This easy chicken enchilada recipe was inspired by my favorite food truck in San Francisco. I’m smitten with fusion recipes, and this one is top notch. Served with my Super Easy and Delicious Coconut Jasmine Rice, you’re going to want to make this meal ASAP.
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and Central towns of California. We moved to North Carolina around 12 years ago, and I definitely brought some of my “home” flavors with me to the east coast! While living in San Francisco, Trader Joe’s was our main grocery store (2nd was Safeway located in the Marina District). I fell in love with their Thai Red Curry Sauce many, many years ago… and I still keep a bottle in my pantry now.
While living in the “city by the bay”, one of our favorite outings was attending “Off-The-Grid” to nosh on Señor Si Sig – which is a Filipino-Mexican fusion truck. Their burritos are…. ahh, *chef’s kiss*! Oh, and just “SLOG” it when getting their fries! So I was thinking, if Filipino and Mexican fare can pair together so well, why not try Thai and Mexican? Other multi-culture favs you can find on my blog include these Kimchi Cheeseburger Egg Rolls, my spin on Crispy Chicken Korean “Bird Dogs”, and this Cheesy Buffalo Blue Lasagna Soup.
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INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE:
I call these “lazy enchiladas” because instead of stuffing and rolling them into shape, I simply tear the tortillas and layer the dish like a lasagna. It’s a HUGE time saver and tastes the exact same. Trust me, you’re gonna switch the way you make enchiladas from now on. Oh, and don’t forget the chips and my Authentic Restaurant-Style Salsa (or this Chipotle Cremosa version!)! Here’s what I used for this particular recipe:
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN:
- Chicken Breast
- Paprika
- Salt + Black Pepper
- Chicken Boullion
FOR THE ENCHILADAS:
- Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry
- Yellow Onion
- Enchilada Sauce
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Cojita Crumbles
- Corn Tortillas
SUGGESTED TOPPINGS:
- Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
- Fresh Avocado Slices
- Cilantro
- Shredded Cabbage
- Sliced Thai Peppers or Jalapeños
- Fresh Lime Wedges
For convenience, I like to place the chicken breasts in our slow cooker in the morning, then it’s perfectly cooked a few hours later when I’m ready to assemble. However, you can also cook them in the instant pot, grilled or pan-fry the chicken (then shred), utilize pulled rotisserie chicken, or whichever method you prefer. There’s no rules here, so go with whatever works for you best!
YUMMY SWAPS & RECIPE VARIATIONS:
CHICKEN: I already had chicken breasts on hand, so that’s what I used. However, skinless chicken thighs would be just as tasty!
TORTILLAS: Again, I already had corn tortillas in my fridge… so we went with those. But go ahead and mix-and-match with flour tortillas if you’d like! Seriously, use what you already got in your fridge or pantry.
CHEESE: While I love the flavor of Monterey Jack, you could use any melty variety. I’m thinking Pepper Jack (for spicy lovers), Colby Jack, mozzarella, fontina, provolone, or a mild cheddar.
WANT MORE HEAT? Go ahead and add some spicy green chilies to the chicken mixture!
OTHER RECIPES YOU’LL WANT TO TRY:
Dutch Oven Pozole Rojo with Chicken
Cheesy Beef and Red Sauce Mexican Lasagna
Creamy Tomatillo Salsa Verde with Avocado
Hatch Chili Mexican Street Corn Dip
Mexican Street Corn Deviled Eggs with a Korean Twist
Skillet Chicken Tamale Pie with Cheesy Cornbread
One-Pan Mexican Rice Casserole with Ground Beef
Dutch Oven Chicken Pozole Verde
VIEW MORE RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!
Thai-Mexican Fusion Lazy Chicken Enchilada Bake
Ingredients
SLOW COOKER CHICKEN:
- 1.5 lbs. Chicken Breasts
- 1 tbsp. Paprika
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Chicken Boullion
FOR THE ENCHILADAS:
- 1 Bottle Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion, sautéed and caramelized
- 28 oz. Enchilada Sauce
- 16 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Cojita Crumbles
- 15 6 inch Corn Tortillas, cut into 4ths
TOPPINGS:
- Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
- Fresh Avocado Slices
- Chopped Cilantro
- Shredded Cabbage
- Fresh Jalapeño Slices or Thai Peppers
- Fresh Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker on high, cover with seasonings listed above. Cook for 3 hours. Once cooked, shred with two forks, mix with the entire bottle of Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce; set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Slice the onion and sauté with butter until caramelized. Then mix with the Thai red curry chicken.
- Pour about a half cup of the enchilada sauce into the prepared casserole dish. Spread evenly if necessary.
- Layer ⅓ of the cut up tortillas, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the casserole dish. Then layer with ½ of the saucy shredded chicken, ⅓ of the shredded cheese, and ½ of leftover enchilada sauce. Continue to layer ⅓ tortillas, the rest of the saucy shredded chicken, and ⅓ shredded cheese. The last layer will be the remaining tortillas, the rest of the enchilada sauce, then the rest of cheese on top.
- Spray one side of the aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the casserole dish with the sprayed-side-down. This will help the cheese not stick to the foil while baking.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until casserole is warmed through and the cheese has melted.
- Uncover the foil and crank the oven to 400F. Continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until golden.
- Allow the enchilada bake to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with suggested toppings listed above.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- This is perfect for using leftover chicken that you’ve prepared earlier in the week. Knock off the three hours of prep if you’re using leftovers, rotisserie, or the other methods I mentioned earlier in the blog post.
- There’s no need to heat the Thai red curry sauce before mixing with the chicken. It will warm while baking.
- Leftovers should be kept in a sealed container, refrigerated, and enjoyed within the next 2 – 3 days. We reheat our in the microwave, but you could also re-bake it.
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