Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Testers objected to large cubes of chicken in their Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Sautéing boneless, skinless breasts for a few minutes per side allowed us to shred the meat before building the casserole. Corn tortillas added rich flavor, but they dissolved into porridge in the slow cooker. Flour tortillas held up nicely, but they weren’t as flavorful. Alternating toasted corn tortillas and toasted flour tortillas provided the perfect combination of flavor and texture. Canned enchilada sauce was convenient, but it tasted tinny and dull. For fresher flavors, we created a paste of onions, garlic, chili powder, cumin, jarred pickled jalapeños, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth.

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  • 8

Ingredients

  • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 9 (6-inch) flour tortillas
  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 8 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1/3 cup tomato paste
  • 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons minced drained jarred pickled jalapeños
  • Serve this hearty casserole with sour cream, diced avocado, and lime wedges.

Preparation

Step 1


1. TOAST TORTILLAS Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler. Arrange corn tortillas directly on oven rack. Broil until spotty brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and repeat with flour tortillas.

2. COOK CHICKEN Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until well browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes and shred; reserve.

3. MAKE FILLING Heat remaining oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste. Reserve 1 cup tomato sauce. Simmer remaining tomato sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl and stir in chicken, 1 cup cheese, cilantro, and jalapeños.

4. ASSEMBLE AND BAKE Line slow-cooker insert with foil according to photo below. Following diagram at bottom of page, place 3 flour tortillas in bottom of slow-cooker insert. Layer with 2 corn tortillas, one-third of chicken mixture, and 2 more corn tortillas. Repeat twice, ending with chicken-mixture layer and reserving last 2 corn tortillas. Sprinkle with ½ cup cheese, cover, and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours. Tear reserved corn tortillas into small pieces. Remove lid and top casserole with tortilla pieces and remaining cheese. Replace lid and let cheese melt, about 10 minutes. Serve with reserved sauce.

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