This easy recipe for Slow Cooker Enchilada Chicken makes flavorful shredded chicken for stuffing enchiladas. Chicken breasts are flavored with a homemade blend of spices, so you'll never need to worry about bland enchiladas.
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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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Other Uses For Shredded Enchilada Chicken
While my recipe includes instructions for not only making the chicken but for making baked chicken enchiladas, you can use your shredded enchilada chicken in a variety of other ways including:
- Add it to Mexican chilaquiles, which makes a tasty breakfast or lunch!
- Make a chicken enchilada casserole.
- Add it to these simple cheese quesadillas to make delicious chicken quesadillas instead.
- Use it as a stuffing for pan-fried chicken taquitos or air fried taquitos.
- Toss it into crockpot taco soup or Instant Pot chicken taco pasta.
- Add it to Mexican-inspired rice or grain bowls, along with slow cooker Mexican pinto beans.
Recipe FAQs
No, whatever liquid you are using in a slow cooker, whether it be broth or water, does not need to cover the chicken as it cooks.
You can add ground beef along with the chicken if you'd like a chicken/beef combo filling. Adjust the amount of seasonings accordingly if you use more meat.
I suggest doing both. Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a good amount of enchilada sauce, then pour another good amount onto the rolled tortillas before topping with cheese. Once they've baked, warm more enchilada sauce in the microwave and pour as much as you'd like onto each enchilada at serving.
Cook time will not change if you increase or decrease the servings you make.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Chicken
This easy recipe for Slow Cooker Enchilada Chicken makes flavorful shredded chicken for stuffing enchiladas. Chicken breasts are flavored with lots of bold spices so you'll never need to worry about bland enchiladas.
- slow cooker
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 bell pepper (any color)
- 1 small onion (yellow, sweet or red)
- 1 ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoon dried minced onion
- 2 ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon brown sugar (light or dark)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Enchilada Sauce (Optional)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 can tomato sauce (15 ounce)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Baked Chicken Enchiladas (Optional)
- 8 large flour tortillas (or 16 medium tortillas)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mexican melting cheese
- fresh cilantro
To the slow cooker add boneless skinless chicken breasts. Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle in the chili powder, paprika, dried minced onion, cumin, garlic powder, brown sugar and salt. Dice the bell pepper and onion and add to the slow cooker.
Cover and set to LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.
With 1 hour left, uncover and stir. Use a fork or wooden spoon to shred the chicken. Stir the shredded chicken and seasonings well, cover and let slow cook for the remaining hour.
Optional Chicken Enchiladas
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil and chili powder over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a paste forms. Add the flour and stir. Pour in the water, tomato sauce, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a large glass or ceramic baking dish. Fill a flour tortilla with a generous amount of chicken filling. Roll tightly and place in the baking dish on top of the sauce, seam side down. Continue until all tortillas have been rolled.
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.
Bake uncovered at 350° Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Top with fresh cilantro and more enchilada sauce when serving.
*Nutritional information is for the shredded enchilada chicken only.
Cook time varies based on slow cooker brand and age. Yours may take a little longer than the times in the recipe. 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.
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.
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Ro Stuart says
I made this and was so happy with the results. My new go-to for enchiladas. Thank you for putting this out.
Cassandra says
Can this be used to make enchiladas with green sauce ?
Kristina Tipps says
Absolutely! Enjoy.
Anonymous says
How much chicken broth? It doesn’t say
Kristina says
It's 1 cup of chicken broth, sorry!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
Love making slow cooker meals as the flavors are amazing. Love all the spice choices in this recipe and will be making it often.
Amy says
I doubled the recipe so I could freeze some for future dinners. I love that I can use the chicken in enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas.
LaKita says
Made this enchilada chicken this week and it turned out so tender, juicy, and flavorful! My family loved it, the perfect easy meal.