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    Home » Slow Cooker

    Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

    Published: Apr 17, 2025 by Jessica Fisher

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    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more details, please see our disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These easy, 4-ingredient Crockpot Enchiladas are packed with flavor and make for easy prep. Let the slow cooker do all the work so you can enjoy a fantastic dinner of corn tortillas, cheese, enchilada sauce, and tender chicken.

    close up of crockpot enchiladas on a blue plate with fork and salad. this …

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    If you’re looking for an easy meal that you can just mix up and walk away while it cooks itself, then you’ve found it. Crockpot enchiladas are the perfect thing when you want to make dinner ahead of time without a lot of fuss.

    These stacked chicken and cheese enchiladas come together in minutes with just four ingredients!

    Why Make This Easy Crockpot Enchiladas Recipe

    It’s great for sharing. This recipe for Crockpot Enchiladas is a great one to take to plug in before work or church or the school play or other group event and within 2-4 hours, it’s ready. And it’s so good!

    Crockpot Enchiladas are easy. These slow cooker enchiladas aren’t as fancy or as pretty as the rolled kind, but these stacked enchiladas are major comfort food at our house with minor effort. Get all the flavor of traditional enchiladas with less work.

    Did I say four ingredients? Yes! The fewer the ingredients, it seems the better the food tastes. If you tried our 5-Ingredient Meal Plan, you know what I’m talking about. Recipes with a handful of ingredients seem to really pack a punch — without being fussy.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to make enchiladas in the slow cooker:

    ingredients for crockpot enchiladas laid out on the counter.

    enchilada sauce – You can use your favorite canned enchilada sauce (we love Las Palmas enchilada sauce) or try our Easy Red Enchilada Sauce for a homemade alternative.

    corn tortillas – Corn tortillas are best for this recipe as flour tortillas tend to get gummy.

    cooked, shredded or cubed chicken – You can use a rotisserie chicken or cook chicken meat to use in recipes.

    shredded cheese – Use whatever type of shredded, melting cheese you like to use in Mexican food, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican-style blend.

    Money-Saving Tip

    Remember you can freeze cheese that you won’t use right away. Package shredded or crumbled cheeses in portion sizes so you can whip up recipes in a matter of minutes.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Here’s how to make this easy enchiladas recipe in the slow cooker:

    sprayed crock with enchilada sauce on the bottom.
    tortillas, chicken, and cheese layered in the crock.
    more layers in the crockpot.
    the finished dish in the crockpot, topped with sliced black olives.
    • Spray the crock of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce in bottom of crock. Place a tortilla on top of the sauce. Spread a handful of chicken and a handful of cheese over tortilla.
    • Repeat with sauce, tortilla, chicken, and cheese until ingredients are used up, ending with sauce and cheese on top.
    • Cover and cook on LOW for 2 to 4 hours.
    bags of cheese, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and cooked chicken ready to freeze.

    To Make a Freezer Kit for Slow Cooker Enchiladas

    While you can’t freeze this casserole assembled, you can prep a freezer kit to make it even easier to assemble on the day of serving.

    Prepare the shredded chicken beforehand and store it freezer-safe packaging in the freezer alongside a container of Homemade Enchilada Sauce, a package of corn tortillas, and a bag of shredded cheese. Then on the day before serving, yank those items from the freezer and you’re good to go.

    FAQs

    Do I  need to roll the tortillas for slow cooker enchiladas?

    Nope. Unlike traditional recipes, like this Cheese Enchiladas Recipe, you just stack the enchilada ingredients in the crockpot. That’s what makes this a great weeknight meal. It comes together super fast!

    What type of tortillas should I use?

    Commercial corn tortillas work the best in enchiladas. Flour tortillas tend to get gummy if they are sauced before being baked or fried so we don’t recommend using flour tortillas in enchiladas.

    Can I make this as a freezer meal?

    Since you don’t want to freeze your slow cooker crock, this recipe is not ideal for a freezer meal. While you can certainly freeze the leftovers, we don’t recommend doing so as they will get rather mushy. Instead, prepare a kit of the ingredients that you can assemble in the slow cooker on the day of cooking. It’s fine to assemble this dish with frozen ingredients.

    overhead shot of plate of enchiladas next to fork, napkin, slow cooker, and a bottle of beer.

