Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Meal Prep
If you’re a fan of delicious Mexican cuisine but find yourself short on time, this Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Meal Prep recipe is a game-changer! This recipe offers a perfect blend of flavors and spices, creating a mouthwatering dish that will leave you craving more. Not only is it a delightful treat for your taste buds, but it’s also a convenient and nutritious option for meal prep. I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of making these super easy chicken enchiladas, including the made from scratch enchilada sauce.
Choosing Your Ingredients
Let’s go through the key ingredients used in this Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada recipe.
Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: Chicken breasts are lean and tender, making them an excellent choice for this recipe. They act as the main protein source and absorb the flavors of the spices and sauce during the slow-cooking process, resulting in succulent and flavorful shredded chicken.
Xtreme Wellness Tortillas: These Ole Xtreme Wellness tortillas are a healthier alternative to regular tortillas, typically lower in calories and carbs. They provide the perfect vessel for wrapping the chicken filling, and their soft texture complements the dish well.
Low-Fat Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Cheese adds creaminess and a savory taste to the enchiladas. Using low-fat shredded cheddar cheese reduces the overall fat content without compromising on flavor.
Diced Green Chilies: Green chilies add a mild heat and a hint of smokiness to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile of the enchiladas.
Chicken Broth: Chicken broth serves as the liquid base for the sauce, adding depth and richness to the flavors. It also keeps the chicken moist during the slow-cooking process.
Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce provides the essential tomato flavor and acts as the base for the enchilada sauce. It contributes a tangy sweetness that balances the spiciness of the other ingredients.
Spices (Chili Powder, Paprika, Cumin, Onion Powder, Salt): These spices are the heart of the enchilada sauce, infusing it with a robust and well-rounded taste. Chili powder adds a warm heat, paprika imparts a smoky flavor, cumin brings a nutty and earthy note, onion powder enhances the overall savory profile, and salt heightens all the other flavors.
Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce add a smoky and spicy kick to the dish, creating a complex and bold flavor.
The Cooking Process
The first step is the longest but by using your trusty crockpot (or slow cooker)you can just set it and walk away. Cook the chicken and the sauce together, allowing the chicken to become tender and absorb the flavors from the sauce and spices over the course of 4 hours. This low and slow cooking method ensures the chicken is moist, juicy, and infused with the delicious sauce.
Assembling and Baking
Shred the chicken in a bowl and mix with some of the sauce to keep it moist and flavorful. Next, pour a little sauce on a plate and place the tortilla on the sauce. Then fill with the chicken mixture and roll up in the tortillas, creating the enchiladas.
Top the assembled enchiladas with the remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheddar cheese.
Baked in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes. This step melts the cheese, allows the flavors to meld together, and lightly crisps the edges of the tortillas.
Serving and Meal Prep
You can serve the enchiladas immediately, topped with shredded lettuce, low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, and salsa. These toppings add freshness and a cool contrast to the warm and spicy flavors of the dish.
Check out my Classic Pico De Gallo recipe for the perfect fresh and healthy chicken enchilada topping.
Alternatively, you can prepare the enchiladas in advance for meal prep. Once baked, divided them into meal prep containers for convenient and tasty meals throughout the week.
- Allow the enchiladas to cool down after baking.
- Divide the enchiladas into meal prep containers, placing two enchiladas in each container.
- Refrigerate the meal prep containers for later consumption.
The next time you are looking for a great weeknight meal prep idea, give this Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Meal Prep recipe a try. You won’t regret that you did!
Easy Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 8-inch Xtreme Wellness Tortillas
- 8 oz low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 oz diced green chilies
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Chipotle in Adobo Sauce
- 15 oz Tomato Sauce
For Serving
- shredded lettuce
- low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
- salsa or fresh Pico De Gallo
Instructions
- In a crockpot, combine the tomato sauce, chicken broth, chipotle in adobo sauce, chili powder, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Mix everything together until well combined.
- Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the crockpot, ensuring they are covered with the sauce. Cover the crockpot with its lid.
- Cook the chicken on high for 4 hours until it becomes tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the crockpot and place it in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the chicken into small pieces.
- Take 1/2 cup of the sauce from the crockpot and mix it with the shredded chicken to keep it moist and flavorful.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Pour enough sauce from the crockpot to cover the bottom of a 9 x 11-inch glass baking dish.
- Lay one tortilla on a plate, spoon some of the shredded chicken mixture onto the tortilla, and roll it up. Place the filled tortilla seam-side down into the baking dish. Repeat this process for all 12 tortillas.
- Once all the tortillas are in the baking dish, pour the remaining sauce over the top, ensuring they are well coated.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the enchiladas.
- Bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the enchiladas are heated through.
- To serve immediately, top the enchiladas with shredded lettuce, low-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream, and salsa according to your taste preferences.
- For meal prep, let the enchiladas cool down a bit after baking, then divide them into meal prep containers, placing two enchiladas in each container. Refrigerate the meal prep containers for later consumption.
Notes
- Place the desired number of chicken enchiladas on a microwave-safe plate.
- Cover the enchiladas with a microwave-safe cover or a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out.
- Heat the enchiladas in the microwave on medium power for about 1-2 minutes per enchilada or until they are heated through.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the chicken enchiladas in an oven-safe dish.
- If the enchiladas were refrigerated, you may want to add a little extra sauce or a splash of water to keep them from drying out during reheating.
- Cover the dish with foil to prevent the enchiladas from browning too quickly.
- Bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until they are heated through.
Making these again to celebrate Feliz Navidad!