Instant Pot Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This Instant Pot Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole is super creamy and delightfully easy. Throw the simple ingredients in the Instant Pot and enjoy every cheesy, tangy bite in no time. It’s the perfect option for family-friendly dinners and makes for excellent leftovers!

Bring excitement to your weeknight meals with my Instant Pot Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole. There’s almost no prep time involved and you only need simple and inexpensive ingredients. Let the Instant Pot do all the work and enjoy!

This is the same recipe for my One Pan Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Skillet but made in an Instant Pot. Guaranteed to cut down on cooking time and make your life a whole lot easier.

This tangy and flavorful meal can be satisfying on its own or enjoyed with an abundance of zesty side dishes. Serve this easy chicken dish on a bed of Mexican rice or greens, and with a chopped salad on the side.

Why This Recipe Works

Frozen chicken breasts are cooked in a flavorful broth for only a few minutes at high pressure and then allowed to cook the rest of the way with a natural pressure release. This keeps the chicken juicy and super tender! To avoid a burn notice, the sauce is thickened and tortilla pieces are added in at the end.

How to Make Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole in an Instant Pot

Forget about rolling up the filling into individual tortillas, like with traditional enchiladas. This recipe is super simple and doesn’t require any tedious prep work. Here’s how we do it:

Step 1: 

Place the black olives, green chiles, chipotle chili powder, oregano, salt, and chicken broth in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine, then place the frozen chicken breasts into the broth mixture. 

Step 2: 

Lock the lid in place, making sure the venting valve is sealed. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 18 minutes, then do a quick pressure release. When the pressure pin drops, remove the lid.

Step 3: 

Remove the chicken from the broth. Place it on a cutting board and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Next, cut or shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Step 4: 

Mix the cornstarch with the sour cream in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Turn your Instant Pot to "Saute" mode and bring the broth mixture to a simmer. Once it’s simmering, stir in the cornstarch and sour cream until the mixture has thickened (about 1 minute).

Step 5:

Next, stir in the chicken and tortilla pieces. Cook for only 1 minute more, then turn off the Instant Pot. 

Step 6:

Sprinkle cheese over the top of the casserole and cover with the lid until the cheese is melted.

Do I have to use an Instant Pot?

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this recipe in a skillet or slow cooker. Click here for my instructions on making this recipe in a skillet on the stove.

To make it in a slow cooker, add in the black olives, green chiles, chipotle chili powder, oregano, salt, and chicken broth. Stir, and then add the frozen chicken breasts. Place the lid on top and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the crockpot and shred it on a cutting board. Mix your cornstarch and sour cream mixture in a small bowl. Place the shredded chicken, cornstarch and sour cream, and tortilla strips into the bowl and stir.

Cook for another 40 to 60 minutes. Afterward, sprinkle the cheese on top and cover with the lid until the cheese is fully melted.

Heather's Tips for Recipe Success

• Frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts are best for this recipe. Chicken thighs would also work, especially if you’re making this recipe in a crockpot (they won’t dry out as quickly). Bone-in chicken breasts could add more flavor if that’s what you want to use, but they will take longer to cook.
• Weigh your chicken beforehand. If the breasts are larger than 8-10 ounces, follow the chicken cooking guide at the end of this recipe to adjust the cooking time.
• Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients that don't melt as nicely and won’t be as creamy. 
• Make each bite a bit spicier by stirring in a can of chopped jalapenos or adding several dashes of hot sauce.
• Add even more heat with my homemade enchilada sauce. Stir it in when you add the sour cream.
• Leftovers store easily in the fridge or freezer. Make sure they’re in an airtight container before storing for a few days in the fridge or for up to a month in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven or microwave.

More Instant Pot Recipes

• Zesty Instant Pot Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
• Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Chili with Pineapple
• Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Instant Pot Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

An easy casserole with all the flavor of rolled enchiladas without all the work! A weeknight dinner staple at our house!

By Heather Cheney

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 4-ounce can chopped black olives
• ▢ 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups chicken broth
• ▢ 3 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 8-10 ounces each)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream
• ▢ 12 corn tortillas cut into 1" pieces
• ▢ 2 cups colby jack cheese shredded

Instructions

• Place black olives, green chiles, chipotle chili powder, oregano, salt and chicken broth in the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and place frozen chicken breasts into the broth mixture.
• Lock Instant Pot lid in place making sure the venting valve is sealed.
• Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
• When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 18 minutes, then do a quick pressure release and when the pressure pin drops, remove the lid.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and place on a cutting board. Allow to cool for a few minutes and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces.
• Set Instant Pot on "Saute" mode and bring broth to a simmer.
• In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the sour cream until smooth and whisk into the simmering broth. Whisk until smooth and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened-- about 1 minute and stir in the chicken and tortilla pieces. Cook for 1 minute longer and turn off the Instant Pot.
• Sprinkle cheese over the top of the casserole and cover with the lid until the cheese is melted.

Chef's Notes:

• Frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts are best for this recipe. Chicken thighs would also work, especially if you’re making this recipe in a crockpot (they won’t dry out as quickly). Bone-in chicken breasts could add more flavor if that’s what you want to use, but they will take longer to cook.
• Weigh your chicken beforehand. If the breasts are larger than 8-10 ounces, follow the chicken cooking guide at the end of this recipe to adjust the cooking time.
• Shred the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients that don't melt as nicely and won’t be as creamy. 
• Make each bite a bit spicier by stirring in a can of chopped jalapenos or adding several dashes of hot sauce.
• Add even more heat with my homemade enchilada sauce. Stir it in when you add the sour cream.
• Leftovers store easily in the fridge or freezer. Make sure they’re in an airtight container before storing for a few days in the fridge or for up to a month in the freezer. Reheat on the stovetop or in the oven or microwave.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 758 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 58 g | Fat: 40 g | Saturated Fat: 21 g | Cholesterol: 201 mg | Sodium: 1416 mg | Potassium: 1031 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 1102 IU | Vitamin C: 11 mg | Calcium: 594 mg | Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition and Food Safety Disclosure

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