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Slow Cooker Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce

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This deconstructed crockpot chicken and cheese enchilada recipe uses juicy chicken breasts slow-cooked in red enchilada sauce shredded to just the right size topped with black beans, cheese, and shredded corn tortillas for a filling Mexican-style comfort dish at home!

Chicken and cheese enchilada with black beans on a white plate.

I’m not sure about you, but I love Mexican food. It’s one of those cuisines that has so many different variations, and each time I find a new recipe to try, it becomes my favorite! This recipe is for chicken and cheese enchiladas made in the slow cooker with red sauce and black beans – it was an instant hit at our dinner table! The great thing about this dish is that all of the ingredients can be prepped ahead of time, making cooking super easy. It combines chicken breasts, cheese, black beans, red sauce, and tortillas into one delicious dish!

Ingredients For Your Crockpot Enchiladas In Red Sauce

Ingredients for chicken and cheese enchilada sitting on a white countertop.
  • chicken breasts 
  • can of corn
  • can of black bean
  • red enchilada sauce 
  • shredded cheese 
  • corn tortillas

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

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

Collage of cooking the chicken with enchilada sauce.
  1. Place the chicken breast in the slow cooker and top with enchilada sauce. Cook on high until chicken reaches 165 degrees. (Photo 1)
  2. Remove the chicken and shred the meat. Return to slow cooker. (Photo 2)
Collage of cooking chicken and cheese enchilada.

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  1. Add the corn, beans, tortillas, and 2 cups of cheese and stir to mix. (Photos 3 & 4)
  2. Top with remaining cheese and cook for 45 minutes.
A fork with chicken and cheese enchilada.

What To Serve With Your Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

This slow cooker meal is perfect on its own, but if you feel like adding a side dish, go for some cilantro lime rice, refried beans, or even some cornbread! If you want something fresh, and avocado salad really brightens things up!

Chicken and cheese enchilada on a plate with a fork and black bean in the background.

Deconstructed Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quesidillia FAQs

Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn?

If you want to make the enchilada filling beforehand, go for it! Store in a sealed container and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook. The tortillas will soften and can get soggy the longer they sit, so I recommend cooking them right before serving.

What can I do if my enchiladas are dry?

If your chicken is drying out in the slow cooker during cooking time, make sure to add some more red sauce into the crockpot and switch the heat setting to warm if you’re not quite ready to eat yet. This will keep the chicken juicy and moist!

How do I freeze Slow Cooker Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas?

If you have leftover enchiladas, you can freeze it, the corn tortillas will most likely disintegrate or become soggy, but the dish does still taste good. If you want to make it as a freeze-ahead dump meal, just omit the corn tortillas until you heat up the enchiladas.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Sure! If you prefer using chicken thighs in your recipes, feel free to substitute them for the breasts. Keep an eye on them because they will probably cook faster than what is recommended here, and although it is tough to dry out chicken thighs, it can happen!

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can, but it’s not going to be gluten-free. If you still want to go for it, just use about half as much flour tortillas as you would corn.

Can I make this recipe with tortilla chips?

Yes, if you want to serve the enchiladas with a little crunch, tortilla chips are a great way to do it! Just use about the same amount as you would corn tortilla strips and serve right on top.

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A white plate of chicken and cheese enchilada.
5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce


Author: Kim Schob
Course: Slow Cooker & Crockpot
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
4 Servings
Love enchiladas? Hate making them? This recipe for deconstructed crockpot chicken and cheese enchiladas takes less than 15 mins to prep, making it a perfect weeknight dinner!

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 can whole kernel corn can, drained
  • 1 can black bean rinsed, drained
  • 16 oz red enchilada sauce
  • 3 cups shredded cheese
  • 5 corn tortillas cut into strips

Instructions

  • Place the chicken breast in the slow cooker and top with enchilada sauce. Cook on high until chicken reaches 165 degrees 
  • Remove the chicken and shred the meat. Return to slow cooker 
  • Add the corn, beans, tortillas, and 2 cups of cheese and stir to mix.
  • Top with remaining cheese and cook for 45 minutes.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 629kcal (31%) Carbohydrates: 49g (16%) Protein: 53g (106%) Fat: 24g (37%) Saturated Fat: 12g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 7g Trans Fat: 0.01g Cholesterol: 139mg (46%) Sodium: 1765mg (77%) Potassium: 841mg (24%) Fiber: 9g (38%) Sugar: 9g (10%) Vitamin A: 1363IU (27%) Vitamin C: 5mg (6%) Vitamin D: 0.4µg (3%) Calcium: 474mg (47%) Iron: 3mg (17%)

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Hi, I’m Kim — the creator of KimSchob.com, where I share easy, delicious recipes, crowd-pleasing desserts, and holiday favorites made for real life. I’m all about big flavor without the fuss, so you can cook with confidence and enjoy every bite.
Life’s too short to make bad food, let’s indulge together.

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32 Comments

    1. Hey there! Yes, be sure to rinse and drain your beans, and drain the canned corn too. If you have questions just ask! Happy cooking!

      Reply

  5. Made with my favorite ingredients and I love how easy it is to make them! Thanks for sharing with us so we could have a good snack at home

    Reply

  7. I absolutely love Mexican food and these enchiladas sound fantastic and easy to prepare. I think I’ll have them for dinner next weekend.

    Reply

  8. I absolutely love Mexican food and these enchiladas sound fantastic and easy to prepare. I think I’ll have them for dinner next weekend.

    Reply

  9. Photos made me drool so much! All the chicken and cheese is why, we will have this soon! Oh God, good luck to diet here ????

    Reply

  10. Ohh my…reading this recipe now really making me want to grab the ingredients & making it now. Yummy max
    Cheers Siennylovesdrawing

    Reply

  13. I have all the ingredients to make this for dinner tonight! Would it be okay to use frozen chicken breasts or should I defrost first?

    Reply

  15. Yum this recipe looks so good, I like it. I think I’ll try to prepare it one of these days. Thanks for the idea, I love chicken so much! – Paolo

    Reply