Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole with Guacamole
Today’s recipe is a mouthwatering Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole with Guacamole. This dish is made of layers of tender chicken and soft corn tortillas marinated in a tangy and vibrant salsa blend then topped with fresh guacamole. It may not be a traditional Mexican enchilada recipe but you will not be disappointed by how comforting and delicious this is. So go get these very simple ingredients and try this recipe.
Some of the best recipes come out of a need to use up ingredients that have been sitting around in the kitchen for a while. That was the case for this recipe. We had a tall jar of salsa that was untouched from an event, some leftover corn tortillas and some veggies that were on the verge of getting bad. It also so happens I have started to get a bit obsessed with my slow cooker recently. It was only fitting that I get some chicken and make this casserole.
Before making my Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole with Guacamole
The main thing to keep in mind is that this recipe is flexible. You can do more or less of different ingredients or swap some things around. Here are some examples.
- I used a tomato salsa but you don’t have to. You can use an enchilada sauce or a different type of salsa of your choice.
- The amount of jalapeños you add to both the enchiladas and the guacamole depend on how spicy you want them to be. So that is totally up to you.
- I used a red bell pepper but use any color of your choice.
- If you want a more tangy and creamy sauce, you can double the amount of cream cheese or sour cream the recipe asks for.
- If you want it to be more or less cheesy, you can add more or less cheese.
- I transferred my casserole to a baking dish and then the oven at some point but you don’t have to. Refer to the recipe for those instructions.
- If you want to be extra like me, you can top this with a lot of guac and have some tortilla chips on the side.
You get the point. It is your enchilada casserole and you can have it the way you want it. It will still be comforting and delicious. So with that being said, here is the recipe.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole with Guacamole
Ingredients
Enchilada Casserole
- 1.5 to 2 lbs chicken breast
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 2 to 4 jalapeños chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped, plus more for serving
- 1, 16 oz jar of salsa
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 oz cream cheese or sour cream
- 6 to 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend or cheddar cheese
Guacamole
- 3 to 4 ripe avocados
- 1 to 2 jalapeños
- 1/2 a red onion chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 to 3 tbsps cilantro minced
- juice from 1 lime or to taste
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt to taste
Instructions
Enchilada Casserole
- Place chicken breast in a slow cooker and season with salt and pepper, garlic powder and cumin.
- Toss in chopped onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and cilantro.
- Pour in salsa, spreading it to cover all the chicken. Place the lid over the slow cooker and set it to high. Let it cook for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, shred chicken using two forks then mix in cream cheese or sour cream.
- Either continue the next steps in the slow cooker or preheat the oven to 350F and transfer the mixture to a baking dish for faster results and a darker top.
- Chop corn tortillas into squares (about an inch) then add them to the mixture. Spread them evenly all around making sure they are completely covered in sauce.
- Add about a cup of cheese mixing it in as well then top the mixture with the remaining cheese.
- If continuing in the slow cooker, place the lid back on and let it continue to cook on high for another 30 to 40 minutes. If continuing in the oven, bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and darkened to your liking.
Guacamole
- Cut open avocado and scope out flesh into a large bowl.
- Add in all the other ingedients; chopped jalapeños, onions, tomatoes and cilantro, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder and salt.
- Mash and mix it together with a fork. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired.
- Serve enchilada hot topped with guacamole, sour cream or Greek yogurt and some cilantro.
