Recipe Background
Mama's Enchiladas are cheesy, saucy, and made easily in a slow cooker.
The first time I made Mama's Enchiladas was right after my youngest officially learned to ride a bike. With newfound freedom for both child and parent, it was an afternoon filled with wobbly attempts and triumphant bell rings. Returning home, there was a need for something comforting and celebratory. A quick rummage through the pantry revealed a can of enchilada sauce and black beans, staples that usually saved the day on such occasions. The real magic, though, came from the leftover rotisserie chicken just waiting to be shredded into perfection.
I decided to let the slow cooker do most of the work while we relived the day's adventures. Tossing in the salsa and thawed corn with the chicken provided a colorful, delicious filling. Practical tip alert: always drain those black beans properly so your tortillas don't get too soggy. There's something gratifying about rolling up flour tortillas like tiny edible presents and nestling them seam-side down into a warm, saucy bed. A layer of shredded cheddar completed the job, beckoning drool-worthy smells to fill the kitchen. Covering the cooker with paper towels is a hack I love for keeping condensation from sogging up the cheese topping.
As we sat down to dig into these spicy, cheesy creations, watching my proud little one at the head of the table, it felt like a moment worth sealing into memory. Mama's Enchiladas now stand as an edible milestone for that first liberating bike ride, threading through what has become a cherished family story.
Ingredients
- 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce divided
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chiles
- 12 flour tortillas fajita-size
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Directions
- Coat the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, add the shredded chicken, the salsa, the corn, the black beans, the chiles and their juices, and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce.
- Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture to the center of each of the tortillas and roll them up.
- Place the enchiladas seam-side down in the prepared slow cooker and cover them with the remaining enchilada sauce.
- Sprinkle the enchiladas with the cheese.
- Rest two layers of paper towels over the top of the slow cooker and cover to secure them with the lid; ensure they are not touching the enchiladas.
- Cook the enchiladas on low heat, about 3-4 hours.
- Serve.
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