Slow Cooker Enchilada Chicken

I've been asking for a long time, how do you make really good homemade chicken enchiladas? The kind that leave your mouth watering for more at your favorite Mexican restaurant.

The answer is simple and the process is incredibly easy. It takes the right spices in the right amount to make incredibly flavorful shredded enchilada chicken, which is where are homemade enchilada seasoning comes into play. Plus lots of cheese and a good enchilada sauce!

With this recipe it is possible to get those restaurant quality enchiladas made in your own kitchen! And making it in your slow cooker is a great way to get tender, pulled apart chicken with little hands on work. Just throw in all the ingredients and let the crockpot cook your enchilada chicken for you.

There is minimal preparation time with this slow cooker enchilada chicken recipe- simply dice an onion and bell pepper and toss them in the crockpot with chicken breasts and an assortment of spices. Then shred the chicken and use it to make hot and cheesy chicken enchiladas (or in other ways as I suggest below). Serve with this delicious Spanish rice and Mexican black beans.

And if you love Mexican style recipes, make sure to check out how to make homemade salsa in your Instant Pot, quesadillas in your air fryer, and spicy mango habañero salsa.

Ingredients

To make shredded slow cooker enchilada chicken you need the following 10 ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
• Bell pepper: green, red, yellow, orange or a combination
• Onion: a sweet onion, yellow onion or red onion all work
• Brown sugar: light or dark
• Chili powder
• Paprika
• Dried onion flakes: onion powder works too
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Salt

Instructions

STEP 1: To the crockpot, add boneless skinless chicken breasts. Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle in the chili powder, paprika, dried onion flakes, cumin, garlic powder, brown sugar and salt. Put the diced onion and bell pepper on top.

STEP 2: Cover and set to LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.

STEP 3: With 1 hour left, uncover and stir. Use a fork or wooden spoon to shred the chicken. It should easily pull apart. I do this right in the crockpot without removing the chicken. Stir the ingredients well, cover and let slow cook for the remaining hour.

That's it! Before filling those delicious enchiladas, give the mixture a taste and adjust any seasonings as you see fit.

Recipe Tips

• To make it spicy, add a handful of fresh jalapeños or jarred pickled jalapeños.
• For more vegetables, add a diced tomato, a cup of salsa, corn or black beans.
• A hand mixer can be also be used to shred the chicken, although I find it so easy to just use a fork that I don't do this.
• Use a digital thermometer to ensure the chicken has cooked through before shredding it. The internal temperature at the thickest point should be at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How To Make Chicken Enchiladas

To turn your tasty enchilada chicken into a complete enchilada meal:

1. Layer about 1 cup of the homemade enchilada sauce in the recipe card below (or a store bought sauce) on the bottom of a glass or ceramic baking dish.
2. Fill a large burrito size flour tortilla with a generous amount of chicken filling. Roll tightly and place in the baking dish on top of the sauce. Continue until all filling has been used.
3. Spread another cup or two of enchilada sauce on top of the rolled enchiladas. Top with a combination of shredded cheddar cheese, mozzarella and Mexican melting cheese.
4. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with fresh cilantro and more enchilada sauce when serving.

What To Serve With Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas go perfectly with black beans, yellow or Spanish rice, and tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole.