The Best Slow-Cooked Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
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Turn up the heat on dinner tonight with the Best Slow-Cooked Shredded Chicken Enchiladas the whole family will love!
Can anyone else believe that we actually made it to September? Who would have thought with all the craziness that 2020 has brought us in the last several months? Here we seem to be hitting fall way faster this year. Don't get me wrong; I totally love it. I have just gotten used to our second summers that have happened the last two Septembers. This year though, the trees are already starting to change their colors, and the forecast has us plugging into the 60's next week.
Of course, with all those fall feelings, this mama wants to make all the slow-cooked comfort foods right along with them.
You want to hear something funny? I actually HATE slow-cookers. I am not sure why but everyone I have tried leaves the food blah and weird aftertaste, which is funny because I love slow-cooked food. Thank goodness for my love of cast iron dutch ovens because they let me get all the slow cooking deliciousness without the actual slow-cooker.
What makes a good enchilada?
Enchiladas by nature are really easy to make, which is good for those busy nights. Even though they are easy, they are big on flavor, and that flavor keeps everyone wanting more.
- Chicken - Slow cooked to perfection!
- Onion
- Cheese - I like to use a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar, but use what you want.
- Tortillas - To keep this grain-free, I always use Siete Brand tortillas. Feel free to use what you like, or even use corn tortillas if you prefer.
- Enchilada Sauce - I let the chicken go low and slow in this sauce, then thicken it up to smother the enchiladas in for added flavor in every bite!
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Tips and Tricks
Warm the Tortillas - The Siete ones come frozen from the store. When I am making enchiladas, I like to let them come to room temperature while the chicken is cooking. Then I will slightly cook the tortillas in a dry skillet, about 1-2 minutes per side before filling them.
Shredding the Chicken - Okay, this trick is my favorite for not only this recipe but a lot. Don't take forever shredding chicken with a fork. If you have a stand mixer, toss the chicken into the bowl with the paddle attachment. Beat the chicken on medium until it is completely shredded.
Making Enchiladas Ahead of Time - You can definitely make these ahead of time. Because the chicken is cooked low and slow, you can make it ahead of time and then assemble it when you are ready to eat. You can even prep and freeze the enchiladas put together. Just let them defrost a bit before baking them off.
Let's Make Dinner!
- Saute the onion.
- Combine the remaining sauce ingredients except the arrowroot starch in with the onions.
- Add the chicken.
- Let the chicken cook low and slow until it is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the chicken from the sauce, shred and set it aside.
- Whisk in the arrowroot to the sauce and let it simmer until it's thickened.
- Assemble the enchiladas with the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and cheese into a baking dish.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Enjoy!
Can you use a slow-cooker?
Yes, you can! I like to let my chicken go for at least 2-3 hours in my dutch oven. You can do 4-6 on high or even 6-8 on low with a traditional slow-cooker.
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The Best Slow-Cooked Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
- Slow-cooker or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 Small Onion diced
- 1 LB Chicken Breasts
- 2 TBS Avocado Sauce
- 4 TBS Chili Powder
- 1 ½ TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TSP Onion Powder
- 2 TSP Salt
- 2 TSP Cumin
- 2 TSP Oregano
- 1 TSP Pepper
- 1 ½ TSP Cayenne For extra heat
- 6 OZ Tomato Paste
- 8 OZ Tomato Sauce
- 2 C Chicken Broth
- ¼ C Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ C Arrowroot Starch
- 8 Gluten-free Tortillas of Choice
- 3 C Shredded Cheese of Choice
Instructions
- If you are using a dutch oven preheat the oven to 300 degrees. If you are using a slow-cooker prep it now.
- In a large dutch oven or skillet add the avocado oil and onion. Allow it to cook until the onions have softened and started to caramelize a bit.
- Add in the remaining spices, tomato paste, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken stock and bring it to a simmer.
- If you are using the dutch oven add the chicken to the pot. If you are using a slow-cooker transfer the sauce and the chicken to the slow-cooker now.
- Let the chicken cook in the sauce on low until it is fork-tender. About 4 hours on high or in the oven or you can let it go slower on low 6-8 hours.
- One the chicken is done remove it from the sauce. Shred the chicken and set it aside.
- Add the arrowroot starch to the sauce and bring it to a low simmer until it's thickend. You want it just thicj enough
- Warm your tortillas and shred the cheese as needed.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees .
- Spoon a small layer of sauce into the bottom of a baking dish.
- Assemble the enchiladas with the shredded chicken, sauce, and cheese rolling and placing them into the baking dish.
- Once all of the enchiladas have been assembled spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until the cheese has fully melted.
- Allow the enchiladas to cool slightly and enjoy!
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.