Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas: Cheesy Black Bean Casserole
By Olivia Hayes
Prep
15 min
Cook
270 min
Total
285 min
Servings
6
Level
Easy
Sautéing onion, garlic, cumin, and salt before slow cooking softens their edges and builds a browned base for this chicken enchilada casserole. Chicken then cooks in enchilada sauce until it shreds easily, while black beans, corn tortillas, and melted cheese make each bowl hearty and creamy.
The base starts with avocado or olive oil, onion, garlic, cumin, and kosher salt. Enchilada sauce, sour cream, and water create the cooking liquid, while rinsed black beans are folded in before the chicken is nestled into it. The sauce may be homemade or jarred, depending on what you have. Corn tortilla strips go in after shredding, and a Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella finishes the casserole.
As it cooks, look for chicken that pulls apart with little resistance and sauce-coated beans rather than dry pieces. The main timing point is adding tortilla strips only after shredding, then covering again until the cheese melts. Stir the strips into the shredded mixture before spreading the cheese over the surface. Rushing that final stage can leave the cheese unmelted and the strips less integrated into the casserole.
Serve a cup in bowls with cilantro and sliced jalapeños, or spoon it over cilantro lime rice with avocado and sour cream or crema. Leftovers keep refrigerated for four days in an airtight container, and the casserole can be frozen for up to three months and reheated in the microwave.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Browning the onion and garlic first gives the slow-cooked sauce a deeper base, so the finished casserole does not rely on raw allium flavor.
- Chicken cooks directly in the sauce until fork-tender, which makes shredding in the pot simple and coats each piece before serving.
- Adding tortilla strips after shredding lets them absorb sauce during the final cook without interrupting the chicken’s long, tenderizing phase.
- The final covered cook melts the cheese over the casserole, creating a cohesive top instead of scattering cold shreds into the finished dish.
- Black beans are folded into the sauce before cooking, so they are thoroughly coated and distributed through every spoonful rather than sitting separately.
- A slow cooker handles the long cook unattended after the brief sauté, while the final tortilla-and-cheese stage gives the casserole its layered finish.
Ingredients
- •1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (or chicken breast)
- •1 teaspoon avocado oil (or olive oil)
- •0.5 medium onion (chopped)
- •2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- •1 teaspoon ground cumin
- •1 teaspoon kosher salt
- •2 cups homemade enchilada sauce (or 16 ounce jarred enchilada sauce)
- •0.25 cup sour cream (plus more for serving)
- •0.25 cup water
- •4 corn tortillas (cut into strips)
- •15 oz low-sodium black beans (rinsed and drained)
- •4 oz shredded cheese (such as Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella)
- •jalapeño peppers (sliced, for topping)
- •fresh cilantro (chopped, for topping)
- •avocado (sliced, optional for topping and serving)
- •crema (or sour cream, optional for topping and serving)
- •cilantro lime rice (optional for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- 2
Add the onion, garlic, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened and browned, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and add the enchilada sauce, sour cream, and water. Stir to combine.
- 4
Fold in the black beans until thoroughly coated.
- 5
Nestle the chicken into the sauce.
- 6
Cover and cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours or on low for about 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Shred the chicken in the pot with 2 forks.
- 7
Add the tortilla strips and stir, then top with the cheese. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- 8
Garnish with cilantro, jalapeños, and optional toppings.
- 9
Serve over rice if desired and top with optional sour cream and avocado.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
315
Protein
25.5g
Fat
12g
Carbs
26g
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
