Slow cooker chicken enchilada bowl
Something that is so wonderful about Mexican food is how healthy it actually is! This slow cooker chicken enchiladas bowl has all the enchilada flavor you know! But its healthy! Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Healthy chicken enchiladas may sounds like an oxymoron to you but hear me out.
Its all about the flavor! The spices! and the toppings! This healthy crockpot recipe has it all!
You may be familiar with chicken enchilada casserole, with the mushy tortilla…this freezer enchilada recipe elevates that dish like crazy!
If you love it in tortillas then use fresh one day of and smother it in sauce, if you love the flavor then enjoy over rice or cauliflower rice!
Clean eating, heart healthy enchiladas, packed with the flavor that you love!
Something else that is so wonderful about this slow cooker recipe is that it can easily be preservative free if you use very simple pantry ingredients to blend up your own enchilada sauce (see recipe for directions).
This healthy enchilada chicken freezer meal is bursting with all the Mexican flavors you know and love!
Making food that is fast and easy is so important because you don’t have time to cook every night. Kids are hanging on your legs (or climbing into the dishwasher…) while you attempt to keep the whole house clean much less cooking healthy meals.
But freezer meals will change everything and make life a little easier and more relaxing.
When you feel good about your daily lifestyle you feel good about you.
Why you will love this Healthy Enchilada Chicken Bowl
- 10 Minutes to Prep
- Super Easy
- Extremely Tasty
- Healthy (Soy Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Preservative Free)
- Family Friendly
Are chicken enchilada bowls healthy?
Ingredients you will need for this healthy slow cooker chicken enchiladas.
- chicken breasts (or chicken thighs)
- yellow onion
- diced green chilies
- enchilada sauce
- black beans
Optional: Homemade Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- diced tomatoes
- chili powder
- ground cumin
- onion powder
- cloves garlic (or garlic powder)
- paprika
- salt
- black pepper
Do I have to make my own Enchilada Sauce?
How to make the enchilada sauce?
How to make this slow cooker chicken enchiladas?
What cut of chicken can I use?
What to serve with this slow cooker shredded enchilada chicken recipe?
How to store this healthy enchilada chicken recipe?
Do I need a slow cooker for this recipe?
Can I use an instant pot instead?
*See FAQ’s and specific tips following recipe below. (so you don’t have to scroll for a million years to find the food 😉 ).
How do you make Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas? 👇
Healthy Enchilada Chicken Freezer Meal
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken breasts (or chicken thighs, no skin)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 oz diced gren chilies
- 2 cups enchilada sauce (or make your own healthy enchilada sauce below!)
- 14.5 oz can black beans
Homemade Healthy Enchilada Sauce (Blend together):
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 3 clove garlic
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add all ingredients (except black beans) into slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on low 4 hours or high 2 hours.
- Stir in can black beans with 30 minutes cook time remaining.
- Shred chicken breasts and stir into sauce in slow cooker.
- Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, in tortillas or on chips!
Freezer Directions:
- Label Freezer bag with recipe name, cooking from frozen directions and expiration date (todays date plus three months).
- Add all ingredients (except black beans) to labeled gallon freezer bag.
- Store in freezer for up to three months.
Cooking from Frozen Directions:
- Thaw overnight in fridge or in the morning in some warm water (meal may not be 100% thawed but that is ok).
- Add freezer bag contents into slow cooker.
- Cook on low 4 hours, 4-5 hours if frozen.
- Stir in can black beans with 30 minutes cook time remaining.
- Shred chicken breasts and stir into sauce in slow cooker.
- Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, in tortillas or on chips!
Notes
- May top with favorite taco toppings! (cheese, guacomole, salsa, etc...)
- May also use as a filling for traditional style enchiladas. (wrap in tortillas, set in baking pan, top with leftover sauce, bake in 400 degree preheated oven for 10-15 min)
- Make it pretty: Garnish with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
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How freezer meals will change your life.
Makes homecooking Easy
Only spend one hour in the kitchen for a whole week of dinners. Day of, throw your freezer meal in the slow cooker or instant pot and enjoy dinner!
feel confident
Knowing you have a fool proof systen for something that is easy and works gives you confidence in the kitchen. So wether you're a seasoned chef or occational home cook the method of freezer cooking will work for you!
Eat Healthier
Because you're prepping the freezer meals with fresh foods you're eating healthier. Anytime you cook at home instead of eating out you get the benefits of healthier food.
Enjoy less stress
Have you ever felt the pressure of forgetting about dinner, or having to cook at the end of a long day?! No more, just grab something out of the freezer and you're good to go.
To learn more about how freezer cooking can help make your life easier sign up for FOOD FOR THOUGHT! Get healthy recipes, meal plans and hacks straight to your inbox weekly.
Frequently asked questions
No problem! Just throw the freezer meal in your slow cooker and you’re all set. If it doesn’t fit thaw it for a few minutes in warm water. (You may need to add an extra 30 minutes cook time if completely frozen when cooking).
Depending on the cut of chicken you use chicken can take anywhere from 4-6 hours on low in the slow cooker. If my meat is frozen I tend to add an extra 30 minutes to be sure chicken is done. Chicken breasts will take closer to 4 hours where chicken thighs are closer to 6 hours.
Homemade ones are! This enchilada sauce is full of flavor and has non of the bad stuff in it! Y0u will be so surprised at how easy it is to use staple ingredients to make the best sauces of your life.
Each serving is 1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken at about 366kcal per serving.
This is assuming you make the homemade enchilada sauce and will adjust slightly if store-bought sauce is purchased depending on the sauce.
This recipe is SOO SIMPLE! Throw it all into a freezer bag to be dumped into a slow cooker and move on. Use the recipe directions above for details and follow along.
Yes. It is totally fine to stack chicken just be sure that the amount of meat is appropriate for the size of your slow cooker.
Not at all. You can purchase some tortillas of your dietary preference but this recipe is amazing over rice or on its own and does not need any tortilla.
Absolutely! This recipe is designed to be frozen and then cooked so no prep work needs to be done day of!
Yes the leftover will do well in the freezer. Try freezing individual portions and thaw out for an easy healthy enchilada chicken freezer meal!
Don't forget to pin this recipe and save it for later! 👇
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So good!