mixture until combined.1 ¼ cups milk, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Bring back to a gentle simmer, and then add the sour cream. Stir, then remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.¾ cup sour cream
- Spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Layer the ingredients in the following order: 4 tortillas, ⅓ of the chicken, ¼ of the pepper jack cheese, and ⅓ of the sauce.12 corn tortillas, 2 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese
- Repeat the layers two more times. Finish off with a final layer of pepper jack cheese.
- Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings, like sour cream, green onions, jalapeños, and avocado.
Notes
- Make sure to spray your slow cooker with non-stick spray.
- I like to break some of the tortillas in half to ensure even coverage around the round edges of my slow cooker.
- You can reduce the spice level by mixing in some regular Monterey Jack with the pepper Jack.
- You can prepare the ingredients the night before and assemble the casserole in the morning. Shred the chicken and cheese and make the sauce ahead of time. You can store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Flour tortillas work too, but they don’t hold up as well and are more likely to fall apart when you serve the casserole.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
