Ingredients For Chicken Enchilada Soup

How To Make Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is super easy and quick! You will need red enchilada sauce for this soup. Many of you have asked me what brand I use, and to be honest I just use whatever brand I find at my grocery store, or I make my own.

To make this soup creamy and cheesy I used an 8 oz block of cream cheese. I used light Philadelphia but use whatever brand you like. The reason this soup is nice and quick is because I used already cooked chicken breast. I usually buy a whole roasted chicken then add all the breast from it to the soup. The rest goes to the little beggar in the house, my dog.

I like my chicken enchilada soup nice and thick, so I only added a cup of chicken broth. If you find its a bit too thick for your taste, just add a bit more chicken broth, until you get the desired consistency.

Tips And Substitutions To Make The Best Enchilada Soup Recipe

• Beans: feel free to swap the black beans for pinto beans.
• Vegetables: feel free to add in additional vegetables if you have some leftover in the fridge.
• Corn: for even more smoky flavor, you can use fire-roasted corn instead of regular corn.
• You can use any kind of cooked chicken for this soup, such as shredded rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, pre-cooked cubed chicken. Be sure to adjust the salt if using pre-cooked chicken as it might already have been salted.
• If you dont have enchilada seasoning, add more cumin and chili seasoning to the recipe.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

This simple enchilada soup just got a whole lot easier! Throw everything into the crockpot and let the slow cooker do all the work.

How do I know when my chicken breast has cooked through?

The internal temperature of cooked chicken breast should read 165°F.

Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes, you can just take out the meat and add more veggies and beans!

Do I have to add the beans?

If you do not care for beans you can just not add beans to your soup but the beans give the soup its authentic flavor.

Can I use canned shredded chicken?

We do not recommend using canned shredded chicken for this soup.

Are canned tomatoes the same as canned tomato sauce?

NO! Canned tomatoes are diced tomatoes and tomato sauce is a puree. You do not want to substitute canned tomato sauce for the canned tomatoes.

Can I make this soup spicy?Can I use green enchilada sauce?

Read Also: Campbell’s Cream Of Chicken Soup Casserole

Why We Love This Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe

• Quick and easy to prepare in under 15 minutes.
• Uses the same simple ingredients as Chilis version, but tastes better because its homemade.
• Creamy, rich, slightly spicy, and velvety thick.
• Tastes exactly like chicken enchiladas, but served as a soup.
• Big bowl of comfort food, topped with all your favorites.

Chicken Enchilada Soup Ingredients

• Cooked shredded chicken breast you can make your own or use a rotisserie chicken. If making your own, I have instructions on how to do that below!
• Vegetables: onions, garlic, red bell pepper, frozen corn, and green chilies.
• Seasoning: enchilada sauce, enchilada seasoning, cumin powder, chili seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Olive oil I like the light tasting one for this enchilada soup.
• Chicken broth make sure to get low sodium broth.
• Fired roasted diced tomatoes this gives your chicken enchilada soup that smoky flavor that you cant get with regular diced tomatoes.
• Tomato paste to thicken up the tomato sauce.
• Canned black beans drained and rinsed well.
• Lime juice-to add a little zesty flavor
• Cheddar cheese for toppings or add it in the soup to make it cheesy.

Don’t Miss: Lipton Onion Roasted Potatoes

Storing & Freezing Tips

• To store: this healthy chicken enchilada soup will stay good in your fridge for about 5 days. Once the soup is completely cooled, just place it in an airtight container without the additional toppings and place it in the fridge. To reheat it, simply do so in the microwave with a microwave safe bowl, or feel free to reheat it on the stovetop. Add your toppings once youre ready to serve!
• To freeze: yes, you can freeze this enchilada soup! Follow the instructions above, but instead of placing the soup in the refrigerator just put it in your freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw the soup overnight and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave when youre ready to eat.

Chicken Enchilada Soup Using An Instant Pot:

• Using the saute option, add the oil or butter in the instant pot, then add the onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic and cook until softens, about 5-6 minutes.
• If using raw chicken, add in with the veggies in the previous step at the bottom.
• Add in the seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth.
• Next, add in the beans, corn, and shredded cooked chicken . Stir to combine.
• Then, place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Using the manual setting, cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes.
• Allow the instant pot to natural release for 10 minutes or so before doing a quick release.
• Finally, remove the lid from Instant Pot, shred the chicken , and serve with your favorite toppings.
• Note: You may remove a portion of the soup towards the end. Blend it and then add it back into the soup. Mix and serve.

