Description
Tender shredded chicken, black beans, corn tortilla strips, enchilada sauce, and melted cheese come together in an easy slow cooker casserole. Serve it with cilantro, jalapeños, avocado, sour cream, or cilantro lime rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups homemade enchilada sauce or one 16-ounce jar
- 1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
- 1 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella
- Sliced jalapeño peppers, for topping
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for topping
- Sliced avocado, optional
- Mexican crema or additional sour cream, optional
- Cilantro lime rice, optional for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and lightly browns.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the enchilada sauce, sour cream, and 1/4 cup water. Stir until smooth.
- Fold in the rinsed black beans until coated with sauce.
- Nestle the chicken into the sauce and spoon some sauce over the top.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the chicken becomes tender and reaches 165°F.
- Shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker with two forks, then stir it into the sauce.
- Add the corn tortilla strips and stir gently.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
- Let the casserole rest uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and jalapeños. Serve with avocado, sour cream, crema, or cilantro lime rice if desired.
Notes
- Chicken thighs provide a richer flavor, while chicken breasts create a leaner casserole.
- Drain and rinse the black beans thoroughly so the casserole does not become watery.
- Add the tortilla strips only after shredding the chicken to keep them from breaking down too much.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months.
- Nutrition information is calculated per 1-cup serving and may vary with the sauce, cheese, and optional toppings used.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 315
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 780
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 26
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 25.5
- Cholesterol: 78