Creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Casserole Verde
A creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole with green salsa verde, sour cream, and melted cheese. Perfect for cozy, fuss-free dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-5 hours (low) or 2-3 hours (high) plus 30-45 minutes additional
- Total Time: 5 hours (approximate on low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican / Tex-Mex
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 ½ cups green salsa verde (medium heat)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack and cheddar blend)
- 1 cup enchilada sauce verde (optional)
- 1 small chopped onion (about ½ cup)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 12 small corn tortillas, slightly toasted
- A handful chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and pepper and place them in the slow cooker.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic; cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- In a bowl, combine green salsa verde and sour cream; stir until smooth.
- Lightly toast the corn tortillas until pliable.
- Spread a thin layer of the salsa-sour cream mixture on the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
- Place a layer of tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly.
- Sprinkle half of the sautéed onions and garlic evenly over the tortillas.
- Pour enchilada sauce verde over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours until chicken is cooked through.
- Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using forks or tongs.
- Return half of the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, spreading it evenly over the tortilla layer.
- Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese over the chicken layer.
- Repeat layering with tortillas, remaining onions and garlic, remaining shredded chicken, and top with remaining cheese.
- Pour the remaining salsa-sour cream mixture evenly over the top layer.
- Cover and cook on low for an additional 30-45 minutes until cheese melts and casserole is bubbly.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro before serving. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to set before slicing.
Notes
Toast tortillas before layering to prevent sogginess. Mix sour cream with salsa verde before adding to slow cooker to avoid curdling. If casserole is too wet after cooking, cook uncovered on high for 10-15 minutes to evaporate excess liquid. Use good-quality salsa verde for best flavor. Can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream or use vegan cheese and coconut-based sour cream for dairy-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of casserole
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: slow cooker, chicken enchilada casserole, salsa verde, creamy casserole, easy dinner, Tex-Mex, comfort food