Don’t Miss: Roasted Potatoes With Onion Soup Mix

How Do You Make Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup starts with a saute of onions and garlic. The next ingredient is one you may not have heard of before, and its called masa harina which is a corn flour. Its sold in my grocery store under the brand name Maseca in the baking aisle. If you cant find masa harina, you can omit it, but this corn flour really gives the soup an authentic flavor and helps to thicken up the broth.

After the onions and masa harina are in the pot, the chicken, tomatoes, corn, black beans, green chiles, enchilada sauce and broth all follow.

Chicken Enchilada Soup Is Frugal

You can use only 4 chicken breasts in this soup but it makes a ton of soup. You can really feed a large crowd. Try this soup for game day, parties and more for a budget friendly meal everyone will love.

This meal is so easy to make and very versatile. You can even add more beans or tomatoes to stretch the meat even more.

Sometimes, we will have friends stay for dinner and I just toss an extra can of beans in the soup.

Plus, being able to throw this together quickly and easily really helps to avoid the temptation of getting take out. Everyone is much happier with a delicious home cooked meal anyway.

You May Like: Homemade Onion Soup Mix Without Beef Bouillon

Tips For The Best Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Use rotisserie chicken. Its quick and easy and makes this recipe so fast and delicious.
• This soup cooks fast, make sure you have all the ingredients pulled out and prepped, if possible, when you start cooking.
• The toppings really make this soup. I recommend having at least three options and more if you have them. The more the better in this case!

How To Make Chicken Enchilada Soup In An Instant Pot

• Sauté the aromatics: On sauté mode, heat the olive oil. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent in color.
• Sauté the sauce, tomatoes, and spices: Add in the enchilada sauce, fire roasted tomatoes, spices, and salt. Sauté for about 1 minute.
• Add the rest into the Instant Pot: Quickly deglaze the pot with a ¼ cup of your broth and then turn off sauté mode. Add in the shredded chicken, corn, beans, and chile and the rest of the broth into the pressure cooker.
• Cook: Set the pressure cooker to manual and cook for 10 minutes under high pressure. You can either quick release or natural pressure release when done.
• If using raw chicken, no need to change the cook time. Simply shred it when youre done cooking before you serve.

Read Also: Campbell’s Beef Enchiladas

How To Cook Chicken Enchilada Soup Using A Crock

• In a pan or skillet, add oil or butter over medium-high heat add the onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic and cook until softens, about 5-6 minutes.
• Transfer to crockpot or slow cooker and add in the seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and broth.
• Then, add in beans, corn, and shredded cooked chicken. Stir to combine cover and set it on High for 2hours or low for 4 hours if using cooked chicken.
• Note: You may add raw chicken breasts to the crockpot or slow cooker right before you add in the veggies at the very bottom and set it to cook longer. 6 hours on low and 4 hours on high. Then towards the end use a fork to shred the chicken.
• Also Note: You may remove a portion of the soup towards the end. Blend it and then add it back into the soup. Mix and serve.

How To Make Green Enchiladas Chicken Soup

You May Like: Golden Mushroom Soup Substitute Recipe

About This Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe

When you think of comfort, you think of soups. They are highly customizable, healthy, easy to prepare, affordable, and help keep you hydrated. They even freeze well, so you can prepare them in advance and enjoy them whenever you want.

Soups really tick all the boxes for a healthy, nutritious, and warming meal. And this recipe for chicken enchilada soup is an easy way to tide you through the colder months. Packed with meat, beans, corn, veggies, and cheese, this enchilada-inspired soup makes for a hearty, comforting meal in a bowl.

Apart from the mouth-watering Mexican flavors, the soup is also loaded with proteins and nutrients. Chicken breast is relatively inexpensive and is an excellent source of lean protein. The veggies and beans are nutrient-dense, a good source of minerals, vitamins, and dietary fibers essential for a healthy diet.

Its a very adaptable recipe that you cook in a crockpot, slow cooker, instant pot, or simply on the stovetop. The soup will be equally delicious any way you cook it, the only difference will be the cooking time, which can vary from 1 hour, if cooked on the stovetop or instant pot, to 6 hours, if cooked in the crockpot or slow cooker.

Rich, creamy, and a little kick of spicy, this chicken enchilada soup is perfect as a warm and healthy lunch or dinner.

Can You Make This Soup In The Slow Cooker

Yes! You can easily make this soup in the slow cooker!

• Add all of the ingredients, except the corn, coconut milk, and arrowroot starch, to the base of your slow cooker. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or until the chicken breast is fully cooked.
• Remove the chicken breast from the slow cooker and shred the meat. Whisk together the arrowroot starch and coconut milk.
• Add the shredded chicken, coconut milk mixture, and corn to the slow cooker. Allow the soup to continue to cook for 15 minutes until everything is heated through and slightly thickened.
• Serve and enjoy!