    Tips for Success

    Serving Suggestions: Serve this like a casserole and don’t forget the toppings, such as black olives, avocado, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, or sliced jalapeños. You might also include sour cream, Pico de Gallo, or Easy Homemade Guacamole on the side.

    Shop Your Kitchen: This is a very versatile recipe, allowing you to make substitutions for the cheese, meat, and sauce. Use what you have so that you can save money.

    To Make a Meal Prep: Divide the casserole into meal prep dishes with your favorite sides, such as rice and beans.

    Freeze Extra for Later: Prepare a kit as mentioned above while you’re making this meal. You’ll get two meals for the effort of one.

    Make a Plan for Leftovers: Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

    finished crockpot enchiladas in crock on striped tablecloth.
    white spoon and fork on a teal plate logo.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    close up of crockpot enchiladas on a blue plate with fork and salad.

    Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas

    These easy, 4-ingredient Crockpot Enchiladas are packed with flavor and make for easy prep. Let the slow cooker do all the work so you can enjoy a fantastic dinner of corn tortillas, cheese, enchilada sauce, and tender chicken.
    4 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 554kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $7

    Ingredients

    • 24 oz red enchilada sauce
    • 12 corn tortillas
    • 2 cup chicken (cooked and shredded)
    • 8 oz cheddar cheese (shredded) (2 cups)
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • Spray the crock of the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce in bottom of crock. Place a tortilla on top of the sauce. Spread a handful of chicken and a handful of cheese over tortilla.
      24 oz red enchilada sauce, 12 corn tortillas, 2 cup chicken (cooked and shredded), 8 oz cheddar cheese (shredded)
    • Repeat with sauce, tortilla, chicken, and cheese until ingredients are used up, ending with sauce and cheese on top.
    • Cover and cook on low for 2 to 4 hours.

    Notes

    Serving Suggestions: Serve this like a casserole and don’t forget the toppings, such as black olives, avocado, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, or sliced jalapeños. You might also include sour cream, Pico de Gallo, or Easy Homemade Guacamole on the side.
    Shop Your Kitchen: This is a very versatile recipe, allowing you to make substitutions for the cheese, meat, and sauce. Use what you have so that you can save money.
    To Make a Meal Prep: Divide the casserole into meal prep dishes with your favorite sides, such as rice and beans.
    Freeze Extra for Later: Prepare a kit as mentioned above while you’re making this meal. You’ll get two meals for the effort of one.
    Make a Plan for Leftovers: Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave. If you store your leftovers in clear containers, they’re more likely to get eaten.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 2599mg | Potassium: 359mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1767IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 474mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on May 9, 2018. It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « My Budget Grocery Haul – April 12, 2025
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adrienne

      October 19, 2021 at 7:40 am

      4 stars
      Easy way to do enchiladas when you’re out during prep hour, but I prefer the oven…

      Reply
    2. Pat Rutledge

      February 12, 2021 at 5:07 pm

      I only use ‘whole wheat’ tortillas & noticed that no-one mentioned them. Could they be substituted for ‘corn’ or ‘flour’? Pat

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        February 13, 2021 at 8:48 am

        Whole wheat tortillas will act similarly to flour tortillas in this recipe – they get gummy when sauced and heated in this manner. I don’t recommend them. Corn tortillas are a whole grain, so as long as there is no corn allergy or corn intolerance, they would be the better ingredient choice here.

        Reply
    3. Ali

      May 09, 2018 at 12:40 pm

      Simple and Amazing! Made this last night for dinner and oh-my-goodness we ate it all up. Followed your recipe exactly and it was super yummy. I liked how I was able to adjust the sauce a bit as my kids do not like too much spice but the adults do. Once it was all plated I then scooped out the bottom of the crockpot on top of our plates which contained the sauce and cheese/chicken that had “oozed out” while it cooked. Since the first layer was sauce, this part had the spicier goodness to please the adults! Yummy from top to bottom. Thank you for posting this, another recipe from you added to our favorites.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        May 10, 2018 at 6:25 am

        So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback!

        Reply
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    jessica from good cheap eats

    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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