This cheesy quinoa enchilada casserole recipe is prepared in the slow cooker with juicy chicken, ripe canned tomatoes, beans, corn, and hearty quinoa. Everything gets layered with tortillas and melty cheese for a satisfying make-ahead dinner.
This quinoa enchilada casserole is seriously good comfort food. Instead of filling and rolling the tortillas like you would for traditional chicken enchiladas, we’ll stack soft flour tortillas in between layers of chicken, juicy canned tomatoes, quinoa, and cheese. Similar to a taco casserole, only assembled in a crockpot.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you already know how much I love the slow cooker! Whether it’s today’s quinoa enchilada casserole with chicken, slow cooker chicken tacos, or crack chicken, my crockpot is my all-time favorite shortcut to a home-cooked meal.
About This Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
- Enchiladas made easy. An enchilada casserole is perfect when I can’t find the time to roll, fill, and bake my usual chicken or beef enchiladas in the oven.
- Crowd favorite comfort food. I love whipping together this casserole in the morning, setting it to cook, and coming home to a cozy, comforting meal. It’s great on nights when friends or family are over for dinner.
- All-in-one. What I love most about casserole recipes is that, most of the time, they’re a complete meal in one! This quinoa enchilada casserole has protein, veggies, and grains.
Ingredients Needed for This Recipe
This slow cooker quinoa enchilada casserole turns simple pantry and fridge ingredients into a 5-star dinner, with lots of room for variations. These are the ingredients I use. Scroll to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe with the full amounts.
- Onion and Garlic – Freshly diced onion and minced garlic. If you don’t have fresh garlic, substitute ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder or 1 tablespoon of jarred garlic per clove.
- Ground Chicken – You could also make a turkey enchilada casserole with quinoa and lean ground turkey. Alternatively, consider swapping fowl for lean ground beef instead.
- Canned Tomatoes – I use Hunt’s canned diced tomatoes. Try fire-roasted tomatoes for even more flavor.
- Corn and Beans – If needed, try using pinto beans or kidney beans as a substitute for black beans. Instead of using canned corn, you can also shave the fresh kernels from leftover corn on the cob.
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a seed that comes in red, white, black, or tri-colored varieties. Some brands require rinsing the quinoa before you cook it. Refer to the packaging to be sure.
- Spices – Chili powder and cumin. I recommend adding both of these to taste. For a spicier casserole, add more chili powder or another spice, like cayenne. You can swap the individual spices for taco seasoning or fajita seasoning, too.
- Enchilada Sauce – I love using my quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce when I have 15 minutes to spare (or when it’s already in the fridge). Otherwise, a jar of store-bought sauce does the trick. You can choose mild or spicy enchilada sauce depending on what you prefer.
- Chicken Broth – I like to use low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth. You could use homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth if you’d like.
- Flour Tortillas – Corn tortillas are the traditional choice for enchiladas, but I use whole wheat flour tortillas in this casserole. You can use flour tortillas or corn; it’s up to you.
- Shredded Cheese – I use a Mexican shredded cheese blend (the kind that includes cheeses like Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and melty mozzarella). You could also use freshly grated cheese, and it’ll melt more smoothly.
- Garnishes – Fresh cilantro (or parsley), diced avocado, and sour cream for serving.
My Favorite Canned Tomatoes
I love tomatoes. The scent, the flavor, the juiciness. I grew up plucking them straight from my mother’s garden. And when I can’t get mom’s garden-grown tomatoes in March, it doesn’t mean I have to give up the freshness and flavor. That’s where Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes come in. They’re my go-to, 100% natural and non-GMO tomatoes any time of the year.
Tips and Recipe Variations
- Drain and rinse the canned beans. You’ll need to drain and rinse canned black beans and corn kernels before you add them to the casserole.
- Vegetarian quinoa enchilada casserole. To make a meatless enchilada casserole, skip the ground chicken and replace it with extra quinoa, beans, chickpeas, or meatless mince.
- Different protein. Try a quinoa enchilada casserole with beef, turkey, or pork. You can also replace the ground meat in this recipe with cooked, leftover pulled chicken, shredded beef birria, or pork carnitas.
What to Serve With Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Serve this quinoa enchilada casserole as a meal as-is, or add a few bowls of toppings to the table for a satisfying and easy Tex-Mex dinner. I love my servings topped with diced avocado and freshly chopped cilantro, with a generous dollop of sour cream. Of course, a pineapple margarita never hurts.
If I’m cooking for a crowd, I’ll serve this quinoa enchilada casserole with white rice or fiesta rice on the side. Enjoy tortilla chips and salsa or guacamole as a starter, and sip on a homemade Mexican coffee for dessert!
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- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground chicken
- 1 can, (14.5 ounces) Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes
- 1 can black beans, well rinsed
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels, rinsed
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin, or to taste
- 1 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce
- 1 ½ cups low sodium, fat-free chicken broth
- salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 6-8 (8-inch) low-carb whole wheat flour tortillas
- 1 cup Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish, optional
- Diced avocado, for serving, optional
- Sour cream, for serving, optional
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Sauté the onions. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.
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Cook the chicken. Stir in garlic and ground chicken; cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat.
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Combine the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, black beans, corn, quinoa, prepared ground chicken, chili powder, ground cumin, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, salt, and pepper; mix everything until well incorporated.
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Assemble the casserole. Lightly grease the crockpot with cooking spray. Arrange 2 flour tortillas on the bottom of your crock pot. Layer about 1/3 of the prepared quinoa mixture over the flour tortillas. Repeat the layers, ending with the quinoa mixture on top. Sprinkle with cheese.
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Cook. Cook on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours, or on LOW for 4 hours.
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Serve! Garnish with chopped cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1037mg | Potassium: 1041mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 940IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 209mg | Iron: 5.4mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make a Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
These are the steps to prepare this cheesy, hearty enchilada quinoa casserole in the slow cooker or crock pot:
- Pre-cook the veggies and protein. You’ll start by sautéeing the onions in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken and garlic, and cook until the chicken browns. This extra browning step helps build more flavor than simply layering everything into the crockpot uncooked.
- Combine the ingredients. Next, add your ground chicken mixture to a bowl along with the quinoa, tomatoes, and the remaining enchilada ingredients (apart from the tortillas, cheese, and garnishes). Toss everything together so it’s well combined.
- Assemble the casserole inside the crock pot. Now, grease the inside of the crock pot or slow cooker. Lay two tortillas in the bottom of the pot, and spread ⅓ of the quinoa mix on top. Repeat, topping each layer of tortillas with more filling, ending with a layer of quinoa mixture. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Cook. Cover and cook the enchilada casserole for 2 ½ to 3 hours on High, or 4 hours on Low. When it’s time to serve, scoop out portions of casserole and add your favorite taco toppings! Mine are cilantro, avocado, and sour cream. See above for more ideas.
Storing and Reheating Quinoa Casserole
- Refrigerate. Transfer any leftover casserole to an airtight container and allow it to cool completely before refrigerating. Leftovers last 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat. Warm the casserole covered under foil in a 350ºF oven, or you can reheat individual servings in the microwave.
- Freeze. You can freeze this quinoa enchilada casserole airtight for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
