Crock Pot Mexican Casserole

Name: Crock Pot Mexican Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I used 93% lean ground turkey); 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 cup uncooked quinoa; 2 (10-ounce) cans red enchilada sauce (mild or medium) or 2 1/2 cups homemade red enchilada sauce; 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices; 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen; 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced; 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 cup water; 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided; For serving: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, chopped green onion, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

posted on November 26, 2017

189 comments »

Print Recipe Jump to Recipe

Stumble

Yum

I’m beginning to wonder if my appetite has some sort of homing beacon that orients itself toward Mexican food. If it’s been a few weeks since we’ve eaten it, the next time I enter the grocery store, I’ll find myself drifting toward the enchilada sauce and chili powder, as if being pulled by an invisible string connected to the end of my grocery cart. Such was the case the week I made this Crock Pot Mexican Casserole. My homing beacon called, and this healthy Mexican slow cooker recipe answered!

Super easy and DELICIOUS Crock Pot Mexican Casserole with quinoa, black beans, and chicken or turkey. Healthy comfort food, gluten free, and our whole family LOVES it! Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

I attribute my regular cravings for Mexican flavor to my mother, who I’m convinced needs a dose of Mexican food at least twice a week in order to maintain her equilibrium.

Growing up, at least 50% of the meals we ate out were Mexican…or “Mexican” depending upon how strictly you define the term.

During summer vacation when my sisters and I were out of school, we’d cruise the Hispanic area of town, stopping at whichever eatery looked the most legitimate for lunch. The less English visible in the windows, the better.

If we were running errands and needed to make a quick stop, nine times out of 10, we’d pick a place where I could order some version of chicken enchiladas.

On Sundays after church, we frequented our city’s local version of On the Border.

Our traditional Christmas night dinner? My grammy’s Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.

Clearly, the love of Mexican food spans generations.

Slow Cooker Healthy Mexican Casserole with quinoa, ground turkey, and black beans. Easy gluten free recipe and our whole family loves it! The crock pot does the work. Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

Now, I will not for a second pretend that the Mexican recipes I make at home, such as this Crock Pot Mexican Casserole, are authentic, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t delicious.

Like the more authentic Mexican food that inspired it, this ground turkey slow cooker casserole is the right mix of comfort and freshness.

The spices are rich but not overpowering, and like my other slow cooker Mexican recipes, from Taco Casserole to Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup, it’s a complete crowd pleaser every time I serve it.

Cheesy Healthy Crock Pot Mexican Casserole with quinoa, black beans, fresh veggies, and ground chicken or turkey. Easy DELICIOUS comfort food! {gluten free} Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

This particular Mexican casserole recipe is ultra easy to make, reasonably healthy, and offers the convenience you are seeking when you pull out your crock pot.

No, you won’t find this crockpot enchilada recipe on an actual Mexican restaurant menu, but when your family is clamoring for second helpings, you’ll be too busy congratulating yourself on serving an easy meal that’s loaded with fiber and protein to worry about that small detail.

Crock Pot Mexican Casserole with Quinoa, Black Beans, and Ground Turkey. An easy, healthy slow cooker recipe. Gluten free, healthy comfort food!

How to Make the Best Crock Pot Mexican Casserole

A few key ingredients make this Crock Pot Mexican Casserole:

Extra satisfying and
Extra simple to prepare.

On the fill-you-up front, we have black beans, quinoa, and ground turkey. All three pack mega fiber and protein, which means this Crock Pot Mexican Casserole will keep you satisfied long after it is served.

Easy and DELICIOUS Crock Pot Mexican Casserole with quinoa, black beans and ground turkey or chicken. Healthy, gluten free, and everyone LOVES it! Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

If you or your family prefer, you can use ground chicken to make slow cooker Mexican casserole chicken or use lean ground beef.

To fit the recipe into your collection of crockpot vegetarian recipes, replace the meat with extra black beans.

This healthy Mexican slow cooker recipe yields a generous amount, but the leftovers reheat like a dream.

For those interested in meal prep, you can sauté the ground meat and chop the veggies in advance, then just dump everything into the crock pot whenever you are ready to make it. (Another meal prep winner: Crock Pot Chicken and Rice!)

This Crock Pot Mexican Casserole also freezes exceptionally well.

Easy Slow Cooker Mexican Casserole with ground turkey, quinoa, and black beans. A healthy crock pot casserole that’s gluten free! Recipe at wellplated.com | @wellplated

Make this recipe tonight, then stow some away for the next time you need a fast, healthy dinner…or for when your own Mexican craving strikes!

What to Serve with Crock Pot Mexican Casserole:

This meal is really a slam-dunk all-in-one, so you don’t have to put something on the side. That said, I do always love to add a green veggies. This would be excellent with a simple green salad, sautéed spinach or kale, or oven-roasted brussels sprouts.

Recommended Tools to Make Crock Pot Mexican Casserole:

Slow Cooker. Be sure it is at least 6 quarts (you could maybe squeeze it in a 5 quart, but I haven’t tried).
For a 3-quart slow cooker, reduce the recipe by half.

More Mexican Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:

Print Recipe

5 / 5 (49 Reviews)

Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review »