You May Like: Roast With Lipton Onion Soup Mix

What Is The Difference Between Green Enchilada Sauce And Red Enchilada Sauce

Red enchilada sauce is made with red tomatoes, red chili peppers, onions, and other spices.

Green enchilada sauce is most often made of diced green chili peppers , garlic, vegetable stock, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Additional jalapeno peppers may also be added for more spice. Sometimes recipes will add tomatillos as well.

Make It In Your Slow Cooker

I originally made this enchilada soup recipe on the stovetop, but you can easily make it in your slow cooker!

Also Check: Ground Beef And Onion Soup Mix Recipes

How To Cook Chicken For Enchilada Soup

Cooking the chicken is quite simple. It would be easiest to use a rotisserie chicken but you can certainly cook your own. We recommend using skinless and boneless chicken breasts.

• Add chicken into a pot full of water
• We like adding some sort of herbs to give the chicken some flavor. Use half an onion and a bay leaf. sometimes we use a cinnamon stick but not for this particular recipe.
• Allow boiling for about 15-20 minutes until you easily insert a knife or a fork through the chicken.
• Then, drain in a colander and let it cool off
• Finally, using your hands or forks, shred chicken.
• If you have an Instant pot, you can simply make this Instant Pot Chicken Breast to use in this enchilada soup.

How To Make Creamy Chicken Enchilada Soup

This chicken enchilada soup recipe is made on the stovetop. We will also be showing you further on how to make it on your crockpot, slow cooker, and instant pot.

Note: Recipe calls for cooked shredded chicken. Either get a storebought rotisserie chicken and use that or cook your own at home using chicken breast .

To make enchilada soup on your stovetop:

• Prepare vegetables and ingredients: Set up all the ingredients and get your shredded chicken ready.
• Cook vegetables: Add butter or oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. First, add the onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic and cook until softens, about 5-6 minutes. Then, stir in seasonings, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Cook and prep soup: Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are very tender.
• Blend: remove from heat and using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth and creamy. .
• Add beans and chicken: Place the soup back over medium heat and add in beans, corn and shredded cooked chicken. Stir to combine and boil for a couple of minutes, just to heat it all up.
• Serve: Pour into bowls and top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Recommended Reading: Tomato Soup Keto Friendly

How To Make Shredded Chicken

While you can make chicken enchilada soup with rotisserie chicken, you can easily make your own shredded chicken for this enchilada soup. I recommend using chicken breasts.

• Add chicken chicken into a pot with chopped onions, bay leaves, one or two cinnamon sticks, and celery. Add enough water to cover the chicken with at least an extra inch.
• Bring the pot up to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken breasts are tender.
• Remove the chicken breasts and shred with two forks.

How To Make Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Everything goes in the crock pot including raw chicken. This is such an easy toss and go recipe.

• Cover and cook. You can cook this on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 6 hours. The cooking time results in tender and flavorful chicken.

• Once the chicken is cooked, shred the chicken and mix together in the slow cooker.

Seriously it is that easy! Keep reading for the full recipe.

Also Check: Substitute For Cream Of Mushroom Soup In Tater Tot Casserole

Whats The Difference Between Enchilada Soup And Tortilla Soup

Although very similar, enchilada soup and tortilla soup often use slightly different spices and ingredients to make up the broth. Traditional tortilla soup often has a thinner broth with fresh tomatoes, different types of fresh or dried chiles , and fried tortilla strips, while enchilada soup has a thicker broth made with enchilada sauce and often a thickening agent like masa harina .

Both are so delicious, especially when you add all of your fav garnishes!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions For Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

• Chicken I tend to use boneless breasts for this recipe, but boneless thighs would be just as delicious .
• Enchilada sauce Heres where you can really adjust the heat. Use mild or spicy sauce or a mix of both. You could even use your favorite homemade recipe youll need about 3.5 to 4 cups total.
• Diced tomatoes To get that simmered on the stove all day flavor, use a fire-roasted variety.

• Black beans If youre not a fan, pinto beans are a great substitute.
• Corn Instead of canned, try frozen kernels. You dont even need to thaw them first!
• Onion and garlic Staple ingredients for soups and stews that add tons of flavor.
• Cheese Monterey Jack has a mild flavor and melts seamlessly into this easy enchilada soup. Try Colby Jack for sharper flavor or Pepper Jack for an extra kick. Whichever you choose, shred a fresh block by hand!

You May Like: Lipton Onion Soup Potatoes With Butter