Description
Mexican-inspired slow cooker chicken enchiladas blend tender shredded chicken with zesty spices and melted cheese. Homemade comfort delivers authentic flavors that satisfy hunger and warm hearts with minimal kitchen effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 grams) chicken breast or thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup (113 grams) shredded cheese, Mexican blend or cheddar
- 2 cups (473 ml) enchilada sauce, red or green
- 8–10 small corn tortillas, cut into strips or lightly fried
- 4 oz (113 grams) diced green chiles, canned
- ½ cup (75 grams) onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp olive oil or avocado oil
- sliced avocado (optional)
- sour cream (optional)
- chopped cilantro (optional)
- sliced jalapenos (optional)
- black olives (optional)
Instructions
- Spice Infusion: Awaken a skillet over medium heat, sautéing onions, garlic, cumin, and chili powder until their aromatic essence permeates the air, roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Slow Cooker Assembly: Nestle chicken into the slow cooker, drenching it with enchilada sauce, green chiles, and the fragrant onion mixture. Season with salt to elevate the flavor profile.
- Tenderizing Process: Seal the slow cooker and allow chicken to cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours until the meat becomes effortlessly shreddable.
- Layering and Cheese Integration: Shred the chicken using two forks, reuniting it with the sauce. Artfully arrange tortilla strips throughout the mixture, interlacing generous cheese layers to create a molten landscape of texture.
- Final Transformation: Cascade remaining enchilada sauce over the layers, crowning the dish with a final cheese blanket. Activate the slow cooker on high for 20-30 minutes, allowing the cheese to transform into a bubbling, golden masterpiece.
- Serving Presentation: Adorn with optional garnishes and serve the enchiladas steaming hot, ready to tantalize discerning palates.
Notes
- Manage Moisture Carefully: Control liquid content to prevent soggy tortillas by draining excess sauce or using thick enchilada sauce.
- Choose Right Tortillas: Select corn tortillas for authentic flavor and better structural integrity; avoid thin flour tortillas that might disintegrate during slow cooking.
- Optimize Spice Levels: Adjust chili powder and cumin quantities based on personal heat preference; start with less and gradually increase for balanced flavor profile.
- Enhance Protein Texture: Ensure chicken is not overcooked by monitoring cooking time precisely; shred meat immediately after cooking to maintain tender, juicy consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-8 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg