This creamy chicken enchilada soup recipe is loaded with all the goodies – chicken, veggies, cream cheese, spicy enchilada sauce, and green chiles. Everything you crave in a classic chicken enchiladas entree in soup form! It is a hearty, comforting meal that will both warm and fill you up.
Enjoy a big bowl with all your favorite toppings like cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, and avocado. It’s a hearty meal in itself! You can also pair chicken enchilada soup with other Mexican-inspired dishes like rice or chips and guac for a full dinner spread. If you want more hearty soup recipes, try my recipe for taco soup, homemade lasagna soup, or hamburger soup recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Chicken – I recommend using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Alternatively, you can use bone-in chicken thighs to make the broth more flavorful.
Enchilada Sauce – prepared red enchilada sauce adds a delicious depth of flavor to the soup. Alternatively, you can use equal parts tomato sauce.
Tomatoes & Green Chiles – canned diced tomatoes with green chiles add some tasty heat to this savory dish. If you can’t find canned tomatoes with chiles, you can also substitute 1 cup of canned tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of canned green chiles.
Corn – canned corn makes prep super easy! Be sure to rinse and drain it before using. Don’t have canned corn? No problem, 1 ½ cups defrosted frozen corn also works.
Black Beans – canned beans are perfect to add to this recipe. Drain and rinse them before adding to the pot.
Cream Cheese – full-fat cream cheese makes this soup extra creamy! Make sure it is softened before adding for easy mixing.
Seasonings – chili powder and ground cumin add a hint of spice and delicious earthy flavor.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Soup
1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, for about 6 minutes.
2. Add the chicken breasts, chicken stock, and enchilada sauce.
3. Add the corn and black beans.
4. Add the canned tomatoes.
5. Add the chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred using two forks.
7. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup.
8. Add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated, for about 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Soften the cream cheese. The cream cheese melts easiest if it is softened before adding it to the soup pot. Quickly soften it by placing cubed cream cheese in a microwave-safe dish and heat on low for 10-15 seconds.
- Batch cook. This is a great easy recipe to prepare ahead for busier weeks because it freezes well! Make a batch (or double it!) to eat throughout the week and freeze some to enjoy a quick meal later.
- Optional variations. Mix up the protein by subbing the chicken 1:1 with shredded turkey or ground beef. Or make it vegetarian by omitting the meat and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Additionally, you can swap the black beans for pinto beans or use a mix of both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dress up piping hot bowls of the creamy and zesty soup with fresh cilantro, chopped scallions, a dollop of sour cream or guacamole, pickled red onions, or freshly grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese. Add extra crunch by scooping up bites of soup with whole tortilla chips or Fritos, or serve corn muffins on the side to crumble into the soup.
Allow leftover soup to cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. This soup is also freezer-friendly. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes, you can certainly make chicken enchilada soup in a crock pot or an Instant Pot on the slow cooker setting instead of on the stovetop. Simply combine all ingredients except the cream cheese in a slow cooker. Cook over low heat for 6 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board. Shred it with two forks. Return the chicken to the slow cooker with the cream cheese, and stir until the cream cheese is melted. Serve with toppings and enjoy!
Make prep easier by using about 2 cups of leftover shredded chicken from a roasted chicken or grocery store rotisserie chicken. Simply add the cooked chicken to the recipe in the same step as adding the uncooked chicken breasts. Then reduce the simmer time to about 10 minutes to allow the chicken time to marinate in the other ingredients before stirring in the cream cheese.
This soup is quite thick on its own, but you can add more thickness by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of water and whisking the mixture into the simmering pot of soup. Or, you can stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of fine cornmeal or masa harina and simmer for 5 minutes. Additionally, if you want to make extra creamy enchilada soup, add two more ounces of full-fat cream cheese to the recipe.
If you’ve tried this Chicken Enchilada Soup recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, (450g)
- 2 cups chicken stock (480mL)
- 1 (19-ounce/538g) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (15.25-ounce/432g) can whole-kernel corn rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-ounce-425g) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (10-ounce/283g) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt to taste
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed and softened, (113g)
Toppings:
- Tortilla strips
- Sliced avocado
- Chopped cilantro
- Shredded Mexican cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add the chicken breasts, chicken stock, enchilada sauce, corn, black beans, canned tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred using two forks. Add the shredded chicken back into the soup along with the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted and fully incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese. The cream cheese melts easiest if it is softened before adding it to the soup pot. Quickly soften it by placing cubed cream cheese in a microwave-safe dish and heat on low for 10-15 seconds.
- Batch cook. This is a great easy recipe to prepare ahead for busier weeks because it freezes well! Make a batch (or double it!) to eat throughout the week and freeze some to enjoy a quick meal later.
- Optional variations. Mix up the protein by subbing the chicken 1:1 with shredded turkey or ground beef. Or make it vegetarian by omitting the meat and swapping the chicken broth for vegetable broth. Additionally, you can swap the black beans for pinto beans or use a mix of both.
Seli says
I made it today, absolutely delicious
Thank you