Description
A comforting and flavorful slow cooker green chicken enchilada casserole that layers tender shredded chicken, salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, sour cream, fire roasted green chiles, and corn tortillas, all topped with melted Monterey Jack cheese. This easy, set-it-and-forget-it recipe is perfect for busy days and delivers a delightful Tex-Mex meal with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- 16 oz. salsa verde
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
Casserole Mixture
- 20 oz. green enchilada sauce (two 10 oz. cans)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 5 oz. can fire roasted green chiles
- 10 corn tortillas, cut into 8 strips each
Topping
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Additional chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Season and cook chicken: Add the chicken breasts to the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour the salsa verde over the chicken evenly. Add onion powder and garlic powder for extra flavor. Cover with the lid.
- Slow cook chicken: Slow cook the chicken on low heat for 6 hours, allowing it to become tender and infused with the salsa verde and spices.
- Shred chicken: After 6 hours, remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a plate. Use two forks to shred the meat thoroughly.
- Discard cooking liquids: Pour out and discard all the salsa and cooking juices left in the slow cooker, as they are too runny to use for the casserole layering.
- Mix casserole ingredients: Place the shredded chicken back into the dry slow cooker. Add the green enchilada sauce, chopped green onions, fire roasted green chiles, and sour cream. Stir everything together well.
- Add tortillas and cheese: Stir in the tortilla strips into the chicken mixture. Spread the mixture into an even layer inside the slow cooker, then sprinkle shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly on top. Optionally, layer ingredients like a lasagna for different texture.
- Cook casserole: Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2 more hours, or until the casserole is hot and the cheese has fully melted.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle additional chopped green onions over the casserole just before serving. Serve warm and enjoy a hearty green chicken enchilada casserole!
Notes
- This recipe takes about 8 hours total with preparation and slow cooking time, perfect for a day when you want an easy, set-it-and-forget-it meal.
- Discarding the juices after cooking the chicken prevents the casserole from becoming too watery.
- Cutting tortillas into strips allows them to soak up the sauce evenly without becoming mushy.
- You can substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- For added spice, consider adding diced jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Keywords: slow cooker green chicken enchiladas, green chicken enchilada casserole, salsa verde chicken, slow cooker Tex-Mex, easy chicken casserole, green enchiladas